HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Hamilton County, Nebraska (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Hamilton County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $961 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Hamilton keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$961
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$865 to $1,057
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$38,440
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Nebraska
57th of 93
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Hamilton moves to $1,014. That's up 6%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Hamilton actually rent for?
Search any address in Hamilton for a rent estimate built from nearby comps, with the HUD figure right next to it.
FY 2026 Fair Market Rents
| Bedrooms | FMR | Payment standard | Income needed | Hourly wage | vs FY 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $666 | $599 to $733 | $26,640 | $12.81/hr | +7.1% |
| 1 bedroom | $824 | $742 to $906 | $32,960 | $15.85/hr | +12.4% |
| 2 bedroom | $961 | $865 to $1,057 | $38,440 | $18.48/hr | +6.0% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,337 | $1,203 to $1,471 | $53,480 | $25.71/hr | +5.2% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,594 | $1,435 to $1,753 | $63,760 | $30.65/hr | +10.6% |
5 to 8 bedrooms (PropMetrics estimates)
HUD stops at four bedrooms. These add 15% of the four-bedroom rent per extra bedroom. It's our estimate, not a HUD number.
| Bedrooms | Estimated FMR | Payment standard |
|---|---|---|
| 5 bedroom Estimate | $1,833 | $1,650 to $2,016 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,072 | $1,865 to $2,279 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,311 | $2,080 to $2,542 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,550 | $2,295 to $2,805 |
Source: HUD Office of Policy Development and Research, FY 2026 Fair Market Rents. Rents include utilities. huduser.gov
Fair Market Rent is HUD's estimate of what a modest, decent unit rents for in an area, utilities included. It's set once a year and runs October to September. For FY 2026 that's October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. In Hamilton, that runs from $666 for a studio up to $1,594 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Hamilton sits outside any HUD metro area, its rate is a county-wide figure built from local rents. One number covers every address in the county, Aurora included.
Among Nebraska's 93 counties, Hamilton ranks 57th for two-bedroom FMR. That's within a couple percent of the state median of $961 and about 6% below the national median county at $1,018. About 9,400 people live here, 29th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $960 in 68841 (Giltner) and $1,020 in 68865 (Phillips), with the 6 ZIP codes in between. Housing authorities in HUD-designated metros use those ZIP rates instead of the county rate. Everywhere else the ZIP numbers show where rents actually sit, and the county rate stays the official standard.
What a voucher pays here
The voucher doesn't pay the FMR itself. It pays the payment standard. Housing authorities set it anywhere from 90% to 110% of FMR, which puts a two-bedroom standard in Hamilton somewhere between $865 and $1,057. The tenant pays roughly 30% of their income, the voucher covers the rest up to the standard, and the PHA won't approve a rent above what comparable unassisted units get.
$961 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $38,440 a year. Put another way, $18 an hour full time.
Worked example for a two-bedroom, assuming the rent equals the payment standard. Tenant pays 30% of monthly income, HUD's housing assistance payment covers the rest.
| Monthly household income | Tenant pays (30%) | HAP at 90% ($865) | HAP at 100% ($961) | HAP at 110% ($1,057) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $115 | $211 | $307 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 6% from FY 2025 ($907) to FY 2026 ($961). Since FY 2020 it's up 36% in total, about 5.2% a year. The Nebraska median moved up 6% over the same year.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $504 | $537 | $707 | $1,020 | $1,241 | — |
| FY 2021 | $530 | $557 | $734 | $1,037 | $1,271 | +3.8% |
| FY 2022 | $507 | $575 | $757 | $991 | $1,264 | +3.1% |
| FY 2023 | $562 | $628 | $826 | $1,085 | $1,299 | +9.1% |
| FY 2024 | $591 | $682 | $872 | $1,208 | $1,395 | +5.6% |
| FY 2025 | $622 | $733 | $907 | $1,271 | $1,441 | +4.0% |
| FY 2026 | $666 | $824 | $961 | $1,337 | $1,594 | +6.0% |
| FY 2027 | $734 | $800 | $1,014 | $1,369 | $1,562 | +5.5% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$961 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $666 for a studio, $824 for one bedroom, $1,337 for three and $1,594 for four.
Tools for this county
Fair Market Rent lookup
Look up any ZIP code's Small Area FMR by bedroom count.
Section 8 rent calculator
Work out the payment standard and tenant share for a specific rent.
What is Fair Market Rent?
How HUD calculates FMR and what it means for landlords.
Rent affordability calculator
See what income a household needs for a given rent.
What does a rental in Hamilton actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Hamilton for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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