HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Kearney County, Nebraska (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Kearney County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $993 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Kearney keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$993
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$894 to $1,092
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$39,720
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Nebraska
22nd of 93
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Kearney moves to $1,056. 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 Kearney actually rent for?
Search any address in Kearney 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 | $689 | $620 to $758 | $27,560 | $13.25/hr | +9.2% |
| 1 bedroom | $757 | $681 to $833 | $30,280 | $14.56/hr | +8.0% |
| 2 bedroom | $993 | $894 to $1,092 | $39,720 | $19.10/hr | +7.9% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,191 | $1,072 to $1,310 | $47,640 | $22.90/hr | +7.5% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,327 | $1,194 to $1,460 | $53,080 | $25.52/hr | +8.8% |
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 | $1,526 | $1,373 to $1,679 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,725 | $1,553 to $1,898 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $1,924 | $1,732 to $2,116 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,123 | $1,911 to $2,335 |
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 Kearney, that runs from $689 for a studio up to $1,327 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Kearney 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, Axtell included.
Among Nebraska's 93 counties, Kearney ranks 22nd for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 3% above the state median of $961 and about 2% below the national median county at $1,018. About 6,655 people live here, 44th 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 68959 (Minden) and $1,410 in 68924 (Axtell), with the 4 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 Kearney somewhere between $894 and $1,092. 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.
$993 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $39,720 a year. Put another way, $19 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% ($894) | HAP at 100% ($993) | HAP at 110% ($1,092) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $144 | $243 | $342 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 8% from FY 2025 ($920) to FY 2026 ($993). Since FY 2020 it's up 33% in total, about 4.9% 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 | $486 | $655 | $746 | $930 | $1,011 | — |
| FY 2021 | $502 | $668 | $761 | $947 | $1,032 | +2.0% |
| FY 2022 | $509 | $667 | $760 | $939 | $1,031 | -0.1% |
| FY 2023 | $573 | $640 | $842 | $1,025 | $1,131 | +10.8% |
| FY 2024 | $604 | $678 | $891 | $1,077 | $1,187 | +5.8% |
| FY 2025 | $631 | $701 | $920 | $1,108 | $1,220 | +3.3% |
| FY 2026 | $689 | $757 | $993 | $1,191 | $1,327 | +7.9% |
| FY 2027 | $765 | $807 | $1,056 | $1,258 | $1,437 | +6.3% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$993 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $689 for a studio, $757 for one bedroom, $1,191 for three and $1,327 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 Kearney actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Kearney for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
Free tier. No credit card.