HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Lincoln County, Nebraska (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Lincoln County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $1,052 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Lincoln keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,052
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$947 to $1,157
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$42,080
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Nebraska
14th of 93
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Lincoln moves to $1,099. That's up 4%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Lincoln actually rent for?
Search any address in Lincoln 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 | $796 | $716 to $876 | $31,840 | $15.31/hr | +14.0% |
| 1 bedroom | $802 | $722 to $882 | $32,080 | $15.42/hr | +14.1% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,052 | $947 to $1,157 | $42,080 | $20.23/hr | +14.1% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,261 | $1,135 to $1,387 | $50,440 | $24.25/hr | +9.2% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,520 | $1,368 to $1,672 | $60,800 | $29.23/hr | +10.5% |
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 | $1,748 | $1,573 to $1,923 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,976 | $1,778 to $2,174 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,204 | $1,984 to $2,424 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,432 | $2,189 to $2,675 |
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 Lincoln, that runs from $796 for a studio up to $1,520 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Lincoln 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, North Platte included.
Among Nebraska's 93 counties, Lincoln ranks 14th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 9% above the state median of $961 and about 3% above the national median county at $1,018. About 34,532 people live here, 9th 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 69151 (Maxwell) and $1,070 in 69101 (North Platte), with the 9 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 Lincoln somewhere between $947 and $1,157. 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.
$1,052 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $42,080 a year. Put another way, $20 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% ($947) | HAP at 100% ($1,052) | HAP at 110% ($1,157) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $197 | $302 | $407 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 14% from FY 2025 ($922) to FY 2026 ($1,052). Since FY 2020 it's up 48% in total, about 6.8% 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 | $536 | $538 | $709 | $957 | $960 | — |
| FY 2021 | $556 | $560 | $738 | $997 | $1,001 | +4.1% |
| FY 2022 | $573 | $577 | $759 | $1,078 | $1,092 | +2.8% |
| FY 2023 | $648 | $653 | $859 | $1,221 | $1,375 | +13.2% |
| FY 2024 | $675 | $680 | $893 | $1,229 | $1,409 | +4.0% |
| FY 2025 | $698 | $703 | $922 | $1,155 | $1,375 | +3.2% |
| FY 2026 | $796 | $802 | $1,052 | $1,261 | $1,520 | +14.1% |
| FY 2027 | $835 | $840 | $1,099 | $1,309 | $1,467 | +4.5% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$1,052 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $796 for a studio, $802 for one bedroom, $1,261 for three and $1,520 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 Lincoln actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Lincoln for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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