HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Belknap County, New Hampshire (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Belknap County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $1,800 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Belknap keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,800
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,620 to $1,980
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$72,000
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in New Hampshire
7th of 10
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Belknap moves to $1,620. That's down 10%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Belknap actually rent for?
Search any address in Belknap 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 | $1,241 | $1,117 to $1,365 | $49,640 | $23.87/hr | +21.8% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,425 | $1,283 to $1,568 | $57,000 | $27.40/hr | +20.6% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,800 | $1,620 to $1,980 | $72,000 | $34.62/hr | +21.7% |
| 3 bedroom | $2,219 | $1,997 to $2,441 | $88,760 | $42.67/hr | +19.0% |
| 4 bedroom | $2,676 | $2,408 to $2,944 | $107,040 | $51.46/hr | +20.5% |
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 | $3,077 | $2,769 to $3,385 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $3,479 | $3,131 to $3,827 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $3,880 | $3,492 to $4,268 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $4,282 | $3,854 to $4,710 |
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 Belknap, that runs from $1,241 for a studio up to $2,676 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Belknap 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, Tilton included.
Among New Hampshire's 10 counties, Belknap ranks 7th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 6% below the state median of $1,918 and about 77% above the national median county at $1,018. About 64,300 people live here, 7th in the state.
Rates by town
New Hampshire publishes Fair Market Rents town by town instead of by county. All 11 towns in Belknap County share the same rate for FY 2026, so the county number is the town number wherever you are.
| Town | Population | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laconia city | 16,982 | $1,241 | $1,425 | $1,800 | $2,219 | $2,676 |
| Gilford town | 7,785 | $1,241 | $1,425 | $1,800 | $2,219 | $2,676 |
| Belmont town | 7,383 | $1,241 | $1,425 | $1,800 | $2,219 | $2,676 |
| Meredith town | 6,706 | $1,241 | $1,425 | $1,800 | $2,219 | $2,676 |
| Alton town | 5,953 | $1,241 | $1,425 | $1,800 | $2,219 | $2,676 |
| Barnstead town | 4,972 | $1,241 | $1,425 | $1,800 | $2,219 | $2,676 |
| Tilton town | 4,026 | $1,241 | $1,425 | $1,800 | $2,219 | $2,676 |
| Gilmanton town | 3,997 | $1,241 | $1,425 | $1,800 | $2,219 | $2,676 |
| Sanbornton town | 3,054 | $1,241 | $1,425 | $1,800 | $2,219 | $2,676 |
| New Hampton town | 2,484 | $1,241 | $1,425 | $1,800 | $2,219 | $2,676 |
| Center Harbor town | 958 | $1,241 | $1,425 | $1,800 | $2,219 | $2,676 |
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,340 in 03810 (Alton Bay) and $2,190 in 03226 (Center Harbor), with the 16 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.
| ZIP | City | 2BR rate | vs county |
|---|---|---|---|
| 03218 | Barnstead | $2,160 | +20.0% |
| 03220 | Belmont | $1,620 | -10.0% |
| 03225 | Center Barnstead | $1,800 | 0.0% |
| 03226 | Center Harbor | $2,190 | +21.7% |
| 03237 | Gilmanton | $1,860 | +3.3% |
| 03246 | Laconia | $1,770 | -1.7% |
| 03247 | Laconia | $1,800County rate | — |
| 03249 | Gilford | $1,930 | +7.2% |
| 03252 | Lochmere | $1,800 | 0.0% |
| 03253 | Meredith | $1,910 | +6.1% |
| 03256 | New Hampton | $1,860 | +3.3% |
| 03269 | Sanbornton | $1,810 | +0.6% |
| 03276 | Tilton | $1,670 | -7.2% |
| 03289 | Winnisquam | $1,800 | 0.0% |
| 03298 | Tilton | $1,800County rate | — |
| 03299 | Tilton | $1,800County rate | — |
| 03809 | Alton | $1,770 | -1.7% |
| 03810 | Alton Bay | $1,340 | -25.6% |
| 03837 | Gilmanton Iron Works | $1,800 | 0.0% |
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 Belknap somewhere between $1,620 and $1,980. 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.
$1,800 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $72,000 a year. Put another way, $35 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% ($1,620) | HAP at 100% ($1,800) | HAP at 110% ($1,980) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $870 | $1,050 | $1,230 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $420 | $600 | $780 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 22% from FY 2025 ($1,479) to FY 2026 ($1,800). Since FY 2020 it's up 76% in total, about 9.9% a year. The New Hampshire median moved up 25% over the same year.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $691 | $794 | $1,020 | $1,377 | $1,382 | — |
| FY 2021 | $745 | $829 | $1,057 | $1,428 | $1,433 | +3.6% |
| FY 2022 | $793 | $884 | $1,128 | $1,550 | $1,556 | +6.7% |
| FY 2023 | $926 | $1,015 | $1,292 | $1,739 | $1,912 | +14.5% |
| FY 2024 | $906 | $1,058 | $1,329 | $1,710 | $2,019 | +2.9% |
| FY 2025 | $1,019 | $1,182 | $1,479 | $1,864 | $2,221 | +11.3% |
| FY 2026 | $1,241 | $1,425 | $1,800 | $2,219 | $2,676 | +21.7% |
| FY 2027 | $1,117 | $1,283 | $1,620 | $2,136 | $2,409 | -10.0% |
Nearby counties
Merrimack County
$1,97420 mi · pop 155,018
Carroll County
$1,70925 mi · pop 51,259
Strafford County
$2,19427 mi · pop 131,743
Grafton County
$1,90935 mi · pop 91,759
Sullivan County
$1,74740 mi · pop 43,529
Rockingham County
$2,25642 mi · pop 317,163
Hillsborough County
$2,05843 mi · pop 424,732
Cheshire County
$1,92658 mi · pop 76,945
Questions people ask
$1,800 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $1,241 for a studio, $1,425 for one bedroom, $2,219 for three and $2,676 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 Belknap actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Belknap for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
Free tier. No credit card.