HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2027 · Effective Oct 1, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027
Fair Market Rent in Cheshire County, New Hampshire (FY 2027)
$1,734 a month. That's HUD's FY 2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Cheshire County, and it's the baseline every voucher in Cheshire is measured against.
Two-bedroom FMR
$1,734
-10.0% from FY 2026
Payment standard
$1,561–$1,907
90% to 110% of the FMR, two-bedroom
Income to afford
$69,360
a year, with rent at 30% of income
Rank in New Hampshire
5th of 10
by two-bedroom FMR, highest first
FY 2027 Fair Market Rents
Payment standard is the 90% to 110% band a housing authority can set. Income needed puts rent at 30% of gross income, and the hourly wage assumes a 40-hour week.
| Bedrooms | FMR | Payment standard | Income needed | Hourly wage | vs FY 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,199 | $1,079–$1,319 | $47,960 | $23.06/hr | -9.7% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,322 | $1,190–$1,454 | $52,880 | $25.42/hr | -9.9% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,734 | $1,561–$1,907 | $69,360 | $33.35/hr | -10.0% |
| 3 bedroom | $2,267 | $2,040–$2,494 | $90,680 | $43.60/hr | -10.0% |
| 4 bedroom | $2,295 | $2,066–$2,525 | $91,800 | $44.13/hr | -10.0% |
Five to eight 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 | $2,639 | $2,375–$2,903 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,984 | $2,686–$3,282 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $3,328 | $2,995–$3,661 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $3,672 | $3,305–$4,039 |
Source: HUD Office of Policy Development and Research, FY 2027 Fair Market Rents. Rents include utilities. huduser.gov
Market check
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Cheshire actually rent for?
Search any address in Cheshire for a rent estimate built from nearby comps, with the HUD figure right next to it.
No card needed
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 Cheshire somewhere between $1,561 and $1,907. 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.
$1,734 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $69,360 a year. Put another way, $33 an hour full time.
Worked example for a two-bedroom renting at the payment standard. The tenant pays 30% of monthly income and the voucher covers the rest.
| Monthly household income | Tenant pays (30%) | Voucher pays at 90%$1,561 | Voucher pays at 100%$1,734 | Voucher pays at 110%$1,907 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $811 | $984 | $1,157 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $361 | $534 | $707 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went down 10% from FY 2026 ($1,926) to FY 2027 ($1,734). Since FY 2020 it's up 63% in total, about 7.3% a year. The New Hampshire median moved down 10% over the same year.
| Fiscal year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $725 | $806 | $1,062 | $1,457 | $1,550 | — |
| FY 2021 | $769 | $823 | $1,080 | $1,546 | $1,672 | +1.7% |
| FY 2022 | $816 | $862 | $1,122 | $1,594 | $1,805 | +3.9% |
| FY 2023 | $946 | $1,011 | $1,331 | $1,860 | $1,954 | +18.6% |
| FY 2024 | $945 | $1,061 | $1,394 | $1,833 | $1,888 | +4.7% |
| FY 2025 | $1,061 | $1,180 | $1,548 | $2,013 | $2,052 | +11.0% |
| FY 2026 | $1,328 | $1,468 | $1,926 | $2,518 | $2,550 | +24.4% |
| FY 2027In effect | $1,199 | $1,322 | $1,734 | $2,267 | $2,295 | -10.0% |
About this rate
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 2027 that's October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. In Cheshire, that runs from $1,199 for a studio up to $2,295 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Cheshire 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, Keene included.
Among New Hampshire's 10 counties, Cheshire ranks 5th for two-bedroom FMR. That's within a couple percent of the state median of $1,727 and about 63% above the national median county at $1,063. About 77,297 people live here, 6th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,740 in 03441 (Ashuelot) and $2,260 in 03446 (Swanzey), with the 26 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 03431 | Keene | $1,810 | +4.4% |
| 03435 | Keene | $1,734County rate | — |
| 03441 | Ashuelot | $1,740 | +0.3% |
| 03443 | Chesterfield | $1,740 | +0.3% |
| 03444 | Dublin | $1,740 | +0.3% |
| 03445 | Sullivan | $1,950 | +12.5% |
| 03446 | Swanzey | $2,260 | +30.3% |
| 03447 | Fitzwilliam | $1,740 | +0.3% |
| 03448 | Gilsum | $2,010 | +15.9% |
| 03450 | Harrisville | $2,040 | +17.6% |
| 03451 | Hinsdale | $1,740 | +0.3% |
| 03452 | Jaffrey | $1,740 | +0.3% |
| 03455 | Marlborough | $1,810 | +4.4% |
| 03456 | Marlow | $1,740 | +0.3% |
| 03457 | Nelson | $1,960 | +13.0% |
| 03461 | Rindge | $1,740 | +0.3% |
| 03462 | Spofford | $1,860 | +7.3% |
| 03464 | Stoddard | $1,800 | +3.8% |
| 03465 | Troy | $1,740 | +0.3% |
| 03466 | West Chesterfield | $1,740 | +0.3% |
| 03467 | Westmoreland | $1,740 | +0.3% |
| 03469 | West Swanzey | $1,740 | +0.3% |
| 03470 | Winchester | $1,740 | +0.3% |
| 03602 | Alstead | $1,740 | +0.3% |
| 03604 | Drewsville | $1,740 | +0.3% |
| 03608 | Walpole | $1,740 | +0.3% |
| 03609 | North Walpole | $1,740 | +0.3% |
Rates by town
New Hampshire publishes Fair Market Rents town by town instead of by county. All 23 towns in Cheshire County share the same rate for FY 2027, so the county number is the town number wherever you are.
| Town | Population | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keene city | 22,939 | $1,199 | $1,322 | $1,734 | $2,267 | $2,295 |
| Swanzey town | 7,398 | $1,199 | $1,322 | $1,734 | $2,267 | $2,295 |
| Rindge town | 6,497 | $1,199 | $1,322 | $1,734 | $2,267 | $2,295 |
| Jaffrey town | 5,448 | $1,199 | $1,322 | $1,734 | $2,267 | $2,295 |
| Winchester town | 4,212 | $1,199 | $1,322 | $1,734 | $2,267 | $2,295 |
| Hinsdale town | 3,997 | $1,199 | $1,322 | $1,734 | $2,267 | $2,295 |
| Walpole town | 3,690 | $1,199 | $1,322 | $1,734 | $2,267 | $2,295 |
| Chesterfield town | 3,622 | $1,199 | $1,322 | $1,734 | $2,267 | $2,295 |
| Fitzwilliam town | 2,278 | $1,199 | $1,322 | $1,734 | $2,267 | $2,295 |
| Westmoreland town | 2,237 | $1,199 | $1,322 | $1,734 | $2,267 | $2,295 |
| Marlborough town | 2,207 | $1,199 | $1,322 | $1,734 | $2,267 | $2,295 |
| Troy town | 2,005 | $1,199 | $1,322 | $1,734 | $2,267 | $2,295 |
| Dublin town | 1,688 | $1,199 | $1,322 | $1,734 | $2,267 | $2,295 |
| Alstead town | 1,551 | $1,199 | $1,322 | $1,734 | $2,267 | $2,295 |
| Richmond town | 1,314 | $1,199 | $1,322 | $1,734 | $2,267 | $2,295 |
| Stoddard town | 1,072 | $1,199 | $1,322 | $1,734 | $2,267 | $2,295 |
| Surry town | 1,052 | $1,199 | $1,322 | $1,734 | $2,267 | $2,295 |
| Harrisville town | 885 | $1,199 | $1,322 | $1,734 | $2,267 | $2,295 |
| Marlow town | 855 | $1,199 | $1,322 | $1,734 | $2,267 | $2,295 |
| Gilsum town | 716 | $1,199 | $1,322 | $1,734 | $2,267 | $2,295 |
| Sullivan town | 687 | $1,199 | $1,322 | $1,734 | $2,267 | $2,295 |
| Nelson town | 648 | $1,199 | $1,322 | $1,734 | $2,267 | $2,295 |
| Roxbury town | 299 | $1,199 | $1,322 | $1,734 | $2,267 | $2,295 |
Nearby counties
Two-bedroom FMR, with how each compares to Cheshire.
Sullivan County
30 mi · 43,715 people
$1,596
-8%
Hillsborough County
33 mi · 426,378 people
$2,179
+26%
Merrimack County
38 mi · 155,967 people
$1,800
+4%
Belknap County
58 mi · 64,659 people
$1,620
-7%
Rockingham County
62 mi · 319,082 people
$2,289
+32%
Grafton County
68 mi · 92,120 people
$1,719
-1%
Strafford County
70 mi · 132,575 people
$2,093
+21%
Carroll County
82 mi · 51,804 people
$1,566
-10%
Questions people ask
$1,734 a month for FY 2027, which runs October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. The other rates are $1,199 for a studio, $1,322 for one bedroom, $2,267 for three and $2,295 for four.
Tools for this county
Fair Market Rent lookup
Any ZIP code's Small Area FMR by bedroom count
Section 8 rent calculator
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
The income a household needs for a given rent
What does a rental in Cheshire actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Cheshire for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. Free to start, no card.
Free tier. No credit card.