HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Merrimack County, New Hampshire (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Merrimack County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $1,974 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Merrimack keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,974
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,777 to $2,171
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$78,960
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in New Hampshire
4th of 10
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Merrimack moves to $1,800. That's down 9%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Merrimack actually rent for?
Search any address in Merrimack 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 | $1,361 | $1,225 to $1,497 | $54,440 | $26.17/hr | +21.5% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,504 | $1,354 to $1,654 | $60,160 | $28.92/hr | +22.3% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,974 | $1,777 to $2,171 | $78,960 | $37.96/hr | +22.3% |
| 3 bedroom | $2,604 | $2,344 to $2,864 | $104,160 | $50.08/hr | +22.1% |
| 4 bedroom | $2,614 | $2,353 to $2,875 | $104,560 | $50.27/hr | +22.1% |
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 | $3,006 | $2,705 to $3,307 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $3,398 | $3,058 to $3,738 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $3,790 | $3,411 to $4,169 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $4,182 | $3,764 to $4,600 |
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 Merrimack, that runs from $1,361 for a studio up to $2,614 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Merrimack 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, Concord included.
Among New Hampshire's 10 counties, Merrimack ranks 4th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 3% above the state median of $1,918 and about 94% above the national median county at $1,018. About 155,018 people live here, 3rd in the state.
Rates by town
New Hampshire publishes Fair Market Rents town by town instead of by county. All 27 towns in Merrimack 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Concord city | 44,219 | $1,361 | $1,504 | $1,974 | $2,604 | $2,614 |
| Hooksett town | 14,949 | $1,361 | $1,504 | $1,974 | $2,604 | $2,614 |
| Franklin city | 8,757 | $1,361 | $1,504 | $1,974 | $2,604 | $2,614 |
| Bow town | 8,295 | $1,361 | $1,504 | $1,974 | $2,604 | $2,614 |
| Pembroke town | 7,359 | $1,361 | $1,504 | $1,974 | $2,604 | $2,614 |
| Henniker town | 6,161 | $1,361 | $1,504 | $1,974 | $2,604 | $2,614 |
| Hopkinton town | 5,976 | $1,361 | $1,504 | $1,974 | $2,604 | $2,614 |
| Loudon town | 5,656 | $1,361 | $1,504 | $1,974 | $2,604 | $2,614 |
| Northfield town | 4,929 | $1,361 | $1,504 | $1,974 | $2,604 | $2,614 |
| Epsom town | 4,896 | $1,361 | $1,504 | $1,974 | $2,604 | $2,614 |
| Allenstown town | 4,727 | $1,361 | $1,504 | $1,974 | $2,604 | $2,614 |
| New London town | 4,422 | $1,361 | $1,504 | $1,974 | $2,604 | $2,614 |
| Pittsfield town | 4,094 | $1,361 | $1,504 | $1,974 | $2,604 | $2,614 |
| Boscawen town | 4,002 | $1,361 | $1,504 | $1,974 | $2,604 | $2,614 |
| Dunbarton town | 3,055 | $1,361 | $1,504 | $1,974 | $2,604 | $2,614 |
| Warner town | 2,938 | $1,361 | $1,504 | $1,974 | $2,604 | $2,614 |
| Chichester town | 2,722 | $1,361 | $1,504 | $1,974 | $2,604 | $2,614 |
| Canterbury town | 2,391 | $1,361 | $1,504 | $1,974 | $2,604 | $2,614 |
| Webster town | 2,228 | $1,361 | $1,504 | $1,974 | $2,604 | $2,614 |
| Andover town | 2,185 | $1,361 | $1,504 | $1,974 | $2,604 | $2,614 |
| Sutton town | 2,164 | $1,361 | $1,504 | $1,974 | $2,604 | $2,614 |
| Newbury town | 1,969 | $1,361 | $1,504 | $1,974 | $2,604 | $2,614 |
| Salisbury town | 1,561 | $1,361 | $1,504 | $1,974 | $2,604 | $2,614 |
| Danbury town | 1,539 | $1,361 | $1,504 | $1,974 | $2,604 | $2,614 |
| Bradford town | 1,522 | $1,361 | $1,504 | $1,974 | $2,604 | $2,614 |
| Wilmot town | 1,424 | $1,361 | $1,504 | $1,974 | $2,604 | $2,614 |
| Hill town | 878 | $1,361 | $1,504 | $1,974 | $2,604 | $2,614 |
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,680 in 03242 (Henniker) and $2,460 in 03257 (New London), with the 29 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 03046 | Dunbarton | $2,080 | +5.4% |
| 03106 | Hooksett | $2,420 | +22.6% |
| 03216 | Andover | $1,870 | -5.3% |
| 03221 | Bradford | $2,130 | +7.9% |
| 03224 | Canterbury | $1,930 | -2.2% |
| 03229 | Contoocook | $1,860 | -5.8% |
| 03230 | Danbury | $1,810 | -8.3% |
| 03231 | East Andover | $1,870 | -5.3% |
| 03233 | Elkins | $2,320 | +17.5% |
| 03234 | Epsom | $1,980 | +0.3% |
| 03235 | Franklin | $1,700 | -13.9% |
| 03242 | Henniker | $1,680 | -14.9% |
| 03243 | Hill | $1,830 | -7.3% |
| 03255 | Newbury | $2,250 | +14.0% |
| 03257 | New London | $2,460 | +24.6% |
| 03260 | North Sutton | $2,150 | +8.9% |
| 03263 | Pittsfield | $1,690 | -14.4% |
| 03268 | Salisbury | $1,870 | -5.3% |
| 03272 | South Newbury | $1,970 | -0.2% |
| 03273 | South Sutton | $1,980 | +0.3% |
| 03275 | Suncook | $1,960 | -0.7% |
| 03278 | Warner | $1,830 | -7.3% |
| 03287 | Wilmot | $1,890 | -4.3% |
| 03301 | Concord | $2,040 | +3.3% |
| 03302 | Concord | $1,970 | -0.2% |
| 03303 | Concord | $2,100 | +6.4% |
| 03304 | Bow | $2,370 | +20.1% |
| 03305 | Concord | $1,970 | -0.2% |
| 03307 | Loudon | $2,000 | +1.3% |
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 Merrimack somewhere between $1,777 and $2,171. 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.
$1,974 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $78,960 a year. Put another way, $38 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% ($1,777) | HAP at 100% ($1,974) | HAP at 110% ($2,171) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $1,027 | $1,224 | $1,421 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $577 | $774 | $971 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 22% from FY 2025 ($1,614) to FY 2026 ($1,974). Since FY 2020 it's up 75% in total, about 9.7% 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 | $813 | $875 | $1,131 | $1,479 | $1,634 | — |
| FY 2021 | $840 | $916 | $1,186 | $1,536 | $1,639 | +4.9% |
| FY 2022 | $857 | $941 | $1,237 | $1,596 | $1,677 | +4.3% |
| FY 2023 | $963 | $1,072 | $1,411 | $1,839 | $1,895 | +14.1% |
| FY 2024 | $972 | $1,086 | $1,427 | $1,877 | $1,900 | +1.1% |
| FY 2025 | $1,120 | $1,230 | $1,614 | $2,132 | $2,140 | +13.1% |
| FY 2026 | $1,361 | $1,504 | $1,974 | $2,604 | $2,614 | +22.3% |
| FY 2027 | $1,253 | $1,376 | $1,800 | $2,357 | $2,366 | -8.8% |
Nearby counties
Belknap County
$1,80020 mi · pop 64,300
Sullivan County
$1,74725 mi · pop 43,529
Hillsborough County
$2,05829 mi · pop 424,732
Strafford County
$2,19437 mi · pop 131,743
Cheshire County
$1,92638 mi · pop 76,945
Rockingham County
$2,25640 mi · pop 317,163
Grafton County
$1,90941 mi · pop 91,759
Carroll County
$1,70944 mi · pop 51,259
Questions people ask
$1,974 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $1,361 for a studio, $1,504 for one bedroom, $2,604 for three and $2,614 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 Merrimack actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Merrimack for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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