HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Cape May County, New Jersey (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Cape May County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $1,792 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Cape May keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,792
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,613 to $1,971
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$71,680
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in New Jersey
20th of 21
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Cape May moves to $1,857. 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 Cape May actually rent for?
Search any address in Cape May 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 | $1,320 | $1,188 to $1,452 | $52,800 | $25.38/hr | +10.7% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,366 | $1,229 to $1,503 | $54,640 | $26.27/hr | +12.6% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,792 | $1,613 to $1,971 | $71,680 | $34.46/hr | +12.6% |
| 3 bedroom | $2,396 | $2,156 to $2,636 | $95,840 | $46.08/hr | +12.6% |
| 4 bedroom | $2,405 | $2,165 to $2,646 | $96,200 | $46.25/hr | +12.6% |
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 | $2,766 | $2,489 to $3,043 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $3,127 | $2,814 to $3,440 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $3,487 | $3,138 to $3,836 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $3,848 | $3,463 to $4,233 |
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 Cape May, that runs from $1,320 for a studio up to $2,405 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Cape May is its own HUD metro area (Cape May County, NJ), so the rate here is set from rents inside the county rather than a wider region.
Among New Jersey's 21 counties, Cape May ranks 20th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 19% below the state median of $2,205 and about 76% above the national median county at $1,018. About 95,456 people live here, 20th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,570 in 08270 (Woodbine) and $2,320 in 08230 (Ocean View), with the 21 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 08202 | Avalon | $1,990 | +11.0% |
| 08204 | Cape May | $1,630 | -9.0% |
| 08210 | Cape May Court House | $1,970 | +9.9% |
| 08212 | Cape May Point | $1,630 | -9.0% |
| 08214 | Dennisville | $1,790 | -0.1% |
| 08218 | Goshen | $1,790 | -0.1% |
| 08219 | Green Creek | $1,790 | -0.1% |
| 08223 | Marmora | $2,160 | +20.5% |
| 08226 | Ocean City | $2,130 | +18.9% |
| 08230 | Ocean View | $2,320 | +29.5% |
| 08242 | Rio Grande | $1,750 | -2.3% |
| 08243 | Sea Isle City | $2,210 | +23.3% |
| 08245 | South Dennis | $1,970 | +9.9% |
| 08246 | South Seaville | $1,970 | +9.9% |
| 08247 | Stone Harbor | $2,030 | +13.3% |
| 08248 | Strathmere | $2,280 | +27.2% |
| 08250 | Tuckahoe | $1,790 | -0.1% |
| 08251 | Villas | $1,960 | +9.4% |
| 08252 | Whitesboro | $1,790 | -0.1% |
| 08260 | Wildwood | $1,610 | -10.2% |
| 08270 | Woodbine | $1,570 | -12.4% |
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 Cape May somewhere between $1,613 and $1,971. 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.
$1,792 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $71,680 a year. Put another way, $34 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% ($1,613) | HAP at 100% ($1,792) | HAP at 110% ($1,971) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $863 | $1,042 | $1,221 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $413 | $592 | $771 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 13% from FY 2025 ($1,591) to FY 2026 ($1,792). Since FY 2020 it's up 43% in total, about 6.2% a year. The New Jersey median moved up 8% over the same year.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $814 | $1,012 | $1,250 | $1,669 | $1,708 | — |
| FY 2021 | $898 | $1,069 | $1,361 | $1,763 | $1,846 | +8.9% |
| FY 2022 | $973 | $1,113 | $1,465 | $1,816 | $1,987 | +7.6% |
| FY 2023 | $1,046 | $1,178 | $1,551 | $1,925 | $2,084 | +5.9% |
| FY 2024 | $1,107 | $1,194 | $1,569 | $1,973 | $2,090 | +1.2% |
| FY 2025 | $1,192 | $1,213 | $1,591 | $2,127 | $2,135 | +1.4% |
| FY 2026 | $1,320 | $1,366 | $1,792 | $2,396 | $2,405 | +12.6% |
| FY 2027 | $1,512 | $1,521 | $1,857 | $2,431 | $2,441 | +3.6% |
Nearby counties
Cumberland County
$1,67322 mi · pop 153,588
Atlantic County
$1,86724 mi · pop 274,339
Salem County
$1,81045 mi · pop 64,840
Gloucester County
$1,81047 mi · pop 302,621
Camden County
$1,81052 mi · pop 522,581
Burlington County
$1,81061 mi · pop 461,853
Ocean County
$2,32864 mi · pop 638,691
Mercer County
$1,95079 mi · pop 383,732
Questions people ask
$1,792 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $1,320 for a studio, $1,366 for one bedroom, $2,396 for three and $2,405 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 Cape May actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Cape May for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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