HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Lincoln County, New Mexico (FY 2026)
$999 a month. That's HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Lincoln County, and it's the baseline every voucher in Lincoln is measured against.
2 bedroom FMR
$999
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$899 to $1,099
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$39,960
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in New Mexico
20th of 33
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Lincoln moves to $1,063. That's up 6%. 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 | $815 | $734 to $897 | $32,600 | $15.67/hr | +20.2% |
| 1 bedroom | $820 | $738 to $902 | $32,800 | $15.77/hr | +3.8% |
| 2 bedroom | $999 | $899 to $1,099 | $39,960 | $19.21/hr | +7.1% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,305 | $1,175 to $1,436 | $52,200 | $25.10/hr | +2.7% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,611 | $1,450 to $1,772 | $64,440 | $30.98/hr | +4.0% |
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 | $1,853 | $1,668 to $2,038 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,094 | $1,885 to $2,303 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,336 | $2,102 to $2,570 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,578 | $2,320 to $2,836 |
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 $815 for a studio up to $1,611 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, Ruidoso included.
Among New Mexico's 33 counties, Lincoln ranks 20th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 4% below the state median of $1,040 and within a couple percent of the national median county at $1,018. About 20,222 people live here, 19th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $970 in 88346 (Ruidoso Downs) and $1,200 in 88318 (Corona), with the 15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 88301 | Carrizozo | $990 | -0.9% |
| 88312 | Alto | $1,000 | +0.1% |
| 88316 | Capitan | $1,090 | +9.1% |
| 88318 | Corona | $1,200 | +20.1% |
| 88323 | Fort Stanton | $1,000 | +0.1% |
| 88324 | Glencoe | $1,000 | +0.1% |
| 88336 | Hondo | $1,000 | +0.1% |
| 88338 | Lincoln | $1,000 | +0.1% |
| 88341 | Nogal | $1,020 | +2.1% |
| 88343 | Picacho | $1,000 | +0.1% |
| 88345 | Ruidoso | $1,040 | +4.1% |
| 88346 | Ruidoso Downs | $970 | -2.9% |
| 88348 | San Patricio | $1,000 | +0.1% |
| 88351 | Tinnie | $1,000 | +0.1% |
| 88355 | Ruidoso | $1,040 | +4.1% |
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 $899 and $1,099. 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.
$999 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $39,960 a year. Put another way, $19 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% ($899) | HAP at 100% ($999) | HAP at 110% ($1,099) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $149 | $249 | $349 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 7% from FY 2025 ($933) to FY 2026 ($999). Since FY 2020 it's up 15% in total, about 2.4% a year. The New Mexico median moved up 11% over the same year.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $605 | $660 | $869 | $1,128 | $1,437 | — |
| FY 2021 | $677 | $696 | $865 | $1,104 | $1,456 | -0.5% |
| FY 2022 | $610 | $627 | $779 | $994 | $1,311 | -9.9% |
| FY 2023 | $582 | $614 | $795 | $1,048 | $1,354 | +2.1% |
| FY 2024 | $627 | $667 | $877 | $1,156 | $1,488 | +10.3% |
| FY 2025 | $678 | $790 | $933 | $1,271 | $1,549 | +6.4% |
| FY 2026 | $815 | $820 | $999 | $1,305 | $1,611 | +7.1% |
| FY 2027 | $834 | $839 | $1,063 | $1,355 | $1,667 | +6.4% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$999 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $815 for a studio, $820 for one bedroom, $1,305 for three and $1,611 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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