HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2027 · Effective Oct 1, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027
Fair Market Rent in Columbia County, New York (FY 2027)
HUD's FY 2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Columbia County is $1,503 a month. That's the number the housing authority starts from when it sets Section 8 payment standards here.
Two-bedroom FMR
$1,503
+4.8% from FY 2026
Payment standard
$1,353–$1,653
90% to 110% of the FMR, two-bedroom
Income to afford
$60,120
a year, with rent at 30% of income
Rank in New York
20th of 62
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 | $1,259 | $1,133–$1,385 | $50,360 | $24.21/hr | +0.8% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,300 | $1,170–$1,430 | $52,000 | $25.00/hr | +2.9% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,503 | $1,353–$1,653 | $60,120 | $28.90/hr | +4.8% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,837 | $1,653–$2,021 | $73,480 | $35.33/hr | +6.2% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,975 | $1,778–$2,173 | $79,000 | $37.98/hr | +4.0% |
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 | $2,271 | $2,044–$2,498 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,568 | $2,311–$2,825 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,864 | $2,578–$3,150 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $3,160 | $2,844–$3,476 |
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 Columbia actually rent for?
Search any address in Columbia for a rent estimate built from nearby comps, with the HUD figure right next to it.
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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 Columbia somewhere between $1,353 and $1,653. 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.
$1,503 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $60,120 a year. Put another way, $29 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%$1,353 | Voucher pays at 100%$1,503 | Voucher pays at 110%$1,653 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $603 | $753 | $903 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $153 | $303 | $453 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 5% from FY 2026 ($1,434) to FY 2027 ($1,503). Since FY 2020 it's up 56% in total, about 6.5% a year. The New York median moved up 2% over the same year.
| Fiscal year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $704 | $786 | $965 | $1,299 | $1,333 | — |
| FY 2021 | $761 | $855 | $1,028 | $1,360 | $1,394 | +6.5% |
| FY 2022 | $790 | $860 | $1,012 | $1,302 | $1,372 | -1.6% |
| FY 2023 | $913 | $952 | $1,107 | $1,392 | $1,487 | +9.4% |
| FY 2024 | $1,032 | $1,042 | $1,190 | $1,439 | $1,585 | +7.5% |
| FY 2025 | $1,171 | $1,180 | $1,347 | $1,623 | $1,786 | +13.2% |
| FY 2026 | $1,249 | $1,263 | $1,434 | $1,730 | $1,899 | +6.5% |
| FY 2027In effect | $1,259 | $1,300 | $1,503 | $1,837 | $1,975 | +4.8% |
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 Columbia, that runs from $1,259 for a studio up to $1,975 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Columbia 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, Austerlitz included.
Among New York's 62 counties, Columbia ranks 20th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 9% above the state median of $1,385 and about 41% above the national median county at $1,063. About 61,100 people live here, 40th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,300 in 12037 (Chatham) and $2,250 in 12060 (East Chatham), with the 32 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12017 | Austerlitz | $1,640 | +9.1% |
| 12029 | Canaan | $1,830 | +21.8% |
| 12037 | Chatham | $1,300 | -13.5% |
| 12050 | Columbiaville | $1,500 | -0.2% |
| 12060 | East Chatham | $2,250 | +49.7% |
| 12075 | Ghent | $1,610 | +7.1% |
| 12106 | Kinderhook | $1,430 | -4.9% |
| 12115 | Malden Bridge | $1,360 | -9.5% |
| 12125 | New Lebanon | $1,300 | -13.5% |
| 12130 | Niverville | $1,360 | -9.5% |
| 12132 | North Chatham | $1,360 | -9.5% |
| 12136 | Old Chatham | $1,730 | +15.1% |
| 12165 | Spencertown | $1,300 | -13.5% |
| 12172 | Stottville | $1,680 | +11.8% |
| 12173 | Stuyvesant | $1,390 | -7.5% |
| 12174 | Stuyvesant Falls | $1,410 | -6.2% |
| 12184 | Valatie | $1,540 | +2.5% |
| 12195 | West Lebanon | $1,640 | +9.1% |
| 12502 | Ancram | $1,340 | -10.8% |
| 12503 | Ancramdale | $1,460 | -2.9% |
| 12513 | Claverack | $1,680 | +11.8% |
| 12516 | Copake | $1,400 | -6.9% |
| 12517 | Copake Falls | $1,390 | -7.5% |
| 12521 | Craryville | $2,040 | +35.7% |
| 12523 | Elizaville | $1,440 | -4.2% |
| 12526 | Germantown | $1,620 | +7.8% |
| 12529 | Hillsdale | $1,350 | -10.2% |
| 12530 | Hollowville | $1,850 | +23.1% |
| 12534 | Hudson | $1,680 | +11.8% |
| 12541 | Livingston | $1,500 | -0.2% |
| 12544 | Mellenville | $1,660 | +10.4% |
| 12565 | Philmont | $1,400 | -6.9% |
Nearby counties
Two-bedroom FMR, with how each compares to Columbia.
Greene County
23 mi · 47,409 people
$1,354
-10%
Albany County
26 mi · 317,018 people
$1,711
+14%
Rensselaer County
29 mi · 160,332 people
$1,711
+14%
Dutchess County
38 mi · 298,220 people
$2,131
+42%
Ulster County
39 mi · 182,601 people
$1,878
+25%
Schenectady County
40 mi · 160,369 people
$1,711
+14%
Schoharie County
48 mi · 30,049 people
$1,711
+14%
Saratoga County
53 mi · 238,284 people
$1,711
+14%
Questions people ask
$1,503 a month for FY 2027, which runs October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. The other rates are $1,259 for a studio, $1,300 for one bedroom, $1,837 for three and $1,975 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 Columbia actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Columbia for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. Free to start, no card.
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