HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Niagara County, New York (FY 2026)
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Niagara County is $1,343 a month. That's the number the housing authority starts from when it sets Section 8 payment standards here.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,343
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,209 to $1,477
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$53,720
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in New York
35th of 62
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Niagara moves to $1,423. 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 Niagara actually rent for?
Search any address in Niagara 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 | $1,105 | $995 to $1,216 | $44,200 | $21.25/hr | +14.2% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,139 | $1,025 to $1,253 | $45,560 | $21.90/hr | +13.8% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,343 | $1,209 to $1,477 | $53,720 | $25.83/hr | +14.2% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,640 | $1,476 to $1,804 | $65,600 | $31.54/hr | +14.0% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,869 | $1,682 to $2,056 | $74,760 | $35.94/hr | +15.0% |
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 | $2,149 | $1,934 to $2,364 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,430 | $2,187 to $2,673 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,710 | $2,439 to $2,981 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,990 | $2,691 to $3,289 |
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 Niagara, that runs from $1,105 for a studio up to $1,869 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
This is a metro rate. The county doesn't get one of its own. HUD lumps Niagara in with one other county in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga metro, Erie County among them, and every one of them gets $1,343 for a two-bedroom. Where you are inside the metro doesn't change the county number. It does change the ZIP number, covered below.
Among New York's 62 counties, Niagara ranks 35th for two-bedroom FMR. That's within a couple percent of the state median of $1,361 and about 32% above the national median county at $1,018. About 212,230 people live here, 18th in the state.
Counties sharing the Buffalo-Cheektowaga metro rate
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,070 in 14012 (Barker) and $1,440 in 14174 (Youngstown), with the 23 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14008 | Appleton | $1,200 | -10.6% |
| 14012 | Barker | $1,070 | -20.3% |
| 14028 | Burt | $1,320 | -1.7% |
| 14067 | Gasport | $1,310 | -2.5% |
| 14092 | Lewiston | $1,310 | -2.5% |
| 14094 | Lockport | $1,240 | -7.7% |
| 14095 | Lockport | $1,180 | -12.1% |
| 14105 | Middleport | $1,070 | -20.3% |
| 14107 | Model City | $1,180 | -12.1% |
| 14108 | Newfane | $1,090 | -18.8% |
| 14109 | Niagara University | $1,270 | -5.4% |
| 14120 | North Tonawanda | $1,270 | -5.4% |
| 14126 | Olcott | $1,320 | -1.7% |
| 14131 | Ransomville | $1,170 | -12.9% |
| 14132 | Sanborn | $1,240 | -7.7% |
| 14144 | Stella Niagara | $1,180 | -12.1% |
| 14172 | Wilson | $1,290 | -3.9% |
| 14174 | Youngstown | $1,440 | +7.2% |
| 14301 | Niagara Falls | $1,070 | -20.3% |
| 14302 | Niagara Falls | $1,070 | -20.3% |
| 14303 | Niagara Falls | $1,130 | -15.9% |
| 14304 | Niagara Falls | $1,180 | -12.1% |
| 14305 | Niagara Falls | $1,230 | -8.4% |
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 Niagara somewhere between $1,209 and $1,477. 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.
$1,343 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $53,720 a year. Put another way, $26 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% ($1,209) | HAP at 100% ($1,343) | HAP at 110% ($1,477) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $459 | $593 | $727 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $9 | $143 | $277 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 14% from FY 2025 ($1,176) to FY 2026 ($1,343). Since FY 2020 it's up 59% in total, about 8.1% a year. The New York median moved up 5% over the same year.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $674 | $703 | $843 | $1,051 | $1,190 | — |
| FY 2021 | $743 | $772 | $920 | $1,144 | $1,284 | +9.1% |
| FY 2022 | $774 | $812 | $963 | $1,190 | $1,334 | +4.7% |
| FY 2023 | $869 | $908 | $1,069 | $1,309 | $1,470 | +11.0% |
| FY 2024 | $951 | $992 | $1,163 | $1,424 | $1,604 | +8.8% |
| FY 2025 | $968 | $1,001 | $1,176 | $1,438 | $1,625 | +1.1% |
| FY 2026 | $1,105 | $1,139 | $1,343 | $1,640 | $1,869 | +14.2% |
| FY 2027 | $1,178 | $1,203 | $1,423 | $1,732 | $1,977 | +6.0% |
Nearby counties
Erie County
$1,34326 mi · pop 951,232
Orleans County
$1,57334 mi · pop 40,148
Genesee County
$1,16837 mi · pop 58,204
Wyoming County
$97347 mi · pop 40,338
Monroe County
$1,57360 mi · pop 756,406
Livingston County
$1,57362 mi · pop 61,980
Cattaraugus County
$1,00763 mi · pop 77,000
Chautauqua County
$97570 mi · pop 127,440
Questions people ask
$1,343 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $1,105 for a studio, $1,139 for one bedroom, $1,640 for three and $1,869 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 Niagara actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Niagara for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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