HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Tompkins County, New York (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Tompkins County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $1,753 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Tompkins keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,753
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,578 to $1,928
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$70,120
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in New York
14th of 62
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Tompkins moves to $1,709. That's down 3%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Tompkins actually rent for?
Search any address in Tompkins 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 | $1,263 | $1,137 to $1,389 | $50,520 | $24.29/hr | -4.3% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,466 | $1,319 to $1,613 | $58,640 | $28.19/hr | -1.5% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,753 | $1,578 to $1,928 | $70,120 | $33.71/hr | +3.0% |
| 3 bedroom | $2,102 | $1,892 to $2,312 | $84,080 | $40.42/hr | +2.5% |
| 4 bedroom | $2,624 | $2,362 to $2,886 | $104,960 | $50.46/hr | +11.5% |
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 | $3,018 | $2,716 to $3,320 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $3,411 | $3,070 to $3,752 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $3,805 | $3,425 to $4,186 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $4,198 | $3,778 to $4,618 |
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 Tompkins, that runs from $1,263 for a studio up to $2,624 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Tompkins is its own HUD metro area (Ithaca, NY), so the rate here is set from rents inside the county rather than a wider region.
Among New York's 62 counties, Tompkins ranks 14th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 29% above the state median of $1,361 and about 72% above the national median county at $1,018. About 102,555 people live here, 28th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,540 in 13053 (Dryden) and $2,030 in 14817 (Brooktondale), 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13053 | Dryden | $1,540 | -12.2% |
| 13062 | Etna | $1,540 | -12.2% |
| 13068 | Freeville | $1,540 | -12.2% |
| 13073 | Groton | $1,540 | -12.2% |
| 13102 | Mc Lean | $1,540 | -12.2% |
| 14817 | Brooktondale | $2,030 | +15.8% |
| 14850 | Ithaca | $1,890 | +7.8% |
| 14851 | Ithaca | $1,750 | -0.2% |
| 14852 | Ithaca | $1,750 | -0.2% |
| 14853 | Ithaca | $1,890 | +7.8% |
| 14854 | Jacksonville | $1,650 | -5.9% |
| 14867 | Newfield | $1,540 | -12.2% |
| 14881 | Slaterville Springs | $1,980 | +12.9% |
| 14882 | Lansing | $1,740 | -0.7% |
| 14886 | Trumansburg | $1,560 | -11.0% |
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 Tompkins somewhere between $1,578 and $1,928. 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.
$1,753 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $70,120 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% ($1,578) | HAP at 100% ($1,753) | HAP at 110% ($1,928) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $828 | $1,003 | $1,178 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $378 | $553 | $728 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 3% from FY 2025 ($1,702) to FY 2026 ($1,753). Since FY 2020 it's up 50% in total, about 6.9% 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 | $919 | $969 | $1,172 | $1,496 | $1,748 | — |
| FY 2021 | $980 | $1,048 | $1,269 | $1,619 | $1,812 | +8.3% |
| FY 2022 | $1,053 | $1,127 | $1,365 | $1,743 | $1,851 | +7.6% |
| FY 2023 | $1,187 | $1,276 | $1,487 | $1,890 | $1,998 | +8.9% |
| FY 2024 | $1,311 | $1,434 | $1,664 | $2,056 | $2,229 | +11.9% |
| FY 2025 | $1,320 | $1,489 | $1,702 | $2,051 | $2,353 | +2.3% |
| FY 2026 | $1,263 | $1,466 | $1,753 | $2,102 | $2,624 | +3.0% |
| FY 2027 | $1,198 | $1,427 | $1,709 | $2,040 | $2,631 | -2.5% |
Nearby counties
Cortland County
$1,19820 mi · pop 46,755
Schuyler County
$1,14822 mi · pop 17,855
Tioga County
$1,10323 mi · pop 48,344
Seneca County
$1,16926 mi · pop 33,651
Chemung County
$1,28329 mi · pop 83,584
Cayuga County
$1,12432 mi · pop 76,171
Yates County
$1,09733 mi · pop 24,713
Broome County
$1,10337 mi · pop 198,365
Questions people ask
$1,753 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $1,263 for a studio, $1,466 for one bedroom, $2,102 for three and $2,624 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 Tompkins actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Tompkins for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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