HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Chowan County, North Carolina (FY 2026)
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Chowan County is $1,220 a month. That's the number the housing authority starts from when it sets Section 8 payment standards here.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,220
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,098 to $1,342
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$48,800
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in North Carolina
32nd of 100
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Chowan moves to $1,331. That's up 9%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Chowan actually rent for?
Search any address in Chowan 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 | $924 | $832 to $1,016 | $36,960 | $17.77/hr | +8.2% |
| 1 bedroom | $930 | $837 to $1,023 | $37,200 | $17.88/hr | +8.1% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,220 | $1,098 to $1,342 | $48,800 | $23.46/hr | +8.2% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,463 | $1,317 to $1,609 | $58,520 | $28.13/hr | +7.6% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,615 | $1,454 to $1,777 | $64,600 | $31.06/hr | -4.8% |
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 | $1,857 | $1,671 to $2,043 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,100 | $1,890 to $2,310 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,342 | $2,108 to $2,576 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,584 | $2,326 to $2,842 |
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 Chowan, that runs from $924 for a studio up to $1,615 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Chowan 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, Edenton included.
Among North Carolina's 100 counties, Chowan ranks 32nd for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 12% above the state median of $1,086 and about 20% above the national median county at $1,018. About 13,835 people live here, 89th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,200 in 27980 (Tyner) and $1,230 in 27932 (Edenton), with the 2 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.
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 Chowan somewhere between $1,098 and $1,342. 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.
$1,220 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $48,800 a year. Put another way, $23 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% ($1,098) | HAP at 100% ($1,220) | HAP at 110% ($1,342) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $348 | $470 | $592 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $20 | $142 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 8% from FY 2025 ($1,128) to FY 2026 ($1,220). Since FY 2020 it's up 55% in total, about 7.6% a year. The North Carolina median moved up 4% over the same year.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $629 | $633 | $786 | $979 | $1,380 | — |
| FY 2021 | $643 | $647 | $808 | $1,005 | $1,399 | +2.8% |
| FY 2022 | $681 | $685 | $857 | $1,059 | $1,467 | +6.1% |
| FY 2023 | $737 | $742 | $921 | $1,121 | $1,569 | +7.5% |
| FY 2024 | $787 | $792 | $1,041 | $1,259 | $1,586 | +13.0% |
| FY 2025 | $854 | $860 | $1,128 | $1,360 | $1,696 | +8.4% |
| FY 2026 | $924 | $930 | $1,220 | $1,463 | $1,615 | +8.2% |
| FY 2027 | $1,011 | $1,017 | $1,331 | $1,586 | $1,749 | +9.1% |
Nearby counties
Perquimans County
$99910 mi · pop 13,053
Gates County
$1,70919 mi · pop 10,509
Washington County
$92521 mi · pop 11,051
Bertie County
$1,04422 mi · pop 17,818
Hertford County
$92522 mi · pop 21,633
Pasquotank County
$1,21623 mi · pop 40,454
Camden County
$1,28729 mi · pop 10,547
Tyrrell County
$92529 mi · pop 3,389
Questions people ask
$1,220 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $924 for a studio, $930 for one bedroom, $1,463 for three and $1,615 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 Chowan actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Chowan for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
Free tier. No credit card.