HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Cleveland County, North Carolina (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Cleveland County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $925 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Cleveland keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$925
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$833 to $1,018
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$37,000
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in North Carolina
77th of 100
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Cleveland moves to $1,014. That's up 10%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Cleveland actually rent for?
Search any address in Cleveland 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 | $758 | $682 to $834 | $30,320 | $14.58/hr | +7.5% |
| 1 bedroom | $763 | $687 to $839 | $30,520 | $14.67/hr | +7.6% |
| 2 bedroom | $925 | $833 to $1,018 | $37,000 | $17.79/hr | -0.5% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,286 | $1,157 to $1,415 | $51,440 | $24.73/hr | -1.3% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,322 | $1,190 to $1,454 | $52,880 | $25.42/hr | -5.4% |
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 | $1,520 | $1,368 to $1,672 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,719 | $1,547 to $1,891 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $1,917 | $1,725 to $2,109 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,115 | $1,904 to $2,327 |
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 Cleveland, that runs from $758 for a studio up to $1,322 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Cleveland 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, Shelby included.
Among North Carolina's 100 counties, Cleveland ranks 77th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 15% below the state median of $1,086 and about 9% below the national median county at $1,018. About 99,527 people live here, 29th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $930 in 28017 (Boiling Springs) and $1,060 in 28090 (Lawndale), with the 14 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28017 | Boiling Springs | $930 | +0.5% |
| 28020 | Casar | $930 | +0.5% |
| 28038 | Earl | $930 | +0.5% |
| 28042 | Fallston | $930 | +0.5% |
| 28073 | Grover | $940 | +1.6% |
| 28086 | Kings Mountain | $970 | +4.9% |
| 28089 | Lattimore | $950 | +2.7% |
| 28090 | Lawndale | $1,060 | +14.6% |
| 28114 | Mooresboro | $930 | +0.5% |
| 28136 | Polkville | $950 | +2.7% |
| 28150 | Shelby | $950 | +2.7% |
| 28151 | Shelby | $930 | +0.5% |
| 28152 | Shelby | $930 | +0.5% |
| 28169 | Waco | $930 | +0.5% |
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 Cleveland somewhere between $833 and $1,018. 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.
$925 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $37,000 a year. Put another way, $18 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% ($833) | HAP at 100% ($925) | HAP at 110% ($1,018) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $83 | $175 | $268 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went down 1% from FY 2025 ($930) to FY 2026 ($925). Since FY 2020 it's up 37% in total, about 5.4% 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 | $496 | $559 | $673 | $876 | $1,106 | — |
| FY 2021 | $494 | $545 | $693 | $919 | $1,126 | +3.0% |
| FY 2022 | $504 | $550 | $724 | $976 | $1,160 | +4.5% |
| FY 2023 | $582 | $586 | $771 | $1,069 | $1,245 | +6.5% |
| FY 2024 | $652 | $656 | $856 | $1,206 | $1,349 | +11.0% |
| FY 2025 | $705 | $709 | $930 | $1,303 | $1,397 | +8.6% |
| FY 2026 | $758 | $763 | $925 | $1,286 | $1,322 | -0.5% |
| FY 2027 | $854 | $859 | $1,014 | $1,404 | $1,424 | +9.6% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$925 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $758 for a studio, $763 for one bedroom, $1,286 for three and $1,322 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 Cleveland actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Cleveland for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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