HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Columbus County, North Carolina (FY 2026)
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Columbus County is $925 a month. That's the number the housing authority starts from when it sets Section 8 payment standards here.
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
78th of 100
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Columbus moves to $1,012. 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 Columbus actually rent for?
Search any address in Columbus 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 | $718 | $646 to $790 | $28,720 | $13.81/hr | +1.1% |
| 1 bedroom | $722 | $650 to $794 | $28,880 | $13.88/hr | +1.0% |
| 2 bedroom | $925 | $833 to $1,018 | $37,000 | $17.79/hr | -1.4% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,109 | $998 to $1,220 | $44,360 | $21.33/hr | -1.9% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,225 | $1,103 to $1,348 | $49,000 | $23.56/hr | -1.5% |
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 | $1,409 | $1,268 to $1,550 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,593 | $1,434 to $1,752 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $1,776 | $1,598 to $1,954 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $1,960 | $1,764 to $2,156 |
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 Columbus, that runs from $718 for a studio up to $1,225 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Columbus 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, Bolton included.
Among North Carolina's 100 counties, Columbus ranks 78th 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 50,827 people live here, 51st 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 28424 (Brunswick) and $1,330 in 28436 (Delco), 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28423 | Bolton | $1,100 | +18.9% |
| 28424 | Brunswick | $930 | +0.5% |
| 28430 | Cerro Gordo | $930 | +0.5% |
| 28431 | Chadbourn | $930 | +0.5% |
| 28432 | Clarendon | $1,130 | +22.2% |
| 28436 | Delco | $1,330 | +43.8% |
| 28438 | Evergreen | $930 | +0.5% |
| 28439 | Fair Bluff | $990 | +7.0% |
| 28442 | Hallsboro | $930 | +0.5% |
| 28450 | Lake Waccamaw | $1,190 | +28.6% |
| 28455 | Nakina | $950 | +2.7% |
| 28456 | Riegelwood | $1,160 | +25.4% |
| 28463 | Tabor City | $930 | +0.5% |
| 28472 | Whiteville | $940 | +1.6% |
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 Columbus 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 ($938) to FY 2026 ($925). Since FY 2020 it's up 38% in total, about 5.5% 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 | $527 | $530 | $671 | $896 | $1,004 | — |
| FY 2021 | $547 | $550 | $693 | $923 | $1,006 | +3.3% |
| FY 2022 | $547 | $550 | $724 | $946 | $1,143 | +4.5% |
| FY 2023 | $582 | $586 | $771 | $962 | $1,209 | +6.5% |
| FY 2024 | $647 | $651 | $856 | $1,035 | $1,140 | +11.0% |
| FY 2025 | $710 | $715 | $938 | $1,130 | $1,244 | +9.6% |
| FY 2026 | $718 | $722 | $925 | $1,109 | $1,225 | -1.4% |
| FY 2027 | $858 | $863 | $1,012 | $1,206 | $1,330 | +9.4% |
Nearby counties
Bladen County
$92522 mi · pop 29,807
Brunswick County
$1,42628 mi · pop 139,721
Robeson County
$92541 mi · pop 117,573
New Hanover County
$1,65945 mi · pop 228,134
Pender County
$1,16645 mi · pop 61,592
Sampson County
$92548 mi · pop 59,317
Cumberland County
$1,25156 mi · pop 335,207
Hoke County
$99858 mi · pop 52,612
Questions people ask
$925 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $718 for a studio, $722 for one bedroom, $1,109 for three and $1,225 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 Columbus actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Columbus for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
Free tier. No credit card.