HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Craven County, North Carolina (FY 2026)
$1,184 a month. That's HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Craven County, and it's the baseline every voucher in Craven is measured against.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,184
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,066 to $1,302
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$47,360
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in North Carolina
37th of 100
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Craven moves to $1,246. That's up 5%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Craven actually rent for?
Search any address in Craven 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 | $897 | $807 to $987 | $35,880 | $17.25/hr | -9.9% |
| 1 bedroom | $902 | $812 to $992 | $36,080 | $17.35/hr | -10.0% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,184 | $1,066 to $1,302 | $47,360 | $22.77/hr | -10.0% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,591 | $1,432 to $1,750 | $63,640 | $30.60/hr | -10.0% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,988 | $1,789 to $2,187 | $79,520 | $38.23/hr | -10.0% |
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 | $2,286 | $2,057 to $2,515 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,584 | $2,326 to $2,842 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,883 | $2,595 to $3,171 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $3,181 | $2,863 to $3,499 |
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 Craven, that runs from $897 for a studio up to $1,988 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Craven 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, New Bern included.
Among North Carolina's 100 counties, Craven ranks 37th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 9% above the state median of $1,086 and about 16% above the national median county at $1,018. About 101,098 people live here, 27th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,190 in 28519 (Bridgeton) and $1,340 in 28532 (Havelock), with the 12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28519 | Bridgeton | $1,190 | +0.5% |
| 28523 | Cove City | $1,190 | +0.5% |
| 28526 | Dover | $1,190 | +0.5% |
| 28527 | Ernul | $1,190 | +0.5% |
| 28532 | Havelock | $1,340 | +13.2% |
| 28533 | Cherry Point | $1,340 | +13.2% |
| 28560 | New Bern | $1,190 | +0.5% |
| 28561 | New Bern | $1,190 | +0.5% |
| 28562 | New Bern | $1,190 | +0.5% |
| 28563 | New Bern | $1,190 | +0.5% |
| 28564 | New Bern | $1,190 | +0.5% |
| 28586 | Vanceboro | $1,190 | +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 Craven somewhere between $1,066 and $1,302. 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.
$1,184 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $47,360 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% ($1,066) | HAP at 100% ($1,184) | HAP at 110% ($1,302) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $316 | $434 | $552 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $102 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went down 10% from FY 2025 ($1,315) to FY 2026 ($1,184). Since FY 2020 it's up 27% in total, about 4.1% 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 | $702 | $719 | $929 | $1,270 | $1,621 | — |
| FY 2021 | $728 | $750 | $947 | $1,284 | $1,640 | +1.9% |
| FY 2022 | $764 | $771 | $984 | $1,319 | $1,684 | +3.9% |
| FY 2023 | $829 | $834 | $1,092 | $1,465 | $1,860 | +11.0% |
| FY 2024 | $928 | $935 | $1,228 | $1,660 | $2,084 | +12.5% |
| FY 2025 | $996 | $1,002 | $1,315 | $1,767 | $2,208 | +7.1% |
| FY 2026 | $897 | $902 | $1,184 | $1,591 | $1,988 | -10.0% |
| FY 2027 | $946 | $952 | $1,246 | $1,644 | $1,985 | +5.2% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$1,184 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $897 for a studio, $902 for one bedroom, $1,591 for three and $1,988 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 Craven actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Craven for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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