HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Haywood County, North Carolina (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Haywood County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $1,230 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Haywood keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,230
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,107 to $1,353
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$49,200
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in North Carolina
31st of 100
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Haywood moves to $1,250. That's up 2%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Haywood actually rent for?
Search any address in Haywood 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 | $1,039 | $935 to $1,143 | $41,560 | $19.98/hr | +5.3% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,122 | $1,010 to $1,234 | $44,880 | $21.58/hr | +1.5% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,230 | $1,107 to $1,353 | $49,200 | $23.65/hr | +0.6% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,475 | $1,328 to $1,623 | $59,000 | $28.37/hr | +0.1% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,844 | $1,660 to $2,028 | $73,760 | $35.46/hr | +6.2% |
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 | $2,121 | $1,909 to $2,333 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,397 | $2,157 to $2,637 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,674 | $2,407 to $2,941 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,950 | $2,655 to $3,245 |
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 Haywood, that runs from $1,039 for a studio up to $1,844 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Haywood 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, Waynesville included.
Among North Carolina's 100 counties, Haywood ranks 31st for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 13% above the state median of $1,086 and about 21% above the national median county at $1,018. About 62,152 people live here, 44th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,230 in 28738 (Hazelwood) and $1,370 in 28716 (Canton), with the 7 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 Haywood somewhere between $1,107 and $1,353. 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.
$1,230 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $49,200 a year. Put another way, $24 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% ($1,107) | HAP at 100% ($1,230) | HAP at 110% ($1,353) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $357 | $480 | $603 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $30 | $153 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 1% from FY 2025 ($1,223) to FY 2026 ($1,230). Since FY 2020 it's up 34% in total, about 5.0% 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 | $652 | $806 | $918 | $1,167 | $1,484 | — |
| FY 2021 | $587 | $726 | $827 | $1,051 | $1,336 | -9.9% |
| FY 2022 | $637 | $822 | $937 | $1,165 | $1,422 | +13.3% |
| FY 2023 | $686 | $893 | $1,009 | $1,228 | $1,453 | +7.7% |
| FY 2024 | $1,068 | $1,102 | $1,237 | $1,496 | $1,692 | +22.6% |
| FY 2025 | $987 | $1,105 | $1,223 | $1,473 | $1,736 | -1.1% |
| FY 2026 | $1,039 | $1,122 | $1,230 | $1,475 | $1,844 | +0.6% |
| FY 2027 | $1,008 | $1,113 | $1,250 | $1,489 | $2,089 | +1.6% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$1,230 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $1,039 for a studio, $1,122 for one bedroom, $1,475 for three and $1,844 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 Haywood actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Haywood for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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