HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Northampton County, North Carolina (FY 2026)
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Northampton County is $972 a month. That's the number the housing authority starts from when it sets Section 8 payment standards here.
2 bedroom FMR
$972
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$875 to $1,069
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$38,880
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in North Carolina
66th of 100
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Northampton moves to $1,012. That's up 4%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Northampton actually rent for?
Search any address in Northampton 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 | $736 | $662 to $810 | $29,440 | $14.15/hr | -5.3% |
| 1 bedroom | $741 | $667 to $815 | $29,640 | $14.25/hr | -5.2% |
| 2 bedroom | $972 | $875 to $1,069 | $38,880 | $18.69/hr | -5.3% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,165 | $1,049 to $1,282 | $46,600 | $22.40/hr | -5.7% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,344 | $1,210 to $1,478 | $53,760 | $25.85/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 | $1,546 | $1,391 to $1,701 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,747 | $1,572 to $1,922 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $1,949 | $1,754 to $2,144 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,150 | $1,935 to $2,365 |
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 Northampton, that runs from $736 for a studio up to $1,344 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Northampton 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, Conway included.
Among North Carolina's 100 counties, Northampton ranks 66th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 10% below the state median of $1,086 and about 5% below the national median county at $1,018. About 17,528 people live here, 86th 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 27820 (Conway) and $1,450 in 27842 (Henrico), 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 27820 | Conway | $930 | -4.3% |
| 27831 | Garysburg | $1,050 | +8.0% |
| 27832 | Gaston | $1,010 | +3.9% |
| 27842 | Henrico | $1,450 | +49.2% |
| 27845 | Jackson | $930 | -4.3% |
| 27853 | Margarettsville | $1,030 | +6.0% |
| 27862 | Pendleton | $1,040 | +7.0% |
| 27866 | Pleasant Hill | $1,050 | +8.0% |
| 27867 | Potecasi | $972County rate | — |
| 27869 | Rich Square | $1,020 | +4.9% |
| 27876 | Seaboard | $1,090 | +12.1% |
| 27877 | Severn | $1,040 | +7.0% |
| 27897 | Woodland | $980 | +0.8% |
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 Northampton somewhere between $875 and $1,069. 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.
$972 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $38,880 a year. Put another way, $19 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% ($875) | HAP at 100% ($972) | HAP at 110% ($1,069) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $125 | $222 | $319 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went down 5% from FY 2025 ($1,026) to FY 2026 ($972). Since FY 2020 it's up 45% in total, about 6.4% 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 | $506 | $509 | $671 | $938 | $1,162 | — |
| FY 2021 | $522 | $526 | $693 | $923 | $1,046 | +3.3% |
| FY 2022 | $572 | $575 | $757 | $936 | $1,027 | +9.2% |
| FY 2023 | $650 | $654 | $861 | $1,048 | $1,157 | +13.7% |
| FY 2024 | $719 | $724 | $951 | $1,150 | $1,288 | +10.5% |
| FY 2025 | $777 | $782 | $1,026 | $1,236 | $1,412 | +7.9% |
| FY 2026 | $736 | $741 | $972 | $1,165 | $1,344 | -5.3% |
| FY 2027 | $811 | $817 | $1,012 | $1,206 | $1,346 | +4.1% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$972 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $736 for a studio, $741 for one bedroom, $1,165 for three and $1,344 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 Northampton actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Northampton for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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