HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2027 · Effective Oct 1, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027
Fair Market Rent in Rutherford County, North Carolina (FY 2027)
HUD's FY 2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Rutherford County is $1,012 a month. That's the number the housing authority starts from when it sets Section 8 payment standards here.
Two-bedroom FMR
$1,012
+9.4% from FY 2026
Payment standard
$911–$1,113
90% to 110% of the FMR, two-bedroom
Income to afford
$40,480
a year, with rent at 30% of income
Rank in North Carolina
90th of 100
by two-bedroom FMR, highest first
FY 2027 Fair Market Rents
Payment standard is the 90% to 110% band a housing authority can set. Income needed puts rent at 30% of gross income, and the hourly wage assumes a 40-hour week.
| Bedrooms | FMR | Payment standard | Income needed | Hourly wage | vs FY 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $861 | $775–$947 | $34,440 | $16.56/hr | +7.5% |
| 1 bedroom | $866 | $779–$953 | $34,640 | $16.65/hr | +7.4% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,012 | $911–$1,113 | $40,480 | $19.46/hr | +9.4% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,354 | $1,219–$1,489 | $54,160 | $26.04/hr | +6.2% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,374 | $1,237–$1,511 | $54,960 | $26.42/hr | +3.2% |
Five to eight 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 | $1,580 | $1,422–$1,738 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,786 | $1,607–$1,965 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $1,992 | $1,793–$2,191 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,198 | $1,978–$2,418 |
Source: HUD Office of Policy Development and Research, FY 2027 Fair Market Rents. Rents include utilities. huduser.gov
Market check
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Rutherford actually rent for?
Search any address in Rutherford for a rent estimate built from nearby comps, with the HUD figure right next to it.
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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 Rutherford somewhere between $911 and $1,113. 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.
$1,012 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $40,480 a year. Put another way, $19 an hour full time.
Worked example for a two-bedroom renting at the payment standard. The tenant pays 30% of monthly income and the voucher covers the rest.
| Monthly household income | Tenant pays (30%) | Voucher pays at 90%$911 | Voucher pays at 100%$1,012 | Voucher pays at 110%$1,113 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $161 | $262 | $363 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 9% from FY 2026 ($925) to FY 2027 ($1,012). Since FY 2020 it's up 51% in total, about 6.0% a year. The North Carolina median moved up 5% over the same year.
| Fiscal year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $506 | $509 | $671 | $842 | $1,005 | — |
| FY 2021 | $522 | $526 | $693 | $862 | $993 | +3.3% |
| FY 2022 | $563 | $567 | $724 | $895 | $1,060 | +4.5% |
| FY 2023 | $643 | $646 | $771 | $975 | $1,188 | +6.5% |
| FY 2024 | $733 | $737 | $856 | $1,117 | $1,367 | +11.0% |
| FY 2025 | $803 | $807 | $930 | $1,255 | $1,442 | +8.6% |
| FY 2026 | $801 | $806 | $925 | $1,275 | $1,332 | -0.5% |
| FY 2027In effect | $861 | $866 | $1,012 | $1,354 | $1,374 | +9.4% |
About this rate
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 2027 that's October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. In Rutherford, that runs from $861 for a studio up to $1,374 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Rutherford 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, Bostic included.
Among North Carolina's 100 counties, Rutherford ranks 90th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 12% below the state median of $1,145 and about 5% below the national median county at $1,063. About 64,930 people live here, 43rd in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,010 in 28019 (Caroleen) and $1,660 in 28746 (Lake Lure), 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28018 | Bostic | $1,120 | +10.7% |
| 28019 | Caroleen | $1,010 | -0.2% |
| 28024 | Cliffside | $1,010 | -0.2% |
| 28040 | Ellenboro | $1,010 | -0.2% |
| 28043 | Forest City | $1,010 | -0.2% |
| 28074 | Harris | $1,060 | +4.7% |
| 28076 | Henrietta | $1,010 | -0.2% |
| 28139 | Rutherfordton | $1,120 | +10.7% |
| 28160 | Spindale | $1,010 | -0.2% |
| 28167 | Union Mills | $1,120 | +10.7% |
| 28720 | Chimney Rock | $1,520 | +50.2% |
| 28746 | Lake Lure | $1,660 | +64.0% |
Nearby counties
Two-bedroom FMR, with how each compares to Rutherford.
Polk County
19 mi · 19,891 people
$1,012
same rate
Cleveland County
20 mi · 100,991 people
$1,014
same rate
McDowell County
26 mi · 44,817 people
$1,012
same rate
Henderson County
30 mi · 118,484 people
$1,866
+84%
Burke County
33 mi · 87,795 people
$1,147
+13%
Buncombe County
38 mi · 274,360 people
$1,866
+84%
Lincoln County
40 mi · 92,716 people
$1,138
+12%
Caldwell County
43 mi · 80,536 people
$1,147
+13%
Questions people ask
$1,012 a month for FY 2027, which runs October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. The other rates are $861 for a studio, $866 for one bedroom, $1,354 for three and $1,374 for four.
Tools for this county
Fair Market Rent lookup
Any ZIP code's Small Area FMR by bedroom count
Section 8 rent calculator
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
The income a household needs for a given rent
What does a rental in Rutherford actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Rutherford for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. Free to start, no card.
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