HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Transylvania County, North Carolina (FY 2026)
$1,164 a month. That's HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Transylvania County, and it's the baseline every voucher in Transylvania is measured against.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,164
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,048 to $1,280
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$46,560
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in North Carolina
41st of 100
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Transylvania moves to $1,386. That's up 19%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Transylvania actually rent for?
Search any address in Transylvania 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 | $881 | $793 to $969 | $35,240 | $16.94/hr | +1.1% |
| 1 bedroom | $887 | $798 to $976 | $35,480 | $17.06/hr | +1.1% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,164 | $1,048 to $1,280 | $46,560 | $22.38/hr | +1.2% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,396 | $1,256 to $1,536 | $55,840 | $26.85/hr | +0.7% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,749 | $1,574 to $1,924 | $69,960 | $33.63/hr | +1.2% |
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 | $2,011 | $1,810 to $2,212 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,274 | $2,047 to $2,501 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,536 | $2,282 to $2,790 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,798 | $2,518 to $3,078 |
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 Transylvania, that runs from $881 for a studio up to $1,749 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Transylvania 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, Balsam Grove included.
Among North Carolina's 100 counties, Transylvania ranks 41st for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 7% above the state median of $1,086 and about 14% above the national median county at $1,018. About 33,131 people live here, 69th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,040 in 28747 (Lake Toxaway) and $1,600 in 28774 (Sapphire), with the 8 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 Transylvania somewhere between $1,048 and $1,280. 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.
$1,164 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $46,560 a year. Put another way, $22 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% ($1,048) | HAP at 100% ($1,164) | HAP at 110% ($1,280) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $298 | $414 | $530 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $80 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 1% from FY 2025 ($1,150) to FY 2026 ($1,164). Since FY 2020 it's up 71% in total, about 9.3% 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 | $567 | $570 | $681 | $867 | $976 | — |
| FY 2021 | $532 | $536 | $706 | $897 | $1,054 | +3.7% |
| FY 2022 | $706 | $711 | $935 | $1,156 | $1,364 | +32.4% |
| FY 2023 | $751 | $756 | $995 | $1,211 | $1,530 | +6.4% |
| FY 2024 | $853 | $858 | $1,128 | $1,364 | $1,738 | +13.4% |
| FY 2025 | $871 | $877 | $1,150 | $1,386 | $1,729 | +2.0% |
| FY 2026 | $881 | $887 | $1,164 | $1,396 | $1,749 | +1.2% |
| FY 2027 | $1,111 | $1,118 | $1,386 | $1,781 | $2,097 | +19.1% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$1,164 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $881 for a studio, $887 for one bedroom, $1,396 for three and $1,749 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 Transylvania actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Transylvania for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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