HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Athens County, Ohio (FY 2026)
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Athens County is $1,092 a month. That's the number the housing authority starts from when it sets Section 8 payment standards here.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,092
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$983 to $1,201
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$43,680
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Ohio
28th of 88
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Athens moves to $1,129. That's up 3%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Athens actually rent for?
Search any address in Athens 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 | $902 | $812 to $992 | $36,080 | $17.35/hr | +9.5% |
| 1 bedroom | $907 | $816 to $998 | $36,280 | $17.44/hr | +9.4% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,092 | $983 to $1,201 | $43,680 | $21.00/hr | +4.7% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,338 | $1,204 to $1,472 | $53,520 | $25.73/hr | +6.4% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,491 | $1,342 to $1,640 | $59,640 | $28.67/hr | -3.2% |
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 | $1,715 | $1,544 to $1,887 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,938 | $1,744 to $2,132 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,162 | $1,946 to $2,378 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,386 | $2,147 to $2,625 |
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 Athens, that runs from $902 for a studio up to $1,491 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Athens 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, Athens included.
Among Ohio's 88 counties, Athens ranks 28th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 7% above the state median of $1,016 and about 7% above the national median county at $1,018. About 61,276 people live here, 41st in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $970 in 45716 (Buchtel) and $1,260 in 45701 (Athens), with the 17 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 45701 | Athens | $1,260 | +15.4% |
| 45710 | Albany | $1,030 | -5.7% |
| 45711 | Amesville | $1,170 | +7.1% |
| 45716 | Buchtel | $970 | -11.2% |
| 45717 | Carbondale | $1,092County rate | — |
| 45719 | Chauncey | $970 | -11.2% |
| 45723 | Coolville | $970 | -11.2% |
| 45732 | Glouster | $970 | -11.2% |
| 45735 | Guysville | $1,070 | -2.0% |
| 45739 | Hockingport | $1,010 | -7.5% |
| 45740 | Jacksonville | $970 | -11.2% |
| 45761 | Millfield | $970 | -11.2% |
| 45764 | Nelsonville | $970 | -11.2% |
| 45766 | New Marshfield | $1,070 | -2.0% |
| 45776 | Shade | $1,070 | -2.0% |
| 45777 | Sharpsburg | $1,092County rate | — |
| 45778 | Stewart | $1,170 | +7.1% |
| 45780 | The Plains | $1,060 | -2.9% |
| 45782 | Trimble | $970 | -11.2% |
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 Athens somewhere between $983 and $1,201. 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.
$1,092 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $43,680 a year. Put another way, $21 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% ($983) | HAP at 100% ($1,092) | HAP at 110% ($1,201) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $233 | $342 | $451 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $1 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 5% from FY 2025 ($1,043) to FY 2026 ($1,092). Since FY 2020 it's up 36% in total, about 5.3% a year. The Ohio median moved up 9% over the same year.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $685 | $705 | $802 | $999 | $1,086 | — |
| FY 2021 | $722 | $739 | $842 | $1,047 | $1,142 | +5.0% |
| FY 2022 | $738 | $762 | $868 | $1,073 | $1,177 | +3.1% |
| FY 2023 | $779 | $792 | $926 | $1,127 | $1,303 | +6.7% |
| FY 2024 | $804 | $809 | $983 | $1,189 | $1,491 | +6.2% |
| FY 2025 | $824 | $829 | $1,043 | $1,257 | $1,540 | +6.1% |
| FY 2026 | $902 | $907 | $1,092 | $1,338 | $1,491 | +4.7% |
| FY 2027 | $965 | $992 | $1,129 | $1,415 | $1,484 | +3.4% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$1,092 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $902 for a studio, $907 for one bedroom, $1,338 for three and $1,491 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 Athens actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Athens for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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