HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Fairfield County, Ohio (FY 2026)
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Fairfield County is $1,430 a month. That's the number the housing authority starts from when it sets Section 8 payment standards here.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,430
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,287 to $1,573
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$57,200
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Ohio
3rd of 88
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Fairfield moves to $1,602. That's up 12%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Fairfield actually rent for?
Search any address in Fairfield 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 | $1,111 | $1,000 to $1,222 | $44,440 | $21.37/hr | +0.6% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,194 | $1,075 to $1,313 | $47,760 | $22.96/hr | 0.0% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,430 | $1,287 to $1,573 | $57,200 | $27.50/hr | -1.0% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,715 | $1,544 to $1,887 | $68,600 | $32.98/hr | -1.5% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,927 | $1,734 to $2,120 | $77,080 | $37.06/hr | -0.6% |
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 | $2,216 | $1,994 to $2,438 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,505 | $2,255 to $2,756 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,794 | $2,515 to $3,073 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $3,083 | $2,775 to $3,391 |
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 Fairfield, that runs from $1,111 for a studio up to $1,927 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
This is a metro rate. The county doesn't get one of its own. HUD lumps Fairfield in with 6 other counties in the Columbus metro, Franklin County, Delaware County, Licking County among them, and every one of them gets $1,430 for a two-bedroom. Where you are inside the metro doesn't change the county number. It does change the ZIP number, covered below.
Among Ohio's 88 counties, Fairfield ranks 3rd for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 41% above the state median of $1,016 and about 40% above the national median county at $1,018. About 159,371 people live here, 20th in the state.
Counties sharing the Columbus metro rate
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,070 in 43105 (Baltimore) and $1,830 in 43147 (Pickerington), with the 14 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 43046 | Millersport | $1,260 | -11.9% |
| 43102 | Amanda | $1,080 | -24.5% |
| 43105 | Baltimore | $1,070 | -25.2% |
| 43107 | Bremen | $1,140 | -20.3% |
| 43110 | Canal Winchester | $1,430 | 0.0% |
| 43112 | Carroll | $1,240 | -13.3% |
| 43130 | Lancaster | $1,170 | -18.2% |
| 43136 | Lithopolis | $1,430 | 0.0% |
| 43147 | Pickerington | $1,830 | +28.0% |
| 43148 | Pleasantville | $1,230 | -14.0% |
| 43150 | Rushville | $1,070 | -25.2% |
| 43154 | Stoutsville | $1,260 | -11.9% |
| 43155 | Sugar Grove | $1,120 | -21.7% |
| 43157 | Thurston | $1,240 | -13.3% |
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 Fairfield somewhere between $1,287 and $1,573. 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.
$1,430 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $57,200 a year. Put another way, $28 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% ($1,287) | HAP at 100% ($1,430) | HAP at 110% ($1,573) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $537 | $680 | $823 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $87 | $230 | $373 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went down 1% from FY 2025 ($1,445) to FY 2026 ($1,430). Since FY 2020 it's up 44% in total, about 6.3% 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 | $677 | $794 | $992 | $1,262 | $1,449 | — |
| FY 2021 | $717 | $827 | $1,031 | $1,298 | $1,468 | +3.9% |
| FY 2022 | $730 | $829 | $1,032 | $1,281 | $1,426 | +0.1% |
| FY 2023 | $842 | $941 | $1,163 | $1,426 | $1,577 | +12.7% |
| FY 2024 | $970 | $1,065 | $1,302 | $1,574 | $1,745 | +12.0% |
| FY 2025 | $1,104 | $1,194 | $1,445 | $1,741 | $1,939 | +11.0% |
| FY 2026 | $1,111 | $1,194 | $1,430 | $1,715 | $1,927 | -1.0% |
| FY 2027 | $1,258 | $1,346 | $1,602 | $1,909 | $2,172 | +12.0% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$1,430 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $1,111 for a studio, $1,194 for one bedroom, $1,715 for three and $1,927 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 Fairfield actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Fairfield for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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