HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Hamilton County, Ohio (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Hamilton County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $1,353 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Hamilton keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,353
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,218 to $1,488
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$54,120
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Ohio
11th of 88
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Hamilton moves to $1,442. That's up 7%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
Market check
Two-bedrooms in Cincinnati are asking $1,481. HUD says $1,353.
That's 9% above the county FMR. Median asking rent across 20 Cincinnati ZIP codes with active 2BR listings. FMR includes utilities and asking rents usually don't, so the true gap is a little smaller.
Comps for a specific address
A rent estimate built from nearby listings, next to the HUD number.
FY 2026 Fair Market Rents
| Bedrooms | FMR | Payment standard | Income needed | Hourly wage | vs FY 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $958 | $862 to $1,054 | $38,320 | $18.42/hr | +8.5% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,051 | $946 to $1,156 | $42,040 | $20.21/hr | +5.8% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,353 | $1,218 to $1,488 | $54,120 | $26.02/hr | +5.1% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,785 | $1,607 to $1,964 | $71,400 | $34.33/hr | +4.6% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,976 | $1,778 to $2,174 | $79,040 | $38.00/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 | $2,272 | $2,045 to $2,499 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,569 | $2,312 to $2,826 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,865 | $2,579 to $3,152 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $3,162 | $2,846 to $3,478 |
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 Hamilton, that runs from $958 for a studio up to $1,976 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 Hamilton in with 11 other counties in the Cincinnati metro, Butler County, Warren County, Clermont County among them, and every one of them gets $1,353 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, Hamilton ranks 11th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 33% above the state median of $1,016 and about 33% above the national median county at $1,018. About 827,671 people live here, 3rd in the state.
Counties sharing the Cincinnati metro rate
Butler County
$1,353OH · pop 388,327
Warren County
$1,353OH · pop 243,189
Clermont County
$1,353OH · pop 208,851
Kenton County
$1,353KY · pop 169,066
Boone County
$1,353KY · pop 136,150
Campbell County
$1,353KY · pop 93,122
Dearborn County
$1,353IN · pop 50,709
Pendleton County
$1,353KY · pop 14,638
Gallatin County
$1,353KY · pop 8,720
Bracken County
$1,353KY · pop 8,420
Ohio County
$1,353IN · pop 5,974
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $980 in 45232 (Cincinnati) and $2,030 in 45174 (Terrace Park), with the 65 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 45001 | Addyston | $1,040 | -23.1% |
| 45002 | Cleves | $1,320 | -2.4% |
| 45030 | Harrison | $1,400 | +3.5% |
| 45033 | Hooven | $1,320 | -2.4% |
| 45041 | Miamitown | $1,320 | -2.4% |
| 45051 | Mount Saint Joseph | $1,200 | -11.3% |
| 45052 | North Bend | $1,350 | -0.2% |
| 45111 | Camp Dennison | $1,780 | +31.6% |
| 45174 | Terrace Park | $2,030 | +50.0% |
| 45201 | Cincinnati | $1,310 | -3.2% |
| 45202 | Cincinnati | $2,030 | +50.0% |
| 45203 | Cincinnati | $1,120 | -17.2% |
| 45204 | Cincinnati | $1,020 | -24.6% |
| 45205 | Cincinnati | $1,150 | -15.0% |
| 45206 | Cincinnati | $1,220 | -9.8% |
| 45207 | Cincinnati | $1,220 | -9.8% |
| 45208 | Cincinnati | $1,670 | +23.4% |
| 45209 | Cincinnati | $1,770 | +30.8% |
| 45211 | Cincinnati | $1,140 | -15.7% |
| 45212 | Cincinnati | $1,350 | -0.2% |
| 45213 | Cincinnati | $1,210 | -10.6% |
| 45214 | Cincinnati | $1,080 | -20.2% |
| 45215 | Cincinnati | $1,260 | -6.9% |
| 45216 | Cincinnati | $1,200 | -11.3% |
| 45217 | Cincinnati | $1,170 | -13.5% |
| 45218 | Cincinnati | $1,340 | -1.0% |
| 45219 | Cincinnati | $1,580 | +16.8% |
| 45220 | Cincinnati | $1,390 | +2.7% |
| 45221 | Cincinnati | $1,353County rate | — |
| 45222 | Cincinnati | $1,310 | -3.2% |
| 45223 | Cincinnati | $1,180 | -12.8% |
| 45224 | Cincinnati | $1,130 | -16.5% |
| 45225 | Cincinnati | $1,030 | -23.9% |
| 45226 | Cincinnati | $1,520 | +12.3% |
| 45227 | Cincinnati | $1,540 | +13.8% |
| 45229 | Cincinnati | $1,120 | -17.2% |
| 45230 | Cincinnati | $1,210 | -10.6% |
| 45231 | Cincinnati | $1,460 | +7.9% |
| 45232 | Cincinnati | $980 | -27.6% |
| 45233 | Cincinnati | $1,230 | -9.1% |
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 Hamilton somewhere between $1,218 and $1,488. 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.
$1,353 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $54,120 a year. Put another way, $26 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% ($1,218) | HAP at 100% ($1,353) | HAP at 110% ($1,488) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $468 | $603 | $738 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $18 | $153 | $288 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 5% from FY 2025 ($1,287) to FY 2026 ($1,353). Since FY 2020 it's up 56% in total, about 7.7% 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 | $568 | $658 | $865 | $1,185 | $1,362 | — |
| FY 2021 | $604 | $698 | $916 | $1,244 | $1,425 | +5.9% |
| FY 2022 | $643 | $742 | $968 | $1,302 | $1,483 | +5.7% |
| FY 2023 | $731 | $839 | $1,093 | $1,464 | $1,645 | +12.9% |
| FY 2024 | $810 | $919 | $1,195 | $1,588 | $1,766 | +9.3% |
| FY 2025 | $883 | $993 | $1,287 | $1,707 | $1,885 | +7.7% |
| FY 2026 | $958 | $1,051 | $1,353 | $1,785 | $1,976 | +5.1% |
| FY 2027 | $1,052 | $1,128 | $1,442 | $1,897 | $2,141 | +6.6% |
Nearby counties
Butler County
$1,35318 mi · pop 388,327
Clermont County
$1,35321 mi · pop 208,851
Warren County
$1,35325 mi · pop 243,189
Brown County
$1,00837 mi · pop 43,715
Clinton County
$1,02941 mi · pop 42,077
Preble County
$97342 mi · pop 40,929
Montgomery County
$1,27343 mi · pop 536,121
Greene County
$1,27349 mi · pop 167,567
Questions people ask
$1,353 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $958 for a studio, $1,051 for one bedroom, $1,785 for three and $1,976 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 Hamilton actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Hamilton for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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