HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Bedford County, Pennsylvania (FY 2026)
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Bedford County is $973 a month. That's the number the housing authority starts from when it sets Section 8 payment standards here.
2 bedroom FMR
$973
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$876 to $1,070
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$38,920
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Pennsylvania
51st of 67
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Bedford moves to $1,014. That's up 4%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Bedford actually rent for?
Search any address in Bedford 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 | $677 | $609 to $745 | $27,080 | $13.02/hr | +5.9% |
| 1 bedroom | $742 | $668 to $816 | $29,680 | $14.27/hr | +7.2% |
| 2 bedroom | $973 | $876 to $1,070 | $38,920 | $18.71/hr | +7.2% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,226 | $1,103 to $1,349 | $49,040 | $23.58/hr | +6.1% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,476 | $1,328 to $1,624 | $59,040 | $28.38/hr | +6.0% |
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 | $1,697 | $1,527 to $1,867 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,919 | $1,727 to $2,111 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,140 | $1,926 to $2,354 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,362 | $2,126 to $2,598 |
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 Bedford, that runs from $677 for a studio up to $1,476 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Bedford 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, Alum Bank included.
Among Pennsylvania's 67 counties, Bedford ranks 51st for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 14% below the state median of $1,138 and about 4% below the national median county at $1,018. About 47,613 people live here, 45th 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 15534 (Buffalo Mills) and $1,190 in 15539 (Fishertown), with the 24 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15521 | Alum Bank | $1,170 | +20.2% |
| 15522 | Bedford | $990 | +1.7% |
| 15533 | Breezewood | $1,020 | +4.8% |
| 15534 | Buffalo Mills | $970 | -0.3% |
| 15535 | Clearville | $1,130 | +16.1% |
| 15537 | Everett | $970 | -0.3% |
| 15539 | Fishertown | $1,190 | +22.3% |
| 15545 | Hyndman | $990 | +1.7% |
| 15550 | Manns Choice | $970 | -0.3% |
| 15554 | New Paris | $1,140 | +17.2% |
| 15559 | Schellsburg | $1,190 | +22.3% |
| 16633 | Defiance | $1,030 | +5.9% |
| 16650 | Hopewell | $1,060 | +8.9% |
| 16655 | Imler | $970 | -0.3% |
| 16659 | Loysburg | $970 | -0.3% |
| 16664 | New Enterprise | $1,120 | +15.1% |
| 16667 | Osterburg | $1,180 | +21.3% |
| 16670 | Queen | $1,130 | +16.1% |
| 16672 | Riddlesburg | $1,020 | +4.8% |
| 16678 | Saxton | $970 | -0.3% |
| 16679 | Six Mile Run | $1,030 | +5.9% |
| 16694 | Wood | $990 | +1.7% |
| 16695 | Woodbury | $1,130 | +16.1% |
| 17211 | Artemas | $1,180 | +21.3% |
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 Bedford somewhere between $876 and $1,070. 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.
$973 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $38,920 a year. Put another way, $19 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% ($876) | HAP at 100% ($973) | HAP at 110% ($1,070) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $126 | $223 | $320 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 7% from FY 2025 ($908) to FY 2026 ($973). Since FY 2020 it's up 36% in total, about 5.3% a year. The Pennsylvania median moved up 7% over the same year.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $571 | $602 | $714 | $907 | $999 | — |
| FY 2021 | $571 | $592 | $724 | $934 | $1,034 | +1.4% |
| FY 2022 | $589 | $607 | $757 | $984 | $1,093 | +4.6% |
| FY 2023 | $635 | $639 | $821 | $1,056 | $1,200 | +8.5% |
| FY 2024 | $608 | $643 | $845 | $1,071 | $1,253 | +2.9% |
| FY 2025 | $639 | $692 | $908 | $1,156 | $1,393 | +7.5% |
| FY 2026 | $677 | $742 | $973 | $1,226 | $1,476 | +7.2% |
| FY 2027 | $737 | $780 | $1,014 | $1,286 | $1,526 | +4.2% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$973 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $677 for a studio, $742 for one bedroom, $1,226 for three and $1,476 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 Bedford actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Bedford for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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