HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2027 · Effective Oct 1, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027
Fair Market Rent in Centre County, Pennsylvania (FY 2027)
HUD's FY 2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Centre County is $1,537 a month. That's the number the housing authority starts from when it sets Section 8 payment standards here.
Two-bedroom FMR
$1,537
+9.3% from FY 2026
Payment standard
$1,383–$1,691
90% to 110% of the FMR, two-bedroom
Income to afford
$61,480
a year, with rent at 30% of income
Rank in Pennsylvania
14th of 67
by two-bedroom FMR, highest first
FY 2027 Fair Market Rents
Payment standard is the 90% to 110% band a housing authority can set. Income needed puts rent at 30% of gross income, and the hourly wage assumes a 40-hour week.
| Bedrooms | FMR | Payment standard | Income needed | Hourly wage | vs FY 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,274 | $1,147–$1,401 | $50,960 | $24.50/hr | +7.3% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,282 | $1,154–$1,410 | $51,280 | $24.65/hr | +7.4% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,537 | $1,383–$1,691 | $61,480 | $29.56/hr | +9.3% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,977 | $1,779–$2,175 | $79,080 | $38.02/hr | +12.3% |
| 4 bedroom | $2,020 | $1,818–$2,222 | $80,800 | $38.85/hr | +8.5% |
Five to eight 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 | $2,323 | $2,091–$2,555 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,626 | $2,363–$2,889 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,929 | $2,636–$3,222 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $3,232 | $2,909–$3,555 |
Source: HUD Office of Policy Development and Research, FY 2027 Fair Market Rents. Rents include utilities. huduser.gov
Market check
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Centre actually rent for?
Search any address in Centre for a rent estimate built from nearby comps, with the HUD figure right next to it.
No card needed
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 Centre somewhere between $1,383 and $1,691. 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.
$1,537 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $61,480 a year. Put another way, $30 an hour full time.
Worked example for a two-bedroom renting at the payment standard. The tenant pays 30% of monthly income and the voucher covers the rest.
| Monthly household income | Tenant pays (30%) | Voucher pays at 90%$1,383 | Voucher pays at 100%$1,537 | Voucher pays at 110%$1,691 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $633 | $787 | $941 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $183 | $337 | $491 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 9% from FY 2026 ($1,406) to FY 2027 ($1,537). Since FY 2020 it's up 61% in total, about 7.1% a year. The Pennsylvania median held flat over the same year.
| Fiscal year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $813 | $837 | $953 | $1,312 | $1,375 | — |
| FY 2021 | $865 | $885 | $1,009 | $1,347 | $1,368 | +5.9% |
| FY 2022 | $1,039 | $1,055 | $1,212 | $1,548 | $1,644 | +20.1% |
| FY 2023 | $1,091 | $1,111 | $1,285 | $1,576 | $1,726 | +6.0% |
| FY 2024 | $1,122 | $1,133 | $1,317 | $1,593 | $1,754 | +2.5% |
| FY 2025 | $1,226 | $1,234 | $1,431 | $1,743 | $1,897 | +8.7% |
| FY 2026 | $1,187 | $1,194 | $1,406 | $1,760 | $1,862 | -1.7% |
| FY 2027In effect | $1,274 | $1,282 | $1,537 | $1,977 | $2,020 | +9.3% |
About this rate
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 2027 that's October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. In Centre, that runs from $1,274 for a studio up to $2,020 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Centre is its own HUD metro area (State College, PA), so the rate here is set from rents inside the county rather than a wider region.
Among Pennsylvania's 67 counties, Centre ranks 14th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 35% above the state median of $1,136 and about 45% above the national median county at $1,063. About 158,576 people live here, 22nd in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,270 in 16677 (Sandy Ridge) and $1,730 in 16803 (State College), with the 30 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16677 | Sandy Ridge | $1,270 | -17.4% |
| 16801 | State College | $1,670 | +8.7% |
| 16802 | University Park | $1,700 | +10.6% |
| 16803 | State College | $1,730 | +12.6% |
| 16804 | State College | $1,540 | +0.2% |
| 16805 | State College | $1,537County rate | — |
| 16820 | Aaronsburg | $1,430 | -7.0% |
| 16823 | Bellefonte | $1,330 | -13.5% |
| 16826 | Blanchard | $1,270 | -17.4% |
| 16827 | Boalsburg | $1,600 | +4.1% |
| 16828 | Centre Hall | $1,290 | -16.1% |
| 16829 | Clarence | $1,270 | -17.4% |
| 16832 | Coburn | $1,270 | -17.4% |
| 16835 | Fleming | $1,320 | -14.1% |
| 16841 | Howard | $1,270 | -17.4% |
| 16844 | Julian | $1,270 | -17.4% |
| 16851 | Lemont | $1,620 | +5.4% |
| 16852 | Madisonburg | $1,270 | -17.4% |
| 16853 | Milesburg | $1,370 | -10.9% |
| 16854 | Millheim | $1,270 | -17.4% |
| 16856 | Mingoville | $1,330 | -13.5% |
| 16859 | Moshannon | $1,270 | -17.4% |
| 16864 | Orviston | $1,270 | -17.4% |
| 16865 | Pennsylvania Furnace | $1,510 | -1.8% |
| 16866 | Philipsburg | $1,270 | -17.4% |
| 16868 | Pine Grove Mills | $1,670 | +8.7% |
| 16870 | Port Matilda | $1,270 | -17.4% |
| 16872 | Rebersburg | $1,290 | -16.1% |
| 16874 | Snow Shoe | $1,270 | -17.4% |
| 16875 | Spring Mills | $1,270 | -17.4% |
| 16882 | Woodward | $1,290 | -16.1% |
Nearby counties
Two-bedroom FMR, with how each compares to Centre.
Mifflin County
22 mi · 46,041 people
$1,014
-34%
Clinton County
24 mi · 37,798 people
$1,014
-34%
Juniata County
31 mi · 23,379 people
$1,014
-34%
Clearfield County
33 mi · 78,635 people
$1,014
-34%
Huntingdon County
39 mi · 43,653 people
$1,014
-34%
Snyder County
39 mi · 39,668 people
$1,084
-29%
Union County
39 mi · 42,456 people
$1,028
-33%
Cameron County
42 mi · 4,427 people
$1,014
-34%
Questions people ask
$1,537 a month for FY 2027, which runs October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. The other rates are $1,274 for a studio, $1,282 for one bedroom, $1,977 for three and $2,020 for four.
Tools for this county
Fair Market Rent lookup
Any ZIP code's Small Area FMR by bedroom count
Section 8 rent calculator
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
The income a household needs for a given rent
What does a rental in Centre actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Centre for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. Free to start, no card.
Free tier. No credit card.