HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Columbia County, Pennsylvania (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Columbia County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $1,140 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Columbia keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,140
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,026 to $1,254
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$45,600
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Pennsylvania
33rd of 67
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Columbia moves to $1,136. That's unchanged. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Columbia actually rent for?
Search any address in Columbia 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 | $786 | $707 to $865 | $31,440 | $15.12/hr | +7.7% |
| 1 bedroom | $941 | $847 to $1,035 | $37,640 | $18.10/hr | +8.0% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,140 | $1,026 to $1,254 | $45,600 | $21.92/hr | +7.0% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,367 | $1,230 to $1,504 | $54,680 | $26.29/hr | +6.5% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,572 | $1,415 to $1,729 | $62,880 | $30.23/hr | +4.5% |
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 | $1,808 | $1,627 to $1,989 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,044 | $1,840 to $2,248 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,279 | $2,051 to $2,507 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,515 | $2,264 to $2,767 |
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 Columbia, that runs from $786 for a studio up to $1,572 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Columbia 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, Benton included.
Among Pennsylvania's 67 counties, Columbia ranks 33rd for two-bedroom FMR. That's within a couple percent of the state median of $1,138 and about 12% above the national median county at $1,018. About 64,924 people live here, 40th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,010 in 17859 (Orangeville) and $1,360 in 18631 (Mifflinville), with the 11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17814 | Benton | $1,210 | +6.1% |
| 17815 | Bloomsburg | $1,200 | +5.3% |
| 17820 | Catawissa | $1,130 | -0.9% |
| 17846 | Millville | $1,020 | -10.5% |
| 17858 | Numidia | $1,130 | -0.9% |
| 17859 | Orangeville | $1,010 | -11.4% |
| 17878 | Stillwater | $1,020 | -10.5% |
| 17888 | Wilburton | $1,050 | -7.9% |
| 17920 | Aristes | $1,060 | -7.0% |
| 18603 | Berwick | $1,030 | -9.6% |
| 18631 | Mifflinville | $1,360 | +19.3% |
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 Columbia somewhere between $1,026 and $1,254. 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.
$1,140 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $45,600 a year. Put another way, $22 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% ($1,026) | HAP at 100% ($1,140) | HAP at 110% ($1,254) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $276 | $390 | $504 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $54 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 7% from FY 2025 ($1,065) to FY 2026 ($1,140). Since FY 2020 it's up 44% in total, about 6.3% 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 | $656 | $660 | $791 | $986 | $1,231 | — |
| FY 2021 | $700 | $704 | $836 | $1,040 | $1,203 | +5.7% |
| FY 2022 | $723 | $735 | $859 | $1,062 | $1,165 | +2.8% |
| FY 2023 | $681 | $808 | $968 | $1,178 | $1,300 | +12.7% |
| FY 2024 | $721 | $878 | $1,064 | $1,287 | $1,463 | +9.9% |
| FY 2025 | $730 | $871 | $1,065 | $1,283 | $1,505 | +0.1% |
| FY 2026 | $786 | $941 | $1,140 | $1,367 | $1,572 | +7.0% |
| FY 2027 | $791 | $926 | $1,136 | $1,370 | $1,559 | -0.4% |
Nearby counties
Montour County
$1,37213 mi · pop 18,165
Northumberland County
$97319 mi · pop 91,340
Schuylkill County
$1,03021 mi · pop 143,201
Luzerne County
$1,25225 mi · pop 325,396
Sullivan County
$97332 mi · pop 5,880
Carbon County
$1,63434 mi · pop 65,018
Union County
$1,00134 mi · pop 42,908
Snyder County
$1,05938 mi · pop 39,797
Questions people ask
$1,140 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $786 for a studio, $941 for one bedroom, $1,367 for three and $1,572 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 Columbia actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Columbia for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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