HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Dauphin County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $1,493 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Dauphin keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,493
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,344 to $1,642
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$59,720
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Pennsylvania
14th of 67
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Dauphin moves to $1,598. That's up 7%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Dauphin actually rent for?
Search any address in Dauphin 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 | $1,058 | $952 to $1,164 | $42,320 | $20.35/hr | +11.0% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,212 | $1,091 to $1,333 | $48,480 | $23.31/hr | +8.8% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,493 | $1,344 to $1,642 | $59,720 | $28.71/hr | +8.9% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,920 | $1,728 to $2,112 | $76,800 | $36.92/hr | +8.9% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,977 | $1,779 to $2,175 | $79,080 | $38.02/hr | +8.7% |
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 | $2,274 | $2,047 to $2,501 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,570 | $2,313 to $2,827 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,867 | $2,580 to $3,154 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $3,163 | $2,847 to $3,479 |
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 Dauphin, that runs from $1,058 for a studio up to $1,977 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 Dauphin in with 2 other counties in the Harrisburg-Carlisle metro, Cumberland County, Perry County among them, and every one of them gets $1,493 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 Pennsylvania's 67 counties, Dauphin ranks 14th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 31% above the state median of $1,138 and about 47% above the national median county at $1,018. About 286,108 people live here, 14th in the state.
Counties sharing the Harrisburg-Carlisle metro rate
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,040 in 17023 (Elizabethville) and $1,790 in 17036 (Hummelstown), with the 36 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17005 | Berrysburg | $1,300 | -12.9% |
| 17018 | Dauphin | $1,290 | -13.6% |
| 17023 | Elizabethville | $1,040 | -30.3% |
| 17028 | Grantville | $1,390 | -6.9% |
| 17030 | Gratz | $1,040 | -30.3% |
| 17032 | Halifax | $1,060 | -29.0% |
| 17033 | Hershey | $1,610 | +7.8% |
| 17034 | Highspire | $1,310 | -12.3% |
| 17036 | Hummelstown | $1,790 | +19.9% |
| 17048 | Lykens | $1,300 | -12.9% |
| 17057 | Middletown | $1,450 | -2.9% |
| 17061 | Millersburg | $1,060 | -29.0% |
| 17080 | Pillow | $1,040 | -30.3% |
| 17097 | Wiconisco | $1,520 | +1.8% |
| 17098 | Williamstown | $1,140 | -23.6% |
| 17101 | Harrisburg | $1,250 | -16.3% |
| 17102 | Harrisburg | $1,400 | -6.2% |
| 17103 | Harrisburg | $1,300 | -12.9% |
| 17104 | Harrisburg | $1,260 | -15.6% |
| 17105 | Harrisburg | $1,500 | +0.5% |
| 17106 | Harrisburg | $1,500 | +0.5% |
| 17107 | Harrisburg | $1,493County rate | — |
| 17108 | Harrisburg | $1,500 | +0.5% |
| 17109 | Harrisburg | $1,560 | +4.5% |
| 17110 | Harrisburg | $1,710 | +14.5% |
| 17111 | Harrisburg | $1,650 | +10.5% |
| 17112 | Harrisburg | $1,750 | +17.2% |
| 17113 | Harrisburg | $1,470 | -1.5% |
| 17120 | Harrisburg | $1,500 | +0.5% |
| 17121 | Harrisburg | $1,500 | +0.5% |
| 17122 | Harrisburg | $1,500 | +0.5% |
| 17123 | Harrisburg | $1,500 | +0.5% |
| 17124 | Harrisburg | $1,500 | +0.5% |
| 17125 | Harrisburg | $1,500 | +0.5% |
| 17126 | Harrisburg | $1,500 | +0.5% |
| 17127 | Harrisburg | $1,500 | +0.5% |
| 17128 | Harrisburg | $1,493County rate | — |
| 17129 | Harrisburg | $1,500 | +0.5% |
| 17130 | Harrisburg | $1,493County rate | — |
| 17140 | Harrisburg | $1,493County rate | — |
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 Dauphin somewhere between $1,344 and $1,642. 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.
$1,493 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $59,720 a year. Put another way, $29 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% ($1,344) | HAP at 100% ($1,493) | HAP at 110% ($1,642) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $594 | $743 | $892 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $144 | $293 | $442 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 9% from FY 2025 ($1,371) to FY 2026 ($1,493). Since FY 2020 it's up 57% in total, about 7.8% 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 | $621 | $760 | $953 | $1,216 | $1,291 | — |
| FY 2021 | $651 | $773 | $977 | $1,242 | $1,325 | +2.5% |
| FY 2022 | $732 | $843 | $1,074 | $1,364 | $1,456 | +9.9% |
| FY 2023 | $847 | $975 | $1,228 | $1,570 | $1,650 | +14.3% |
| FY 2024 | $876 | $1,021 | $1,273 | $1,634 | $1,695 | +3.7% |
| FY 2025 | $953 | $1,114 | $1,371 | $1,763 | $1,818 | +7.7% |
| FY 2026 | $1,058 | $1,212 | $1,493 | $1,920 | $1,977 | +8.9% |
| FY 2027 | $1,166 | $1,285 | $1,598 | $2,055 | $2,100 | +7.0% |
Nearby counties
Cumberland County
$1,49318 mi · pop 261,269
Lebanon County
$1,41121 mi · pop 143,258
Perry County
$1,49322 mi · pop 45,941
York County
$1,33530 mi · pop 457,051
Juniata County
$97331 mi · pop 23,535
Snyder County
$1,05932 mi · pop 39,797
Adams County
$1,37436 mi · pop 104,604
Lancaster County
$1,52636 mi · pop 553,202
Questions people ask
$1,493 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $1,058 for a studio, $1,212 for one bedroom, $1,920 for three and $1,977 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 Dauphin actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Dauphin for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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