HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Elk County, Pennsylvania (FY 2026)
$973 a month. That's HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Elk County, and it's the baseline every voucher in Elk is measured against.
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
54th of 67
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Elk 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 Elk actually rent for?
Search any address in Elk 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 | $708 | $637 to $779 | $28,320 | $13.62/hr | +6.6% |
| 1 bedroom | $825 | $743 to $908 | $33,000 | $15.87/hr | +3.1% |
| 2 bedroom | $973 | $876 to $1,070 | $38,920 | $18.71/hr | +7.2% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,283 | $1,155 to $1,411 | $51,320 | $24.67/hr | +4.8% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,288 | $1,159 to $1,417 | $51,520 | $24.77/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 | $1,481 | $1,333 to $1,629 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,674 | $1,507 to $1,841 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $1,868 | $1,681 to $2,055 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,061 | $1,855 to $2,267 |
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 Elk, that runs from $708 for a studio up to $1,288 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Elk 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, Benezett included.
Among Pennsylvania's 67 counties, Elk ranks 54th 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 30,886 people live here, 59th 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 15822 (Brandy Camp) and $1,360 in 15831 (Dagus Mines), with the 13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15821 | Benezett | $1,000 | +2.8% |
| 15822 | Brandy Camp | $970 | -0.3% |
| 15823 | Brockport | $970 | -0.3% |
| 15827 | Byrnedale | $1,000 | +2.8% |
| 15831 | Dagus Mines | $1,360 | +39.8% |
| 15841 | Force | $1,000 | +2.8% |
| 15845 | Johnsonburg | $970 | -0.3% |
| 15846 | Kersey | $1,360 | +39.8% |
| 15853 | Ridgway | $970 | -0.3% |
| 15857 | Saint Marys | $980 | +0.7% |
| 15868 | Weedville | $1,000 | +2.8% |
| 15870 | Wilcox | $970 | -0.3% |
| 16728 | De Young | $973County rate | — |
| 16734 | James City | $970 | -0.3% |
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 Elk 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 | $468 | $565 | $714 | $954 | $967 | — |
| FY 2021 | $478 | $577 | $724 | $978 | $982 | +1.4% |
| FY 2022 | $503 | $604 | $757 | $1,017 | $1,069 | +4.6% |
| FY 2023 | $549 | $691 | $821 | $1,106 | $1,201 | +8.5% |
| FY 2024 | $616 | $722 | $845 | $1,133 | $1,200 | +2.9% |
| FY 2025 | $664 | $800 | $908 | $1,224 | $1,229 | +7.5% |
| FY 2026 | $708 | $825 | $973 | $1,283 | $1,288 | +7.2% |
| FY 2027 | $749 | $879 | $1,014 | $1,328 | $1,333 | +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 $708 for a studio, $825 for one bedroom, $1,283 for three and $1,288 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 Elk actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Elk for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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