HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Mercer County, Pennsylvania (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Mercer County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $996 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Mercer keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$996
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$896 to $1,096
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$39,840
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Pennsylvania
46th of 67
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Mercer moves to $1,028. That's up 3%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Mercer actually rent for?
Search any address in Mercer 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 | $704 | $634 to $774 | $28,160 | $13.54/hr | -1.7% |
| 1 bedroom | $792 | $713 to $871 | $31,680 | $15.23/hr | +9.8% |
| 2 bedroom | $996 | $896 to $1,096 | $39,840 | $19.15/hr | +9.7% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,385 | $1,247 to $1,524 | $55,400 | $26.63/hr | +10.2% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,538 | $1,384 to $1,692 | $61,520 | $29.58/hr | +11.9% |
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 | $1,769 | $1,592 to $1,946 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,999 | $1,799 to $2,199 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,230 | $2,007 to $2,453 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,461 | $2,215 to $2,707 |
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 Mercer, that runs from $704 for a studio up to $1,538 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Mercer 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, Clark included.
Among Pennsylvania's 67 counties, Mercer ranks 46th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 12% below the state median of $1,138 and about 2% below the national median county at $1,018. About 110,600 people live here, 30th 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 16124 (Fredonia) and $1,250 in 16133 (Jackson Center), with the 20 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16113 | Clark | $1,070 | +7.4% |
| 16114 | Clarks Mills | $990 | -0.6% |
| 16121 | Farrell | $1,080 | +8.4% |
| 16124 | Fredonia | $970 | -2.6% |
| 16125 | Greenville | $970 | -2.6% |
| 16127 | Grove City | $1,020 | +2.4% |
| 16130 | Hadley | $970 | -2.6% |
| 16133 | Jackson Center | $1,250 | +25.5% |
| 16134 | Jamestown | $1,040 | +4.4% |
| 16137 | Mercer | $970 | -2.6% |
| 16145 | Sandy Lake | $970 | -2.6% |
| 16146 | Sharon | $980 | -1.6% |
| 16148 | Hermitage | $1,060 | +6.4% |
| 16150 | Sharpsville | $1,000 | +0.4% |
| 16151 | Sheakleyville | $970 | -2.6% |
| 16153 | Stoneboro | $1,040 | +4.4% |
| 16154 | Transfer | $980 | -1.6% |
| 16159 | West Middlesex | $970 | -2.6% |
| 16161 | Wheatland | $1,030 | +3.4% |
| 16311 | Carlton | $970 | -2.6% |
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 Mercer somewhere between $896 and $1,096. 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.
$996 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $39,840 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% ($896) | HAP at 100% ($996) | HAP at 110% ($1,096) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $146 | $246 | $346 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 10% from FY 2025 ($908) to FY 2026 ($996). Since FY 2020 it's up 38% in total, about 5.5% 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 | $551 | $555 | $722 | $930 | $1,034 | — |
| FY 2021 | $553 | $556 | $724 | $949 | $1,017 | +0.3% |
| FY 2022 | $579 | $583 | $757 | $1,009 | $1,058 | +4.6% |
| FY 2023 | $634 | $638 | $821 | $1,105 | $1,165 | +8.5% |
| FY 2024 | $656 | $661 | $845 | $1,148 | $1,233 | +2.9% |
| FY 2025 | $716 | $721 | $908 | $1,257 | $1,374 | +7.5% |
| FY 2026 | $704 | $792 | $996 | $1,385 | $1,538 | +9.7% |
| FY 2027 | $716 | $810 | $1,028 | $1,423 | $1,615 | +3.2% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$996 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $704 for a studio, $792 for one bedroom, $1,385 for three and $1,538 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 Mercer actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Mercer for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
Free tier. No credit card.