HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Bristol County, Rhode Island (FY 2026)
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Bristol County is $1,729 a month. That's the number the housing authority starts from when it sets Section 8 payment standards here.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,729
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,556 to $1,902
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$69,160
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Rhode Island
2nd of 5
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Bristol moves to $1,879. That's up 9%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Bristol actually rent for?
Search any address in Bristol 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 | $1,318 | $1,186 to $1,450 | $52,720 | $25.35/hr | +6.9% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,402 | $1,262 to $1,542 | $56,080 | $26.96/hr | +6.3% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,729 | $1,556 to $1,902 | $69,160 | $33.25/hr | +7.1% |
| 3 bedroom | $2,087 | $1,878 to $2,296 | $83,480 | $40.13/hr | +7.3% |
| 4 bedroom | $2,480 | $2,232 to $2,728 | $99,200 | $47.69/hr | +5.1% |
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 | $2,852 | $2,567 to $3,137 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $3,224 | $2,902 to $3,546 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $3,596 | $3,236 to $3,956 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $3,968 | $3,571 to $4,365 |
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 Bristol, that runs from $1,318 for a studio up to $2,480 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 Bristol in with 3 other counties in the Providence-Fall River metro, Providence County, Kent County, Washington County among them, and every one of them gets $1,729 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 Rhode Island's 5 counties, Bristol ranks 2nd for two-bedroom FMR. That's within a couple percent of the state median of $1,729 and about 70% above the national median county at $1,018. About 50,568 people live here, 5th in the state.
Rates by town
Rhode Island publishes Fair Market Rents town by town instead of by county. All 3 towns in Bristol County share the same rate for FY 2026, so the county number is the town number wherever you are.
| Town | Population | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol town | 22,317 | $1,318 | $1,402 | $1,729 | $2,087 | $2,480 |
| Barrington town | 17,113 | $1,318 | $1,402 | $1,729 | $2,087 | $2,480 |
| Warren town | 11,138 | $1,318 | $1,402 | $1,729 | $2,087 | $2,480 |
Counties sharing the Providence-Fall River metro rate
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,690 in 02885 (Warren) and $2,290 in 02806 (Barrington), with the 4 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.
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 Bristol somewhere between $1,556 and $1,902. 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.
$1,729 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $69,160 a year. Put another way, $33 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% ($1,556) | HAP at 100% ($1,729) | HAP at 110% ($1,902) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $806 | $979 | $1,152 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $356 | $529 | $702 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 7% from FY 2025 ($1,614) to FY 2026 ($1,729). Since FY 2020 it's up 61% in total, about 8.2% a year. The Rhode Island median moved up 7% over the same year.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $794 | $898 | $1,075 | $1,340 | $1,591 | — |
| FY 2021 | $848 | $955 | $1,148 | $1,428 | $1,714 | +6.8% |
| FY 2022 | $913 | $1,026 | $1,234 | $1,525 | $1,868 | +7.5% |
| FY 2023 | $1,066 | $1,171 | $1,409 | $1,715 | $2,118 | +14.2% |
| FY 2024 | $1,289 | $1,398 | $1,693 | $2,047 | $2,536 | +20.2% |
| FY 2025 | $1,233 | $1,319 | $1,614 | $1,945 | $2,359 | -4.7% |
| FY 2026 | $1,318 | $1,402 | $1,729 | $2,087 | $2,480 | +7.1% |
| FY 2027 | $1,423 | $1,509 | $1,879 | $2,302 | $2,615 | +8.7% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$1,729 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $1,318 for a studio, $1,402 for one bedroom, $2,087 for three and $2,480 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 Bristol actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Bristol for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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