HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Providence County, Rhode Island (FY 2026)
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Providence 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
4th of 5
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Providence 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 Providence actually rent for?
Search any address in Providence 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 Providence, 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 Providence in with 3 other counties in the Providence-Fall River metro, Kent County, Washington County, Bristol 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, Providence ranks 4th 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 658,977 people live here, 1st in the state.
Rates by town
Rhode Island publishes Fair Market Rents town by town instead of by county. All 16 towns in Providence 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Providence city | 190,214 | $1,318 | $1,402 | $1,729 | $2,087 | $2,480 |
| Cranston city | 82,632 | $1,318 | $1,402 | $1,729 | $2,087 | $2,480 |
| Pawtucket city | 75,280 | $1,318 | $1,402 | $1,729 | $2,087 | $2,480 |
| East Providence city | 46,970 | $1,318 | $1,402 | $1,729 | $2,087 | $2,480 |
| Woonsocket city | 43,074 | $1,318 | $1,402 | $1,729 | $2,087 | $2,480 |
| Cumberland town | 36,390 | $1,318 | $1,402 | $1,729 | $2,087 | $2,480 |
| North Providence town | 33,940 | $1,318 | $1,402 | $1,729 | $2,087 | $2,480 |
| Johnston town | 29,559 | $1,318 | $1,402 | $1,729 | $2,087 | $2,480 |
| Lincoln town | 22,571 | $1,318 | $1,402 | $1,729 | $2,087 | $2,480 |
| Central Falls city | 22,481 | $1,318 | $1,402 | $1,729 | $2,087 | $2,480 |
| Smithfield town | 22,075 | $1,318 | $1,402 | $1,729 | $2,087 | $2,480 |
| Burrillville town | 16,243 | $1,318 | $1,402 | $1,729 | $2,087 | $2,480 |
| North Smithfield town | 12,583 | $1,318 | $1,402 | $1,729 | $2,087 | $2,480 |
| Scituate town | 10,417 | $1,318 | $1,402 | $1,729 | $2,087 | $2,480 |
| Glocester town | 10,067 | $1,318 | $1,402 | $1,729 | $2,087 | $2,480 |
| Foster town | 4,481 | $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 $1,460 in 02826 (Glendale) and $2,590 in 02876 (Slatersville), with the 45 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 02802 | Albion | $1,770 | +2.4% |
| 02814 | Chepachet | $1,600 | -7.5% |
| 02815 | Clayville | $1,930 | +11.6% |
| 02823 | Fiskeville | $2,190 | +26.7% |
| 02824 | Forestdale | $1,590 | -8.0% |
| 02825 | Foster | $2,060 | +19.1% |
| 02826 | Glendale | $1,460 | -15.6% |
| 02828 | Greenville | $1,810 | +4.7% |
| 02829 | Harmony | $1,600 | -7.5% |
| 02830 | Harrisville | $1,460 | -15.6% |
| 02831 | Hope | $2,320 | +34.2% |
| 02838 | Manville | $1,740 | +0.6% |
| 02839 | Mapleville | $2,040 | +18.0% |
| 02857 | North Scituate | $1,930 | +11.6% |
| 02858 | Oakland | $1,480 | -14.4% |
| 02859 | Pascoag | $1,540 | -10.9% |
| 02860 | Pawtucket | $1,610 | -6.9% |
| 02861 | Pawtucket | $1,670 | -3.4% |
| 02862 | Pawtucket | $1,730 | +0.1% |
| 02863 | Central Falls | $1,500 | -13.2% |
| 02864 | Cumberland | $1,630 | -5.7% |
| 02865 | Lincoln | $1,800 | +4.1% |
| 02876 | Slatersville | $2,590 | +49.8% |
| 02895 | Woonsocket | $1,600 | -7.5% |
| 02896 | North Smithfield | $1,580 | -8.6% |
| 02901 | Providence | $1,730 | +0.1% |
| 02902 | Providence | $1,729County rate | — |
| 02903 | Providence | $2,430 | +40.5% |
| 02904 | Providence | $1,740 | +0.6% |
| 02905 | Providence | $1,700 | -1.7% |
| 02906 | Providence | $2,340 | +35.3% |
| 02907 | Providence | $1,590 | -8.0% |
| 02908 | Providence | $1,730 | +0.1% |
| 02909 | Providence | $1,600 | -7.5% |
| 02910 | Cranston | $1,800 | +4.1% |
| 02911 | North Providence | $1,950 | +12.8% |
| 02912 | Providence | $2,350 | +35.9% |
| 02914 | East Providence | $1,810 | +4.7% |
| 02915 | Riverside | $1,960 | +13.4% |
| 02916 | Rumford | $1,640 | -5.1% |
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 Providence 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 Providence actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Providence for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
Free tier. No credit card.