HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2027 · Effective Oct 1, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027
Fair Market Rent in Aiken County, South Carolina (FY 2027)
HUD's FY 2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Aiken County is $1,329 a month. That's the number the housing authority starts from when it sets Section 8 payment standards here.
Two-bedroom FMR
$1,329
+5.4% from FY 2026
Payment standard
$1,196–$1,462
90% to 110% of the FMR, two-bedroom
Income to afford
$53,160
a year, with rent at 30% of income
Rank in South Carolina
11th of 46
by two-bedroom FMR, highest first
FY 2027 Fair Market Rents
Payment standard is the 90% to 110% band a housing authority can set. Income needed puts rent at 30% of gross income, and the hourly wage assumes a 40-hour week.
| Bedrooms | FMR | Payment standard | Income needed | Hourly wage | vs FY 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $997 | $897–$1,097 | $39,880 | $19.17/hr | +6.2% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,202 | $1,082–$1,322 | $48,080 | $23.12/hr | +7.9% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,329 | $1,196–$1,462 | $53,160 | $25.56/hr | +5.4% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,672 | $1,505–$1,839 | $66,880 | $32.15/hr | +2.8% |
| 4 bedroom | $2,035 | $1,832–$2,239 | $81,400 | $39.13/hr | +2.6% |
Five to eight 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 | $2,340 | $2,106–$2,574 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,646 | $2,381–$2,911 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,951 | $2,656–$3,246 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $3,256 | $2,930–$3,582 |
Source: HUD Office of Policy Development and Research, FY 2027 Fair Market Rents. Rents include utilities. huduser.gov
Market check
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Aiken actually rent for?
Search any address in Aiken for a rent estimate built from nearby comps, with the HUD figure right next to it.
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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 Aiken somewhere between $1,196 and $1,462. 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.
$1,329 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $53,160 a year. Put another way, $26 an hour full time.
Worked example for a two-bedroom renting at the payment standard. The tenant pays 30% of monthly income and the voucher covers the rest.
| Monthly household income | Tenant pays (30%) | Voucher pays at 90%$1,196 | Voucher pays at 100%$1,329 | Voucher pays at 110%$1,462 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $446 | $579 | $712 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $129 | $262 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 5% from FY 2026 ($1,261) to FY 2027 ($1,329). Since FY 2020 it's up 57% in total, about 6.6% a year. The South Carolina median moved up 2% over the same year.
| Fiscal year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $689 | $722 | $848 | $1,156 | $1,489 | — |
| FY 2021 | $636 | $708 | $815 | $1,108 | $1,411 | -3.9% |
| FY 2022 | $685 | $789 | $906 | $1,228 | $1,532 | +11.2% |
| FY 2023 | $750 | $890 | $1,017 | $1,369 | $1,675 | +12.3% |
| FY 2024 | $805 | $961 | $1,100 | $1,463 | $1,779 | +8.2% |
| FY 2025 | $868 | $1,039 | $1,175 | $1,545 | $1,890 | +6.8% |
| FY 2026 | $939 | $1,114 | $1,261 | $1,627 | $1,984 | +7.3% |
| FY 2027In effect | $997 | $1,202 | $1,329 | $1,672 | $2,035 | +5.4% |
About this rate
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 2027 that's October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. In Aiken, that runs from $997 for a studio up to $2,035 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 Aiken in with 5 other counties in the Augusta-Richmond County metro, Richmond County, Columbia County, Edgefield County among them, and every one of them gets $1,329 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 South Carolina's 46 counties, Aiken ranks 11th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 21% above the state median of $1,098 and about 25% above the national median county at $1,063. About 174,160 people live here, 11th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,000 in 29137 (Salley) and $1,410 in 29860 (North Augusta), with the 21 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29137 | Salley | $1,000 | -24.8% |
| 29164 | Wagener | $1,110 | -16.5% |
| 29801 | Aiken | $1,300 | -2.2% |
| 29802 | Aiken | $1,250 | -5.9% |
| 29803 | Aiken | $1,340 | +0.8% |
| 29804 | Aiken | $1,250 | -5.9% |
| 29805 | Aiken | $1,000 | -24.8% |
| 29808 | Aiken | $1,329County rate | — |
| 29809 | New Ellenton | $1,000 | -24.8% |
| 29816 | Bath | $1,180 | -11.2% |
| 29822 | Clearwater | $1,250 | -5.9% |
| 29828 | Gloverville | $1,120 | -15.7% |
| 29829 | Graniteville | $1,220 | -8.2% |
| 29831 | Jackson | $1,250 | -5.9% |
| 29834 | Langley | $1,040 | -21.7% |
| 29839 | Montmorenci | $1,250 | -5.9% |
| 29841 | North Augusta | $1,270 | -4.4% |
| 29842 | Beech Island | $1,040 | -21.7% |
| 29850 | Vaucluse | $1,329County rate | — |
| 29851 | Warrenville | $1,310 | -1.4% |
| 29856 | Windsor | $1,130 | -15.0% |
| 29860 | North Augusta | $1,410 | +6.1% |
| 29861 | North Augusta | $1,250 | -5.9% |
Counties sharing the Augusta-Richmond County metro rate
HUD sets one rate for the whole metro, so every county here carries the same $1,329 two-bedroom figure as Aiken.
Nearby counties
Two-bedroom FMR, with how each compares to Aiken.
Edgefield County
19 mi · 27,476 people
$1,329
same rate
Saluda County
25 mi · 19,131 people
$1,226
-8%
Barnwell County
27 mi · 20,521 people
$892
-33%
McCormick County
37 mi · 9,760 people
$885
-33%
Lexington County
40 mi · 304,887 people
$1,226
-8%
Allendale County
42 mi · 7,661 people
$885
-33%
Bamberg County
43 mi · 13,042 people
$889
-33%
Newberry County
52 mi · 38,435 people
$933
-30%
Questions people ask
$1,329 a month for FY 2027, which runs October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. The other rates are $997 for a studio, $1,202 for one bedroom, $1,672 for three and $2,035 for four.
Tools for this county
Fair Market Rent lookup
Any ZIP code's Small Area FMR by bedroom count
Section 8 rent calculator
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
The income a household needs for a given rent
What does a rental in Aiken actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Aiken for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. Free to start, no card.
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