HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Putnam County, Tennessee (FY 2026)
$1,014 a month. That's HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Putnam County, and it's the baseline every voucher in Putnam is measured against.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,014
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$913 to $1,115
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$40,560
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Tennessee
41st of 95
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Putnam moves to $1,102. 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 Putnam actually rent for?
Search any address in Putnam 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 | $752 | $677 to $827 | $30,080 | $14.46/hr | -3.2% |
| 1 bedroom | $818 | $736 to $900 | $32,720 | $15.73/hr | +1.0% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,014 | $913 to $1,115 | $40,560 | $19.50/hr | -1.3% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,409 | $1,268 to $1,550 | $56,360 | $27.10/hr | +0.4% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,557 | $1,401 to $1,713 | $62,280 | $29.94/hr | -3.6% |
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 | $1,791 | $1,612 to $1,970 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,024 | $1,822 to $2,226 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,258 | $2,032 to $2,484 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,491 | $2,242 to $2,740 |
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 Putnam, that runs from $752 for a studio up to $1,557 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Putnam 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, Cookeville included.
Among Tennessee's 95 counties, Putnam ranks 41st for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 4% above the state median of $975 and within a couple percent of the national median county at $1,018. About 80,157 people live here, 17th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $930 in 38545 (Bloomington Springs) and $1,150 in 38506 (Cookeville), with the 10 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 Putnam somewhere between $913 and $1,115. 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.
$1,014 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $40,560 a year. Put another way, $20 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% ($913) | HAP at 100% ($1,014) | HAP at 110% ($1,115) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $163 | $264 | $365 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went down 1% from FY 2025 ($1,027) to FY 2026 ($1,014). Since FY 2020 it's up 43% in total, about 6.1% a year. The Tennessee median moved up 3% over the same year.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $552 | $556 | $710 | $985 | $1,041 | — |
| FY 2021 | $548 | $552 | $717 | $987 | $1,092 | +1.0% |
| FY 2022 | $572 | $576 | $758 | $1,035 | $1,185 | +5.7% |
| FY 2023 | $637 | $641 | $844 | $1,154 | $1,321 | +11.3% |
| FY 2024 | $760 | $764 | $991 | $1,368 | $1,578 | +17.4% |
| FY 2025 | $777 | $810 | $1,027 | $1,403 | $1,615 | +3.6% |
| FY 2026 | $752 | $818 | $1,014 | $1,409 | $1,557 | -1.3% |
| FY 2027 | $799 | $887 | $1,102 | $1,502 | $1,564 | +8.7% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$1,014 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $752 for a studio, $818 for one bedroom, $1,409 for three and $1,557 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 Putnam actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Putnam for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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