HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Dawson County, Texas (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Dawson County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $1,080 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Dawson keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,080
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$972 to $1,188
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$43,200
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Texas
115th of 254
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Dawson moves to $1,212. That's up 12%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Dawson actually rent for?
Search any address in Dawson 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 | $818 | $736 to $900 | $32,720 | $15.73/hr | +14.7% |
| 1 bedroom | $823 | $741 to $905 | $32,920 | $15.83/hr | +14.6% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,080 | $972 to $1,188 | $43,200 | $20.77/hr | +14.6% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,295 | $1,166 to $1,425 | $51,800 | $24.90/hr | +14.1% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,589 | $1,430 to $1,748 | $63,560 | $30.56/hr | +27.2% |
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 | $1,827 | $1,644 to $2,010 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,066 | $1,859 to $2,273 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,304 | $2,074 to $2,534 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,542 | $2,288 to $2,796 |
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 Dawson, that runs from $818 for a studio up to $1,589 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Dawson 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, Lamesa included.
Among Texas's 254 counties, Dawson ranks 115th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 2% above the state median of $1,054 and about 6% above the national median county at $1,018. About 12,342 people live here, 151st in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,070 in 79377 (Welch) and $1,690 in 79331 (Lamesa), with the 3 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 Dawson somewhere between $972 and $1,188. 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.
$1,080 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $43,200 a year. Put another way, $21 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% ($972) | HAP at 100% ($1,080) | HAP at 110% ($1,188) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $222 | $330 | $438 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 15% from FY 2025 ($942) to FY 2026 ($1,080). Since FY 2020 it's up 51% in total, about 7.1% a year. The Texas median moved up 7% over the same year.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $529 | $627 | $714 | $1,009 | $1,013 | — |
| FY 2021 | $538 | $644 | $734 | $992 | $995 | +2.8% |
| FY 2022 | $560 | $664 | $757 | $1,023 | $1,027 | +3.1% |
| FY 2023 | $623 | $706 | $826 | $1,105 | $1,110 | +9.1% |
| FY 2024 | $707 | $708 | $908 | $1,156 | $1,209 | +9.9% |
| FY 2025 | $713 | $718 | $942 | $1,135 | $1,249 | +3.7% |
| FY 2026 | $818 | $823 | $1,080 | $1,295 | $1,589 | +14.6% |
| FY 2027 | $921 | $926 | $1,212 | $1,444 | $1,746 | +12.2% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$1,080 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $818 for a studio, $823 for one bedroom, $1,295 for three and $1,589 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 Dawson actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Dawson for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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