HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Howard County, Texas (FY 2026)
$1,173 a month. That's HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Howard County, and it's the baseline every voucher in Howard is measured against.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,173
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,056 to $1,290
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$46,920
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Texas
73rd of 254
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Howard moves to $1,217. That's up 4%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Howard actually rent for?
Search any address in Howard 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 | $918 | $826 to $1,010 | $36,720 | $17.65/hr | +5.2% |
| 1 bedroom | $924 | $832 to $1,016 | $36,960 | $17.77/hr | +5.1% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,173 | $1,056 to $1,290 | $46,920 | $22.56/hr | +4.1% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,406 | $1,265 to $1,547 | $56,240 | $27.04/hr | +3.5% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,726 | $1,553 to $1,899 | $69,040 | $33.19/hr | +2.4% |
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 | $1,985 | $1,787 to $2,184 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,244 | $2,020 to $2,468 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,503 | $2,253 to $2,753 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,762 | $2,486 to $3,038 |
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 Howard, that runs from $918 for a studio up to $1,726 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Howard 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, Big Spring included.
Among Texas's 254 counties, Howard ranks 73rd for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 11% above the state median of $1,054 and about 15% above the national median county at $1,018. About 34,488 people live here, 88th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,170 in 79721 (Big Spring) and $1,690 in 79720 (Big Spring), with the 5 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 Howard somewhere between $1,056 and $1,290. 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.
$1,173 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $46,920 a year. Put another way, $23 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% ($1,056) | HAP at 100% ($1,173) | HAP at 110% ($1,290) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $306 | $423 | $540 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $90 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 4% from FY 2025 ($1,127) to FY 2026 ($1,173). Since FY 2020 it's up 31% in total, about 4.6% 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 | $663 | $755 | $894 | $1,114 | $1,211 | — |
| FY 2021 | $707 | $846 | $964 | $1,199 | $1,347 | +7.8% |
| FY 2022 | $675 | $851 | $1,006 | $1,244 | $1,587 | +4.4% |
| FY 2023 | $755 | $883 | $1,074 | $1,307 | $1,829 | +6.8% |
| FY 2024 | $942 | $959 | $1,189 | $1,438 | $1,767 | +10.7% |
| FY 2025 | $873 | $879 | $1,127 | $1,358 | $1,685 | -5.2% |
| FY 2026 | $918 | $924 | $1,173 | $1,406 | $1,726 | +4.1% |
| FY 2027 | $948 | $954 | $1,217 | $1,492 | $1,812 | +3.8% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$1,173 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $918 for a studio, $924 for one bedroom, $1,406 for three and $1,726 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 Howard actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Howard for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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