HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Karnes County, Texas (FY 2026)
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Karnes County is $1,270 a month. That's the number the housing authority starts from when it sets Section 8 payment standards here.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,270
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,143 to $1,397
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$50,800
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Texas
49th of 254
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Karnes moves to $1,143. That's down 10%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Karnes actually rent for?
Search any address in Karnes 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 | $876 | $788 to $964 | $35,040 | $16.85/hr | +13.2% |
| 1 bedroom | $968 | $871 to $1,065 | $38,720 | $18.62/hr | +12.4% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,270 | $1,143 to $1,397 | $50,800 | $24.42/hr | +12.5% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,523 | $1,371 to $1,675 | $60,920 | $29.29/hr | +8.8% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,869 | $1,682 to $2,056 | $74,760 | $35.94/hr | +12.3% |
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 | $2,149 | $1,934 to $2,364 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,430 | $2,187 to $2,673 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,710 | $2,439 to $2,981 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,990 | $2,691 to $3,289 |
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 Karnes, that runs from $876 for a studio up to $1,869 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Karnes 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, Ecleto included.
Among Texas's 254 counties, Karnes ranks 49th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 20% above the state median of $1,054 and about 25% above the national median county at $1,018. About 14,805 people live here, 140th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,020 in 78151 (Runge) and $1,350 in 78119 (Kenedy), with the 8 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 Karnes somewhere between $1,143 and $1,397. 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.
$1,270 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $50,800 a year. Put another way, $24 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% ($1,143) | HAP at 100% ($1,270) | HAP at 110% ($1,397) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $393 | $520 | $647 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $70 | $197 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 12% from FY 2025 ($1,129) to FY 2026 ($1,270). Since FY 2020 it's up 62% in total, about 8.4% 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 | $511 | $595 | $784 | $977 | $1,179 | — |
| FY 2021 | $532 | $640 | $806 | $1,003 | $1,192 | +2.8% |
| FY 2022 | $559 | $633 | $799 | $1,084 | $1,167 | -0.9% |
| FY 2023 | $647 | $778 | $879 | $1,234 | $1,340 | +10.0% |
| FY 2024 | $811 | $954 | $1,074 | $1,429 | $1,638 | +22.2% |
| FY 2025 | $774 | $861 | $1,129 | $1,400 | $1,664 | +5.1% |
| FY 2026 | $876 | $968 | $1,270 | $1,523 | $1,869 | +12.5% |
| FY 2027 | $819 | $872 | $1,143 | $1,393 | $1,683 | -10.0% |
Nearby counties
Wilson County
$1,42622 mi · pop 50,381
DeWitt County
$1,14131 mi · pop 19,826
Goliad County
$1,44232 mi · pop 7,092
Bee County
$1,18534 mi · pop 30,977
Atascosa County
$1,09839 mi · pop 49,403
Live Oak County
$1,03339 mi · pop 11,374
Gonzales County
$97341 mi · pop 19,736
Guadalupe County
$1,42647 mi · pop 173,828
Questions people ask
$1,270 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $876 for a studio, $968 for one bedroom, $1,523 for three and $1,869 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 Karnes actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Karnes for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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