HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Lee County, Texas (FY 2026)
$1,141 a month. That's HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Lee County, and it's the baseline every voucher in Lee is measured against.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,141
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,027 to $1,255
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$45,640
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Texas
82nd of 254
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Lee moves to $1,155. That's up 1%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Lee actually rent for?
Search any address in Lee 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 | $887 | $798 to $976 | $35,480 | $17.06/hr | +0.5% |
| 1 bedroom | $912 | $821 to $1,003 | $36,480 | $17.54/hr | +0.6% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,141 | $1,027 to $1,255 | $45,640 | $21.94/hr | +1.3% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,430 | $1,287 to $1,573 | $57,200 | $27.50/hr | +3.5% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,540 | $1,386 to $1,694 | $61,600 | $29.62/hr | +3.1% |
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 | $1,771 | $1,594 to $1,948 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,002 | $1,802 to $2,202 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,233 | $2,010 to $2,456 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,464 | $2,218 to $2,710 |
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 Lee, that runs from $887 for a studio up to $1,540 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Lee 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, Dime Box included.
Among Texas's 254 counties, Lee ranks 82nd for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 8% above the state median of $1,054 and about 12% above the national median county at $1,018. About 17,543 people live here, 133rd 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 77853 (Dime Box) and $1,760 in 78942 (Giddings), with the 4 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 Lee somewhere between $1,027 and $1,255. 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.
$1,141 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $45,640 a year. Put another way, $22 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% ($1,027) | HAP at 100% ($1,141) | HAP at 110% ($1,255) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $277 | $391 | $505 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $55 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 1% from FY 2025 ($1,126) to FY 2026 ($1,141). Since FY 2020 it's up 38% in total, about 5.5% 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 | $604 | $725 | $827 | $1,091 | $1,244 | — |
| FY 2021 | $665 | $782 | $911 | $1,133 | $1,347 | +10.2% |
| FY 2022 | $729 | $828 | $985 | $1,218 | $1,438 | +8.1% |
| FY 2023 | $814 | $896 | $1,079 | $1,313 | $1,587 | +9.5% |
| FY 2024 | $935 | $1,002 | $1,201 | $1,452 | $1,599 | +11.3% |
| FY 2025 | $883 | $907 | $1,126 | $1,381 | $1,493 | -6.2% |
| FY 2026 | $887 | $912 | $1,141 | $1,430 | $1,540 | +1.3% |
| FY 2027 | $878 | $919 | $1,155 | $1,594 | $1,656 | +1.2% |
Nearby counties
Burleson County
$1,18621 mi · pop 17,958
Bastrop County
$1,85225 mi · pop 98,435
Fayette County
$1,01926 mi · pop 24,564
Milam County
$1,03732 mi · pop 25,080
Washington County
$1,30935 mi · pop 35,807
Brazos County
$1,18643 mi · pop 234,548
Williamson County
$1,85247 mi · pop 617,396
Austin County
$1,09549 mi · pop 30,406
Questions people ask
$1,141 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $887 for a studio, $912 for one bedroom, $1,430 for three and $1,540 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 Lee actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Lee for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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