HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Live Oak County, Texas (FY 2026)
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Live Oak County is $1,033 a month. That's the number the housing authority starts from when it sets Section 8 payment standards here.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,033
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$930 to $1,136
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$41,320
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Texas
138th of 254
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Live Oak moves to $1,115. That's up 8%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Live Oak actually rent for?
Search any address in Live Oak 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 | $782 | $704 to $860 | $31,280 | $15.04/hr | +10.6% |
| 1 bedroom | $787 | $708 to $866 | $31,480 | $15.13/hr | +10.7% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,033 | $930 to $1,136 | $41,320 | $19.87/hr | +10.7% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,314 | $1,183 to $1,445 | $52,560 | $25.27/hr | +2.1% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,547 | $1,392 to $1,702 | $61,880 | $29.75/hr | +10.9% |
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 | $1,779 | $1,601 to $1,957 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,011 | $1,810 to $2,212 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,243 | $2,019 to $2,467 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,475 | $2,228 to $2,723 |
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 Live Oak, that runs from $782 for a studio up to $1,547 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Live Oak 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, George West included.
Among Texas's 254 counties, Live Oak ranks 138th for two-bedroom FMR. That's within a couple percent of the state median of $1,054 and within a couple percent of the national median county at $1,018. About 11,374 people live here, 158th 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 78071 (Three Rivers) and $1,050 in 78022 (George West), 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 Live Oak somewhere between $930 and $1,136. 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.
$1,033 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $41,320 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% ($930) | HAP at 100% ($1,033) | HAP at 110% ($1,136) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $180 | $283 | $386 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 11% from FY 2025 ($933) to FY 2026 ($1,033). Since FY 2020 it's up 45% in total, about 6.3% 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 | $539 | $542 | $714 | $1,030 | $1,254 | — |
| FY 2021 | $538 | $557 | $734 | $1,050 | $1,129 | +2.8% |
| FY 2022 | $578 | $594 | $781 | $1,109 | $1,140 | +6.4% |
| FY 2023 | $627 | $632 | $832 | $1,182 | $1,224 | +6.5% |
| FY 2024 | $707 | $712 | $935 | $1,318 | $1,390 | +12.4% |
| FY 2025 | $707 | $711 | $933 | $1,287 | $1,395 | -0.2% |
| FY 2026 | $782 | $787 | $1,033 | $1,314 | $1,547 | +10.7% |
| FY 2027 | $848 | $852 | $1,115 | $1,329 | $1,639 | +7.9% |
Nearby counties
Bee County
$1,18519 mi · pop 30,977
McMullen County
$1,01520 mi · pop 670
Karnes County
$1,27039 mi · pop 14,805
Atascosa County
$1,09843 mi · pop 49,403
Goliad County
$1,44247 mi · pop 7,092
Jim Wells County
$97347 mi · pop 39,060
San Patricio County
$1,36654 mi · pop 68,942
Wilson County
$1,42656 mi · pop 50,381
Questions people ask
$1,033 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $782 for a studio, $787 for one bedroom, $1,314 for three and $1,547 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 Live Oak actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Live Oak for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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