HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Matagorda County, Texas (FY 2026)
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Matagorda County is $1,173 a month. That's the number the housing authority starts from when it sets Section 8 payment standards here.
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
74th of 254
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Matagorda moves to $1,226. That's up 5%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Matagorda actually rent for?
Search any address in Matagorda 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 | $912 | $821 to $1,003 | $36,480 | $17.54/hr | +5.7% |
| 1 bedroom | $960 | $864 to $1,056 | $38,400 | $18.46/hr | +10.7% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,173 | $1,056 to $1,290 | $46,920 | $22.56/hr | +6.6% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,498 | $1,348 to $1,648 | $59,920 | $28.81/hr | +9.2% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,911 | $1,720 to $2,102 | $76,440 | $36.75/hr | +5.5% |
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 | $2,198 | $1,978 to $2,418 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,484 | $2,236 to $2,732 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,771 | $2,494 to $3,048 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $3,058 | $2,752 to $3,364 |
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 Matagorda, that runs from $912 for a studio up to $1,911 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Matagorda 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, Bay City included.
Among Texas's 254 counties, Matagorda ranks 74th 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 36,251 people live here, 84th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,100 in 77482 (Van Vleck) and $1,190 in 77414 (Bay City), with the 13 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.
| ZIP | City | 2BR rate | vs county |
|---|---|---|---|
| 77404 | Bay City | $1,170 | -0.3% |
| 77414 | Bay City | $1,190 | +1.4% |
| 77415 | Cedar Lane | $1,190 | +1.4% |
| 77419 | Blessing | $1,120 | -4.5% |
| 77428 | Collegeport | $1,110 | -5.4% |
| 77440 | Elmaton | $1,140 | -2.8% |
| 77456 | Markham | $1,190 | +1.4% |
| 77457 | Matagorda | $1,190 | +1.4% |
| 77458 | Midfield | $1,170 | -0.3% |
| 77465 | Palacios | $1,110 | -5.4% |
| 77468 | Pledger | $1,170 | -0.3% |
| 77482 | Van Vleck | $1,100 | -6.2% |
| 77483 | Wadsworth | $1,190 | +1.4% |
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 Matagorda 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 7% from FY 2025 ($1,100) to FY 2026 ($1,173). Since FY 2020 it's up 58% in total, about 7.9% 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 | $605 | $609 | $742 | $933 | $1,298 | — |
| FY 2021 | $623 | $627 | $808 | $1,064 | $1,399 | +8.9% |
| FY 2022 | $670 | $675 | $888 | $1,229 | $1,520 | +9.9% |
| FY 2023 | $760 | $765 | $1,007 | $1,328 | $1,715 | +13.4% |
| FY 2024 | $868 | $874 | $1,148 | $1,484 | $1,948 | +14.0% |
| FY 2025 | $863 | $867 | $1,100 | $1,372 | $1,812 | -4.2% |
| FY 2026 | $912 | $960 | $1,173 | $1,498 | $1,911 | +6.6% |
| FY 2027 | $1,021 | $1,027 | $1,226 | $1,569 | $1,968 | +4.5% |
Nearby counties
Wharton County
$1,10029 mi · pop 41,614
Jackson County
$1,05730 mi · pop 15,010
Calhoun County
$97341 mi · pop 20,127
Brazoria County
$1,35942 mi · pop 374,600
Fort Bend County
$1,57350 mi · pop 832,607
Victoria County
$1,44257 mi · pop 91,209
Colorado County
$1,14758 mi · pop 20,582
Austin County
$1,09570 mi · pop 30,406
Questions people ask
$1,173 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $912 for a studio, $960 for one bedroom, $1,498 for three and $1,911 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 Matagorda actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Matagorda for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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