HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in McCulloch County, Texas (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in McCulloch County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $1,045 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in McCulloch keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,045
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$941 to $1,150
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$41,800
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Texas
132nd of 254
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in McCulloch moves to $1,067. That's up 2%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in McCulloch actually rent for?
Search any address in McCulloch 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 | $812 | $731 to $893 | $32,480 | $15.62/hr | +6.1% |
| 1 bedroom | $863 | $777 to $949 | $34,520 | $16.60/hr | +7.2% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,045 | $941 to $1,150 | $41,800 | $20.10/hr | +7.2% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,360 | $1,224 to $1,496 | $54,400 | $26.15/hr | +15.7% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,538 | $1,384 to $1,692 | $61,520 | $29.58/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 | $1,769 | $1,592 to $1,946 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,999 | $1,799 to $2,199 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,230 | $2,007 to $2,453 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,461 | $2,215 to $2,707 |
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 McCulloch, that runs from $812 for a studio up to $1,538 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because McCulloch 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, Brady included.
Among Texas's 254 counties, McCulloch ranks 132nd for two-bedroom FMR. That's within a couple percent of the state median of $1,054 and about 3% above the national median county at $1,018. About 7,638 people live here, 179th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,040 in 76825 (Brady) and $1,090 in 76858 (Melvin), with the 6 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 McCulloch somewhere between $941 and $1,150. 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.
$1,045 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $41,800 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% ($941) | HAP at 100% ($1,045) | HAP at 110% ($1,150) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $191 | $295 | $400 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 7% from FY 2025 ($975) to FY 2026 ($1,045). Since FY 2020 it's up 35% in total, about 5.1% 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 | $575 | $588 | $775 | $966 | $1,165 | — |
| FY 2021 | $623 | $644 | $849 | $1,056 | $1,255 | +9.5% |
| FY 2022 | $658 | $676 | $890 | $1,100 | $1,299 | +4.8% |
| FY 2023 | $707 | $747 | $938 | $1,142 | $1,380 | +5.4% |
| FY 2024 | $807 | $835 | $1,037 | $1,254 | $1,541 | +10.6% |
| FY 2025 | $765 | $805 | $975 | $1,175 | $1,458 | -6.0% |
| FY 2026 | $812 | $863 | $1,045 | $1,360 | $1,538 | +7.2% |
| FY 2027 | $811 | $816 | $1,067 | $1,271 | $1,537 | +2.1% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$1,045 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $812 for a studio, $863 for one bedroom, $1,360 for three and $1,538 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 McCulloch actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in McCulloch for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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