HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Polk County, Texas (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Polk County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $1,122 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Polk keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,122
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,010 to $1,234
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$44,880
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Texas
89th of 254
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Polk moves to $1,227. That's up 9%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Polk actually rent for?
Search any address in Polk 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 | $849 | $764 to $934 | $33,960 | $16.33/hr | +10.1% |
| 1 bedroom | $855 | $770 to $941 | $34,200 | $16.44/hr | +8.2% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,122 | $1,010 to $1,234 | $44,880 | $21.58/hr | +14.1% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,345 | $1,211 to $1,480 | $53,800 | $25.87/hr | +13.3% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,651 | $1,486 to $1,816 | $66,040 | $31.75/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 | $1,899 | $1,709 to $2,089 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,146 | $1,931 to $2,361 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,394 | $2,155 to $2,633 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,642 | $2,378 to $2,906 |
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 Polk, that runs from $849 for a studio up to $1,651 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Polk 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, Livingston included.
Among Texas's 254 counties, Polk ranks 89th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 6% above the state median of $1,054 and about 10% above the national median county at $1,018. About 50,536 people live here, 67th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $970 in 75939 (Corrigan) and $1,260 in 77335 (Goodrich), with the 9 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 Polk somewhere between $1,010 and $1,234. 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.
$1,122 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $44,880 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% ($1,010) | HAP at 100% ($1,122) | HAP at 110% ($1,234) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $260 | $372 | $484 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $34 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 14% from FY 2025 ($983) to FY 2026 ($1,122). Since FY 2020 it's up 53% in total, about 7.4% 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 | $516 | $577 | $732 | $1,000 | $1,062 | — |
| FY 2021 | $536 | $656 | $757 | $1,065 | $1,098 | +3.4% |
| FY 2022 | $556 | $692 | $788 | $1,119 | $1,148 | +4.1% |
| FY 2023 | $653 | $763 | $862 | $1,183 | $1,249 | +9.4% |
| FY 2024 | $775 | $877 | $995 | $1,274 | $1,425 | +15.4% |
| FY 2025 | $771 | $790 | $983 | $1,187 | $1,470 | -1.2% |
| FY 2026 | $849 | $855 | $1,122 | $1,345 | $1,651 | +14.1% |
| FY 2027 | $933 | $938 | $1,227 | $1,462 | $1,767 | +9.4% |
Nearby counties
San Jacinto County
$1,14920 mi · pop 27,666
Trinity County
$1,01028 mi · pop 13,735
Tyler County
$1,04029 mi · pop 19,962
Angelina County
$1,02137 mi · pop 86,608
Hardin County
$1,10340 mi · pop 56,576
Liberty County
$1,57340 mi · pop 93,523
Walker County
$1,21040 mi · pop 77,182
Houston County
$97848 mi · pop 22,107
Questions people ask
$1,122 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $849 for a studio, $855 for one bedroom, $1,345 for three and $1,651 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 Polk actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Polk for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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