HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Refugio County, Texas (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Refugio County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $973 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Refugio keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$973
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$876 to $1,070
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$38,920
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Texas
241st of 254
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Refugio moves to $1,014. That's up 4%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Refugio actually rent for?
Search any address in Refugio 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 | $756 | $680 to $832 | $30,240 | $14.54/hr | +6.9% |
| 1 bedroom | $778 | $700 to $856 | $31,120 | $14.96/hr | +9.4% |
| 2 bedroom | $973 | $876 to $1,070 | $38,920 | $18.71/hr | +4.3% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,353 | $1,218 to $1,488 | $54,120 | $26.02/hr | +4.2% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,432 | $1,289 to $1,575 | $57,280 | $27.54/hr | +2.7% |
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 | $1,647 | $1,482 to $1,812 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,862 | $1,676 to $2,048 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,076 | $1,868 to $2,284 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,291 | $2,062 to $2,520 |
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 Refugio, that runs from $756 for a studio up to $1,432 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Refugio 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, Austwell included.
Among Texas's 254 counties, Refugio ranks 241st for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 8% below the state median of $1,054 and about 4% below the national median county at $1,018. About 6,718 people live here, 190th 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 78377 (Refugio) and $1,460 in 78340 (Bayside), 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 Refugio somewhere between $876 and $1,070. 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.
$973 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $38,920 a year. Put another way, $19 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% ($876) | HAP at 100% ($973) | HAP at 110% ($1,070) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $126 | $223 | $320 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 4% from FY 2025 ($933) to FY 2026 ($973). Since FY 2020 it's up 33% in total, about 4.9% 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 | $543 | $643 | $732 | $918 | $1,101 | — |
| FY 2021 | $555 | $664 | $757 | $942 | $1,199 | +3.4% |
| FY 2022 | $575 | $681 | $777 | $960 | $1,230 | +2.6% |
| FY 2023 | $634 | $713 | $841 | $1,024 | $1,315 | +8.2% |
| FY 2024 | $705 | $754 | $906 | $1,188 | $1,346 | +7.7% |
| FY 2025 | $707 | $711 | $933 | $1,299 | $1,395 | +3.0% |
| FY 2026 | $756 | $778 | $973 | $1,353 | $1,432 | +4.3% |
| FY 2027 | $771 | $807 | $1,014 | $1,404 | $1,461 | +4.2% |
Nearby counties
Aransas County
$1,40718 mi · pop 24,048
San Patricio County
$1,36630 mi · pop 68,942
Goliad County
$1,44233 mi · pop 7,092
Victoria County
$1,44235 mi · pop 91,209
Calhoun County
$97336 mi · pop 20,127
Bee County
$1,18544 mi · pop 30,977
Nueces County
$1,36644 mi · pop 353,245
Jackson County
$1,05752 mi · pop 15,010
Questions people ask
$973 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $756 for a studio, $778 for one bedroom, $1,353 for three and $1,432 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 Refugio actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Refugio for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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