HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Ward County, Texas (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Ward County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $1,215 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Ward keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,215
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,094 to $1,337
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$48,600
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Texas
57th of 254
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Ward moves to $1,406. That's up 16%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Ward actually rent for?
Search any address in Ward 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 | $945 | $851 to $1,040 | $37,800 | $18.17/hr | +13.2% |
| 1 bedroom | $963 | $867 to $1,059 | $38,520 | $18.52/hr | +0.2% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,215 | $1,094 to $1,337 | $48,600 | $23.37/hr | +14.2% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,576 | $1,418 to $1,734 | $63,040 | $30.31/hr | +14.5% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,788 | $1,609 to $1,967 | $71,520 | $34.38/hr | +12.4% |
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 | $2,056 | $1,850 to $2,262 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,324 | $2,092 to $2,556 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,593 | $2,334 to $2,852 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,861 | $2,575 to $3,147 |
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 Ward, that runs from $945 for a studio up to $1,788 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Ward 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, Barstow included.
Among Texas's 254 counties, Ward ranks 57th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 15% above the state median of $1,054 and about 19% above the national median county at $1,018. About 11,347 people live here, 159th 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 79742 (Grandfalls) and $1,260 in 79756 (Monahans), 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 Ward somewhere between $1,094 and $1,337. 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.
$1,215 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $48,600 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% ($1,094) | HAP at 100% ($1,215) | HAP at 110% ($1,337) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $344 | $465 | $587 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $15 | $137 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 14% from FY 2025 ($1,064) to FY 2026 ($1,215). Since FY 2020 it's up 65% in total, about 8.7% 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 | $547 | $567 | $737 | $966 | $1,108 | — |
| FY 2021 | $615 | $636 | $838 | $1,095 | $1,239 | +13.7% |
| FY 2022 | $705 | $724 | $953 | $1,181 | $1,391 | +13.7% |
| FY 2023 | $775 | $865 | $1,028 | $1,251 | $1,512 | +7.9% |
| FY 2024 | $831 | $950 | $1,067 | $1,410 | $1,586 | +3.8% |
| FY 2025 | $835 | $961 | $1,064 | $1,377 | $1,591 | -0.3% |
| FY 2026 | $945 | $963 | $1,215 | $1,576 | $1,788 | +14.2% |
| FY 2027 | $1,069 | $1,075 | $1,406 | $1,675 | $2,025 | +15.7% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$1,215 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $945 for a studio, $963 for one bedroom, $1,576 for three and $1,788 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 Ward actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Ward for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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