HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Washington County, Texas (FY 2026)
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Washington County is $1,309 a month. That's the number the housing authority starts from when it sets Section 8 payment standards here.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,309
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,178 to $1,440
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$52,360
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Texas
45th of 254
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Washington moves to $1,400. That's up 7%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Washington actually rent for?
Search any address in Washington 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 | $991 | $892 to $1,090 | $39,640 | $19.06/hr | +9.5% |
| 1 bedroom | $998 | $898 to $1,098 | $39,920 | $19.19/hr | +9.7% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,309 | $1,178 to $1,440 | $52,360 | $25.17/hr | +11.2% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,692 | $1,523 to $1,861 | $67,680 | $32.54/hr | +9.9% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,733 | $1,560 to $1,906 | $69,320 | $33.33/hr | +11.1% |
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 | $1,993 | $1,794 to $2,192 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,253 | $2,028 to $2,478 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,513 | $2,262 to $2,764 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,773 | $2,496 to $3,050 |
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 Washington, that runs from $991 for a studio up to $1,733 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Washington 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, Brenham included.
Among Texas's 254 counties, Washington ranks 45th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 24% above the state median of $1,054 and about 29% above the national median county at $1,018. About 35,807 people live here, 87th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,150 in 77880 (Washington) and $1,380 in 77835 (Burton), 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 Washington somewhere between $1,178 and $1,440. 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.
$1,309 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $52,360 a year. Put another way, $25 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% ($1,178) | HAP at 100% ($1,309) | HAP at 110% ($1,440) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $428 | $559 | $690 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $109 | $240 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 11% from FY 2025 ($1,177) to FY 2026 ($1,309). Since FY 2020 it's up 52% in total, about 7.2% 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 | $697 | $756 | $861 | $1,073 | $1,428 | — |
| FY 2021 | $718 | $767 | $891 | $1,123 | $1,428 | +3.5% |
| FY 2022 | $749 | $801 | $913 | $1,227 | $1,477 | +2.5% |
| FY 2023 | $817 | $850 | $971 | $1,341 | $1,480 | +6.4% |
| FY 2024 | $919 | $973 | $1,181 | $1,586 | $1,730 | +21.6% |
| FY 2025 | $905 | $910 | $1,177 | $1,540 | $1,560 | -0.3% |
| FY 2026 | $991 | $998 | $1,309 | $1,692 | $1,733 | +11.2% |
| FY 2027 | $1,064 | $1,070 | $1,400 | $1,685 | $1,883 | +7.0% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$1,309 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $991 for a studio, $998 for one bedroom, $1,692 for three and $1,733 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 Washington actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Washington for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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