HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Chittenden County, Vermont (FY 2026)
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Chittenden County is $2,140 a month. That's the number the housing authority starts from when it sets Section 8 payment standards here.
2 bedroom FMR
$2,140
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,926 to $2,354
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$85,600
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Vermont
1st of 14
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Chittenden moves to $2,165. That's up 1%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Chittenden actually rent for?
Search any address in Chittenden 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 | $1,497 | $1,347 to $1,647 | $59,880 | $28.79/hr | +8.5% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,651 | $1,486 to $1,816 | $66,040 | $31.75/hr | +11.9% |
| 2 bedroom | $2,140 | $1,926 to $2,354 | $85,600 | $41.15/hr | +10.5% |
| 3 bedroom | $2,745 | $2,471 to $3,020 | $109,800 | $52.79/hr | +10.2% |
| 4 bedroom | $2,833 | $2,550 to $3,116 | $113,320 | $54.48/hr | +10.4% |
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 | $3,258 | $2,932 to $3,584 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $3,683 | $3,315 to $4,051 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $4,108 | $3,697 to $4,519 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $4,533 | $4,080 to $4,986 |
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 Chittenden, that runs from $1,497 for a studio up to $2,833 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
This is a metro rate. The county doesn't get one of its own. HUD lumps Chittenden in with 2 other counties in the Burlington-South Burlington metro, Franklin County, Grand Isle County among them, and every one of them gets $2,140 for a two-bedroom. Where you are inside the metro doesn't change the county number. It does change the ZIP number, covered below.
Among Vermont's 14 counties, Chittenden ranks 1st for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 57% above the state median of $1,362 and about 110% above the national median county at $1,018. About 168,831 people live here, 1st in the state.
Rates by town
Vermont publishes Fair Market Rents town by town instead of by county. All 19 towns in Chittenden County share the same rate for FY 2026, so the county number is the town number wherever you are.
| Town | Population | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burlington city | 44,649 | $1,497 | $1,651 | $2,140 | $2,745 | $2,833 |
| South Burlington city | 20,488 | $1,497 | $1,651 | $2,140 | $2,745 | $2,833 |
| Colchester town | 17,570 | $1,497 | $1,651 | $2,140 | $2,745 | $2,833 |
| Essex town | 11,486 | $1,497 | $1,651 | $2,140 | $2,745 | $2,833 |
| Milton town | 10,723 | $1,497 | $1,651 | $2,140 | $2,745 | $2,833 |
| Essex Junction city | 10,720 | $1,497 | $1,651 | $2,140 | $2,745 | $2,833 |
| Williston town | 10,098 | $1,497 | $1,651 | $2,140 | $2,745 | $2,833 |
| Winooski city | 8,198 | $1,497 | $1,651 | $2,140 | $2,745 | $2,833 |
| Shelburne town | 7,807 | $1,497 | $1,651 | $2,140 | $2,745 | $2,833 |
| Jericho town | 5,097 | $1,497 | $1,651 | $2,140 | $2,745 | $2,833 |
| Hinesburg town | 4,687 | $1,497 | $1,651 | $2,140 | $2,745 | $2,833 |
| Richmond town | 4,148 | $1,497 | $1,651 | $2,140 | $2,745 | $2,833 |
| Charlotte town | 3,905 | $1,497 | $1,651 | $2,140 | $2,745 | $2,833 |
| Underhill town | 3,144 | $1,497 | $1,651 | $2,140 | $2,745 | $2,833 |
| Westford town | 2,364 | $1,497 | $1,651 | $2,140 | $2,745 | $2,833 |
| Huntington town | 1,827 | $1,497 | $1,651 | $2,140 | $2,745 | $2,833 |
| Bolton town | 1,023 | $1,497 | $1,651 | $2,140 | $2,745 | $2,833 |
| St. George town | 886 | $1,497 | $1,651 | $2,140 | $2,745 | $2,833 |
| Buels gore | 11 | $1,497 | $1,651 | $2,140 | $2,745 | $2,833 |
Counties sharing the Burlington-South Burlington metro rate
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,790 in 05494 (Westford) and $2,450 in 05495 (Williston), with the 25 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.
| ZIP | City | 2BR rate | vs county |
|---|---|---|---|
| 05401 | Burlington | $2,340 | +9.3% |
| 05402 | Burlington | $2,210 | +3.3% |
| 05403 | South Burlington | $2,410 | +12.6% |
| 05404 | Winooski | $2,330 | +8.9% |
| 05405 | Burlington | $2,340 | +9.3% |
| 05406 | Burlington | $2,210 | +3.3% |
| 05407 | South Burlington | $2,210 | +3.3% |
| 05408 | Burlington | $2,220 | +3.7% |
| 05439 | Colchester | $2,030 | -5.1% |
| 05445 | Charlotte | $1,820 | -15.0% |
| 05446 | Colchester | $1,930 | -9.8% |
| 05449 | Colchester | $2,210 | +3.3% |
| 05451 | Essex | $2,210 | +3.3% |
| 05452 | Essex Junction | $2,070 | -3.3% |
| 05453 | Essex Junction | $2,210 | +3.3% |
| 05461 | Hinesburg | $2,140 | 0.0% |
| 05462 | Huntington | $1,890 | -11.7% |
| 05465 | Jericho | $1,830 | -14.5% |
| 05466 | Jonesville | $2,140County rate | — |
| 05468 | Milton | $2,180 | +1.9% |
| 05477 | Richmond | $2,240 | +4.7% |
| 05482 | Shelburne | $1,960 | -8.4% |
| 05489 | Underhill | $1,930 | -9.8% |
| 05490 | Underhill Center | $2,210 | +3.3% |
| 05494 | Westford | $1,790 | -16.4% |
| 05495 | Williston | $2,450 | +14.5% |
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 Chittenden somewhere between $1,926 and $2,354. 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.
$2,140 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $85,600 a year. Put another way, $41 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% ($1,926) | HAP at 100% ($2,140) | HAP at 110% ($2,354) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $1,176 | $1,390 | $1,604 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $726 | $940 | $1,154 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 11% from FY 2025 ($1,936) to FY 2026 ($2,140). Since FY 2020 it's up 36% in total, about 5.3% a year. The Vermont median moved up 6% over the same year.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $1,030 | $1,223 | $1,573 | $1,974 | $2,131 | — |
| FY 2021 | $1,091 | $1,265 | $1,628 | $2,025 | $2,208 | +3.5% |
| FY 2022 | $1,033 | $1,163 | $1,500 | $1,854 | $2,034 | -7.9% |
| FY 2023 | $1,139 | $1,238 | $1,615 | $1,982 | $2,170 | +7.7% |
| FY 2024 | $1,341 | $1,441 | $1,887 | $2,390 | $2,513 | +16.8% |
| FY 2025 | $1,380 | $1,476 | $1,936 | $2,491 | $2,567 | +2.6% |
| FY 2026 | $1,497 | $1,651 | $2,140 | $2,745 | $2,833 | +10.5% |
| FY 2027 | $1,550 | $1,719 | $2,165 | $2,733 | $2,845 | +1.2% |
Nearby counties
Grand Isle County
$2,14020 mi · pop 7,393
Lamoille County
$1,34524 mi · pop 26,036
Addison County
$1,43829 mi · pop 37,497
Franklin County
$2,14029 mi · pop 50,379
Washington County
$1,48229 mi · pop 59,958
Orleans County
$1,18448 mi · pop 27,492
Caledonia County
$1,15950 mi · pop 30,425
Orange County
$1,36251 mi · pop 29,594
Questions people ask
$2,140 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $1,497 for a studio, $1,651 for one bedroom, $2,745 for three and $2,833 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 Chittenden actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Chittenden for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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