HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Washington County, Vermont (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Washington County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $1,482 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Washington keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,482
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,334 to $1,630
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$59,280
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Vermont
4th of 14
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Washington moves to $1,783. That's up 20%. 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 | $1,122 | $1,010 to $1,234 | $44,880 | $21.58/hr | +4.4% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,129 | $1,016 to $1,242 | $45,160 | $21.71/hr | +4.3% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,482 | $1,334 to $1,630 | $59,280 | $28.50/hr | +4.4% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,824 | $1,642 to $2,006 | $72,960 | $35.08/hr | +3.5% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,962 | $1,766 to $2,158 | $78,480 | $37.73/hr | -0.8% |
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 | $2,256 | $2,030 to $2,482 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,551 | $2,296 to $2,806 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,845 | $2,561 to $3,130 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $3,139 | $2,825 to $3,453 |
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 $1,122 for a studio up to $1,962 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, Montpelier included.
Among Vermont's 14 counties, Washington ranks 4th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 9% above the state median of $1,362 and about 46% above the national median county at $1,018. About 59,958 people live here, 3rd in the state.
Rates by town
Vermont publishes Fair Market Rents town by town instead of by county. All 20 towns in Washington 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barre city | 8,461 | $1,122 | $1,129 | $1,482 | $1,824 | $1,962 |
| Montpelier city | 8,038 | $1,122 | $1,129 | $1,482 | $1,824 | $1,962 |
| Barre town | 7,974 | $1,122 | $1,129 | $1,482 | $1,824 | $1,962 |
| Northfield town | 5,932 | $1,122 | $1,129 | $1,482 | $1,824 | $1,962 |
| Waterbury town | 5,381 | $1,122 | $1,129 | $1,482 | $1,824 | $1,962 |
| Berlin town | 2,871 | $1,122 | $1,129 | $1,482 | $1,824 | $1,962 |
| East Montpelier town | 2,610 | $1,122 | $1,129 | $1,482 | $1,824 | $1,962 |
| Middlesex town | 2,011 | $1,122 | $1,129 | $1,482 | $1,824 | $1,962 |
| Waitsfield town | 1,825 | $1,122 | $1,129 | $1,482 | $1,824 | $1,962 |
| Calais town | 1,784 | $1,122 | $1,129 | $1,482 | $1,824 | $1,962 |
| Marshfield town | 1,775 | $1,122 | $1,129 | $1,482 | $1,824 | $1,962 |
| Warren town | 1,678 | $1,122 | $1,129 | $1,482 | $1,824 | $1,962 |
| Moretown town | 1,595 | $1,122 | $1,129 | $1,482 | $1,824 | $1,962 |
| Cabot town | 1,579 | $1,122 | $1,129 | $1,482 | $1,824 | $1,962 |
| Duxbury town | 1,469 | $1,122 | $1,129 | $1,482 | $1,824 | $1,962 |
| Fayston town | 1,263 | $1,122 | $1,129 | $1,482 | $1,824 | $1,962 |
| Plainfield town | 1,251 | $1,122 | $1,129 | $1,482 | $1,824 | $1,962 |
| Roxbury town | 956 | $1,122 | $1,129 | $1,482 | $1,824 | $1,962 |
| Worcester town | 911 | $1,122 | $1,129 | $1,482 | $1,824 | $1,962 |
| Woodbury town | 594 | $1,122 | $1,129 | $1,482 | $1,824 | $1,962 |
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,340 in 05651 (East Montpelier) and $2,220 in 05650 (East Calais), with the 28 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 05601 | Montpelier | $1,480 | -0.1% |
| 05602 | Montpelier | $1,570 | +5.9% |
| 05603 | Montpelier | $1,482County rate | — |
| 05604 | Montpelier | $1,482County rate | — |
| 05609 | Montpelier | $1,480 | -0.1% |
| 05620 | Montpelier | $1,480 | -0.1% |
| 05633 | Montpelier | $1,480 | -0.1% |
| 05640 | Adamant | $1,610 | +8.6% |
| 05641 | Barre | $1,400 | -5.5% |
| 05647 | Cabot | $1,480 | -0.1% |
| 05648 | Calais | $1,510 | +1.9% |
| 05649 | East Barre | $1,370 | -7.6% |
| 05650 | East Calais | $2,220 | +49.8% |
| 05651 | East Montpelier | $1,340 | -9.6% |
| 05654 | Graniteville | $1,380 | -6.9% |
| 05658 | Marshfield | $1,560 | +5.3% |
| 05660 | Moretown | $1,720 | +16.1% |
| 05663 | Northfield | $1,340 | -9.6% |
| 05664 | Northfield Falls | $1,480 | -0.1% |
| 05666 | North Montpelier | $1,800 | +21.5% |
| 05667 | Plainfield | $1,520 | +2.6% |
| 05670 | South Barre | $1,400 | -5.5% |
| 05671 | Waterbury | $1,480 | -0.1% |
| 05673 | Waitsfield | $1,880 | +26.9% |
| 05674 | Warren | $1,840 | +24.2% |
| 05676 | Waterbury | $1,760 | +18.8% |
| 05677 | Waterbury Center | $2,000 | +35.0% |
| 05678 | Websterville | $1,390 | -6.2% |
| 05681 | Woodbury | $1,590 | +7.3% |
| 05682 | Worcester | $1,420 | -4.2% |
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 $1,334 and $1,630. 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.
$1,482 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $59,280 a year. Put another way, $29 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% ($1,334) | HAP at 100% ($1,482) | HAP at 110% ($1,630) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $584 | $732 | $880 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $134 | $282 | $430 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 4% from FY 2025 ($1,419) to FY 2026 ($1,482). 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 | $773 | $828 | $1,090 | $1,358 | $1,580 | — |
| FY 2021 | $717 | $824 | $1,086 | $1,358 | $1,532 | -0.4% |
| FY 2022 | $760 | $869 | $1,144 | $1,454 | $1,551 | +5.3% |
| FY 2023 | $839 | $953 | $1,255 | $1,584 | $1,690 | +9.7% |
| FY 2024 | $985 | $1,106 | $1,453 | $1,832 | $1,975 | +15.8% |
| FY 2025 | $1,075 | $1,082 | $1,419 | $1,763 | $1,977 | -2.3% |
| FY 2026 | $1,122 | $1,129 | $1,482 | $1,824 | $1,962 | +4.4% |
| FY 2027 | $1,242 | $1,363 | $1,783 | $2,230 | $2,343 | +20.3% |
Nearby counties
Lamoille County
$1,34524 mi · pop 26,036
Orange County
$1,36224 mi · pop 29,594
Caledonia County
$1,15927 mi · pop 30,425
Chittenden County
$2,14029 mi · pop 168,831
Addison County
$1,43832 mi · pop 37,497
Orleans County
$1,18441 mi · pop 27,492
Franklin County
$2,14045 mi · pop 50,379
Grand Isle County
$2,14046 mi · pop 7,393
Questions people ask
$1,482 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $1,122 for a studio, $1,129 for one bedroom, $1,824 for three and $1,962 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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