HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Bath County, Virginia (FY 2026)
$977 a month. That's HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Bath County, and it's the baseline every voucher in Bath is measured against.
2 bedroom FMR
$977
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$879 to $1,075
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$39,080
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Virginia
101st of 133
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Bath moves to $1,010. That's up 3%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Bath actually rent for?
Search any address in Bath 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 | $796 | $716 to $876 | $31,840 | $15.31/hr | +14.0% |
| 1 bedroom | $801 | $721 to $881 | $32,040 | $15.40/hr | +14.1% |
| 2 bedroom | $977 | $879 to $1,075 | $39,080 | $18.79/hr | +12.7% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,171 | $1,054 to $1,288 | $46,840 | $22.52/hr | +3.8% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,528 | $1,375 to $1,681 | $61,120 | $29.38/hr | +12.8% |
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 | $1,757 | $1,581 to $1,933 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,986 | $1,787 to $2,185 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,216 | $1,994 to $2,438 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,445 | $2,201 to $2,690 |
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 Bath, that runs from $796 for a studio up to $1,528 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Bath 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, Bacova included.
Among Virginia's 133 counties, Bath ranks 101st for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 22% below the state median of $1,254 and about 4% below the national median county at $1,018. About 4,177 people live here, 131st in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $910 in 24484 (Warm Springs) and $980 in 24412 (Bacova), 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 Bath somewhere between $879 and $1,075. 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.
$977 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $39,080 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% ($879) | HAP at 100% ($977) | HAP at 110% ($1,075) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $129 | $227 | $325 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 13% from FY 2025 ($867) to FY 2026 ($977). Since FY 2020 it's up 34% in total, about 5.0% a year. The Virginia median moved up 5% over the same year.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $493 | $582 | $731 | $970 | $1,098 | — |
| FY 2021 | $475 | $559 | $705 | $937 | $1,041 | -3.6% |
| FY 2022 | $482 | $562 | $706 | $938 | $1,044 | +0.1% |
| FY 2023 | $590 | $637 | $795 | $1,052 | $1,196 | +12.6% |
| FY 2024 | $731 | $735 | $912 | $1,195 | $1,399 | +14.7% |
| FY 2025 | $698 | $702 | $867 | $1,128 | $1,355 | -4.9% |
| FY 2026 | $796 | $801 | $977 | $1,171 | $1,528 | +12.7% |
| FY 2027 | $830 | $835 | $1,010 | $1,203 | $1,563 | +3.4% |
Nearby counties
Alleghany County
$91419 mi · pop 15,159
Covington city
$91424 mi · pop 5,722
Highland County
$91426 mi · pop 2,247
Lexington city
$1,00527 mi · pop 7,346
Rockbridge County
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Buena Vista city
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Augusta County
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Staunton city
$1,26139 mi · pop 25,581
Questions people ask
$977 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $796 for a studio, $801 for one bedroom, $1,171 for three and $1,528 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 Bath actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Bath for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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