HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Hanover County, Virginia (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Hanover County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $1,655 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Hanover keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,655
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,490 to $1,821
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$66,200
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Virginia
39th of 133
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Hanover moves to $1,651. That's unchanged. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Hanover actually rent for?
Search any address in Hanover 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 | $1,442 | $1,298 to $1,586 | $57,680 | $27.73/hr | -3.1% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,507 | $1,356 to $1,658 | $60,280 | $28.98/hr | -2.5% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,655 | $1,490 to $1,821 | $66,200 | $31.83/hr | -3.3% |
| 3 bedroom | $2,072 | $1,865 to $2,279 | $82,880 | $39.85/hr | -4.3% |
| 4 bedroom | $2,553 | $2,298 to $2,808 | $102,120 | $49.10/hr | -4.6% |
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 | $2,936 | $2,642 to $3,230 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $3,319 | $2,987 to $3,651 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $3,702 | $3,332 to $4,072 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $4,085 | $3,677 to $4,494 |
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 Hanover, that runs from $1,442 for a studio up to $2,553 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 Hanover in with 15 other counties in the Richmond metro, Chesterfield County, Henrico County, Richmond city among them, and every one of them gets $1,655 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 Virginia's 133 counties, Hanover ranks 39th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 32% above the state median of $1,254 and about 63% above the national median county at $1,018. About 110,513 people live here, 17th in the state.
Counties sharing the Richmond metro rate
Chesterfield County
$1,655VA · pop 366,019
Henrico County
$1,655VA · pop 333,120
Richmond city
$1,655VA · pop 227,171
Prince George County
$1,655VA · pop 42,634
Petersburg city
$1,655VA · pop 33,261
Powhatan County
$1,655VA · pop 30,503
Dinwiddie County
$1,655VA · pop 28,057
Goochland County
$1,655VA · pop 24,906
New Kent County
$1,655VA · pop 23,296
Hopewell city
$1,655VA · pop 23,046
Colonial Heights city
$1,655VA · pop 18,158
King William County
$1,655VA · pop 17,845
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,380 in 23015 (Beaverdam) and $2,200 in 23059 (Glen Allen), with the 10 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 Hanover somewhere between $1,490 and $1,821. 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.
$1,655 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $66,200 a year. Put another way, $32 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% ($1,490) | HAP at 100% ($1,655) | HAP at 110% ($1,821) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $740 | $905 | $1,071 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $290 | $455 | $621 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went down 3% from FY 2025 ($1,711) to FY 2026 ($1,655). Since FY 2020 it's up 56% in total, about 7.7% 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 | $899 | $932 | $1,061 | $1,410 | $1,686 | — |
| FY 2021 | $993 | $1,020 | $1,163 | $1,538 | $1,840 | +9.6% |
| FY 2022 | $1,022 | $1,044 | $1,189 | $1,556 | $1,864 | +2.2% |
| FY 2023 | $1,157 | $1,183 | $1,336 | $1,727 | $2,100 | +12.4% |
| FY 2024 | $1,328 | $1,365 | $1,532 | $1,959 | $2,393 | +14.7% |
| FY 2025 | $1,488 | $1,545 | $1,711 | $2,166 | $2,677 | +11.7% |
| FY 2026 | $1,442 | $1,507 | $1,655 | $2,072 | $2,553 | -3.3% |
| FY 2027 | $1,456 | $1,517 | $1,651 | $2,039 | $2,499 | -0.2% |
Nearby counties
Richmond city
$1,65515 mi · pop 227,171
Henrico County
$1,65516 mi · pop 333,120
Chesterfield County
$1,65523 mi · pop 366,019
Goochland County
$1,65523 mi · pop 24,906
King William County
$1,65523 mi · pop 17,845
Caroline County
$1,24624 mi · pop 31,181
Powhatan County
$1,65528 mi · pop 30,503
Louisa County
$1,24730 mi · pop 38,106
Questions people ask
$1,655 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $1,442 for a studio, $1,507 for one bedroom, $2,072 for three and $2,553 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 Hanover actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Hanover for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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