HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Louisa County, Virginia (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Louisa County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $1,247 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Louisa keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,247
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,122 to $1,372
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$49,880
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Virginia
71st of 133
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Louisa moves to $1,291. That's up 4%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Louisa actually rent for?
Search any address in Louisa 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 | $1,080 | $972 to $1,188 | $43,200 | $20.77/hr | +11.3% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,138 | $1,024 to $1,252 | $45,520 | $21.88/hr | +13.0% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,247 | $1,122 to $1,372 | $49,880 | $23.98/hr | +11.8% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,734 | $1,561 to $1,907 | $69,360 | $33.35/hr | +12.1% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,950 | $1,755 to $2,145 | $78,000 | $37.50/hr | +11.9% |
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 | $2,243 | $2,019 to $2,467 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,535 | $2,282 to $2,789 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,828 | $2,545 to $3,111 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $3,120 | $2,808 to $3,432 |
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 Louisa, that runs from $1,080 for a studio up to $1,950 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Louisa 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, Bumpass included.
Among Virginia's 133 counties, Louisa ranks 71st for two-bedroom FMR. That's within a couple percent of the state median of $1,254 and about 22% above the national median county at $1,018. About 38,106 people live here, 47th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,160 in 23117 (Mineral) and $1,560 in 23093 (Louisa), with the 4 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 Louisa somewhere between $1,122 and $1,372. 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.
$1,247 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $49,880 a year. Put another way, $24 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% ($1,122) | HAP at 100% ($1,247) | HAP at 110% ($1,372) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $372 | $497 | $622 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $47 | $172 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 12% from FY 2025 ($1,115) to FY 2026 ($1,247). Since FY 2020 it's up 29% in total, about 4.3% 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 | $652 | $850 | $967 | $1,315 | $1,698 | — |
| FY 2021 | $613 | $799 | $911 | $1,238 | $1,577 | -5.8% |
| FY 2022 | $755 | $769 | $876 | $1,223 | $1,499 | -3.8% |
| FY 2023 | $840 | $859 | $970 | $1,367 | $1,652 | +10.7% |
| FY 2024 | $983 | $1,010 | $1,134 | $1,581 | $1,924 | +16.9% |
| FY 2025 | $970 | $1,007 | $1,115 | $1,547 | $1,743 | -1.7% |
| FY 2026 | $1,080 | $1,138 | $1,247 | $1,734 | $1,950 | +11.8% |
| FY 2027 | $1,094 | $1,186 | $1,291 | $1,788 | $1,998 | +3.5% |
Nearby counties
Fluvanna County
$1,82419 mi · pop 27,442
Goochland County
$1,65519 mi · pop 24,906
Orange County
$1,23419 mi · pop 36,593
Spotsylvania County
$2,24623 mi · pop 141,097
Charlottesville city
$1,82429 mi · pop 46,289
Hanover County
$1,65530 mi · pop 110,513
Powhatan County
$1,65531 mi · pop 30,503
Cumberland County
$99732 mi · pop 9,697
Questions people ask
$1,247 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $1,080 for a studio, $1,138 for one bedroom, $1,734 for three and $1,950 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 Louisa actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Louisa for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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