HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Middlesex County, Virginia (FY 2026)
$1,291 a month. That's HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Middlesex County, and it's the baseline every voucher in Middlesex is measured against.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,291
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,162 to $1,420
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$51,640
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Virginia
59th of 133
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Middlesex moves to $1,259. That's down 2%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Middlesex actually rent for?
Search any address in Middlesex 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 | $1,052 | $947 to $1,157 | $42,080 | $20.23/hr | +9.7% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,058 | $952 to $1,164 | $42,320 | $20.35/hr | +9.6% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,291 | $1,162 to $1,420 | $51,640 | $24.83/hr | +8.3% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,548 | $1,393 to $1,703 | $61,920 | $29.77/hr | +7.8% |
| 4 bedroom | $2,018 | $1,816 to $2,220 | $80,720 | $38.81/hr | +8.3% |
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 | $2,321 | $2,089 to $2,553 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,623 | $2,361 to $2,885 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,926 | $2,633 to $3,219 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $3,229 | $2,906 to $3,552 |
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 Middlesex, that runs from $1,052 for a studio up to $2,018 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Middlesex 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, Christchurch included.
Among Virginia's 133 counties, Middlesex ranks 59th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 3% above the state median of $1,254 and about 27% above the national median county at $1,018. About 10,738 people live here, 114th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,290 in 23032 (Church View) and $1,480 in 23169 (Topping), with the 11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23031 | Christchurch | $1,291County rate | — |
| 23032 | Church View | $1,290 | -0.1% |
| 23043 | Deltaville | $1,320 | +2.2% |
| 23070 | Hardyville | $1,330 | +3.0% |
| 23071 | Hartfield | $1,360 | +5.3% |
| 23079 | Jamaica | $1,290 | -0.1% |
| 23092 | Locust Hill | $1,430 | +10.8% |
| 23149 | Saluda | $1,470 | +13.9% |
| 23169 | Topping | $1,480 | +14.6% |
| 23175 | Urbanna | $1,440 | +11.5% |
| 23176 | Wake | $1,370 | +6.1% |
| 23180 | Water View | $1,290 | -0.1% |
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 Middlesex somewhere between $1,162 and $1,420. 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.
$1,291 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $51,640 a year. Put another way, $25 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% ($1,162) | HAP at 100% ($1,291) | HAP at 110% ($1,420) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $412 | $541 | $670 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $91 | $220 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 8% from FY 2025 ($1,192) to FY 2026 ($1,291). Since FY 2020 it's up 33% in total, about 4.9% 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 | $654 | $736 | $969 | $1,208 | $1,456 | — |
| FY 2021 | $617 | $727 | $917 | $1,141 | $1,354 | -5.4% |
| FY 2022 | $621 | $724 | $910 | $1,125 | $1,346 | -0.8% |
| FY 2023 | $777 | $796 | $1,048 | $1,275 | $1,577 | +15.2% |
| FY 2024 | $909 | $915 | $1,202 | $1,453 | $1,844 | +14.7% |
| FY 2025 | $959 | $965 | $1,192 | $1,436 | $1,864 | -0.8% |
| FY 2026 | $1,052 | $1,058 | $1,291 | $1,548 | $2,018 | +8.3% |
| FY 2027 | $1,034 | $1,041 | $1,259 | $1,500 | $1,949 | -2.5% |
Nearby counties
Lancaster County
$1,0528 mi · pop 10,866
Mathews County
$1,71316 mi · pop 8,537
Gloucester County
$1,71318 mi · pop 38,875
Northumberland County
$1,30921 mi · pop 12,007
King and Queen County
$1,25022 mi · pop 6,681
Richmond County
$1,15722 mi · pop 8,968
Williamsburg city
$1,71324 mi · pop 15,486
James City County
$1,71325 mi · pop 78,818
Questions people ask
$1,291 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $1,052 for a studio, $1,058 for one bedroom, $1,548 for three and $2,018 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 Middlesex actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Middlesex for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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