HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Northampton County, Virginia (FY 2026)
$949 a month. That's HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Northampton County, and it's the baseline every voucher in Northampton is measured against.
2 bedroom FMR
$949
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$854 to $1,044
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$37,960
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Virginia
105th of 133
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Northampton moves to $992. That's up 5%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Northampton actually rent for?
Search any address in Northampton 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 | $719 | $647 to $791 | $28,760 | $13.83/hr | +7.3% |
| 1 bedroom | $723 | $651 to $795 | $28,920 | $13.90/hr | +7.1% |
| 2 bedroom | $949 | $854 to $1,044 | $37,960 | $18.25/hr | +7.2% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,320 | $1,188 to $1,452 | $52,800 | $25.38/hr | +7.4% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,592 | $1,433 to $1,751 | $63,680 | $30.62/hr | +7.1% |
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 | $1,831 | $1,648 to $2,014 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,070 | $1,863 to $2,277 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,308 | $2,077 to $2,539 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,547 | $2,292 to $2,802 |
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 Northampton, that runs from $719 for a studio up to $1,592 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Northampton 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, Birdsnest included.
Among Virginia's 133 counties, Northampton ranks 105th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 24% below the state median of $1,254 and about 7% below the national median county at $1,018. About 12,132 people live here, 107th 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 23350 (Exmore) and $970 in 23307 (Birdsnest), 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23307 | Birdsnest | $970 | +2.2% |
| 23310 | Cape Charles | $960 | +1.2% |
| 23313 | Capeville | $949County rate | — |
| 23316 | Cheriton | $960 | +1.2% |
| 23347 | Eastville | $960 | +1.2% |
| 23350 | Exmore | $910 | -4.1% |
| 23354 | Franktown | $950 | +0.1% |
| 23398 | Jamesville | $910 | -4.1% |
| 23405 | Machipongo | $960 | +1.2% |
| 23408 | Marionville | $950 | +0.1% |
| 23413 | Nassawadox | $950 | +0.1% |
| 23419 | Oyster | $949County rate | — |
| 23429 | Seaview | $949County rate | — |
| 23443 | Townsend | $949County rate | — |
| 23482 | Wardtown | $949County rate | — |
| 23486 | Willis Wharf | $910 | -4.1% |
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 Northampton somewhere between $854 and $1,044. 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.
$949 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $37,960 a year. Put another way, $18 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% ($854) | HAP at 100% ($949) | HAP at 110% ($1,044) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $104 | $199 | $294 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 7% from FY 2025 ($885) to FY 2026 ($949). Since FY 2020 it's up 12% in total, about 1.8% 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 | $574 | $748 | $851 | $1,133 | $1,153 | — |
| FY 2021 | $541 | $704 | $803 | $1,098 | $1,118 | -5.6% |
| FY 2022 | $533 | $685 | $780 | $1,095 | $1,160 | -2.9% |
| FY 2023 | $636 | $660 | $857 | $1,178 | $1,365 | +9.9% |
| FY 2024 | $709 | $714 | $938 | $1,321 | $1,592 | +9.5% |
| FY 2025 | $670 | $675 | $885 | $1,229 | $1,486 | -5.7% |
| FY 2026 | $719 | $723 | $949 | $1,320 | $1,592 | +7.2% |
| FY 2027 | $753 | $758 | $992 | $1,356 | $1,658 | +4.5% |
Nearby counties
Mathews County
$1,71323 mi · pop 8,537
Accomack County
$1,05431 mi · pop 33,367
Poquoson city
$1,71331 mi · pop 12,479
Gloucester County
$1,71332 mi · pop 38,875
Hampton city
$1,71334 mi · pop 137,217
York County
$1,71336 mi · pop 70,238
Middlesex County
$1,29137 mi · pop 10,738
Newport News city
$1,71338 mi · pop 185,118
Questions people ask
$949 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $719 for a studio, $723 for one bedroom, $1,320 for three and $1,592 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 Northampton actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Northampton for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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