HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Northumberland County, Virginia (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Northumberland County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $1,309 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Northumberland keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,309
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,178 to $1,440
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$52,360
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Virginia
58th of 133
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Northumberland moves to $1,382. That's up 6%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Northumberland actually rent for?
Search any address in Northumberland 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 | $1,066 | $959 to $1,173 | $42,640 | $20.50/hr | +12.7% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,073 | $966 to $1,180 | $42,920 | $20.63/hr | +12.7% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,309 | $1,178 to $1,440 | $52,360 | $25.17/hr | +11.4% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,569 | $1,412 to $1,726 | $62,760 | $30.17/hr | +10.8% |
| 4 bedroom | $2,047 | $1,842 to $2,252 | $81,880 | $39.37/hr | +11.4% |
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 | $2,354 | $2,119 to $2,589 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,661 | $2,395 to $2,927 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,968 | $2,671 to $3,265 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $3,275 | $2,948 to $3,603 |
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 Northumberland, that runs from $1,066 for a studio up to $2,047 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Northumberland 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, Burgess included.
Among Virginia's 133 counties, Northumberland ranks 58th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 4% above the state median of $1,254 and about 29% above the national median county at $1,018. About 12,007 people live here, 108th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,060 in 22432 (Burgess) and $1,310 in 22530 (Ophelia), with the 7 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 Northumberland somewhere between $1,178 and $1,440. 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.
$1,309 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $52,360 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% ($1,178) | HAP at 100% ($1,309) | HAP at 110% ($1,440) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $428 | $559 | $690 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $109 | $240 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 11% from FY 2025 ($1,175) to FY 2026 ($1,309). Since FY 2020 it's up 72% in total, about 9.5% 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 | $513 | $577 | $760 | $1,096 | $1,142 | — |
| FY 2021 | $534 | $629 | $793 | $1,135 | $1,171 | +4.3% |
| FY 2022 | $588 | $685 | $861 | $1,223 | $1,274 | +8.6% |
| FY 2023 | $753 | $814 | $1,015 | $1,291 | $1,528 | +17.9% |
| FY 2024 | $929 | $935 | $1,160 | $1,403 | $1,779 | +14.3% |
| FY 2025 | $946 | $952 | $1,175 | $1,416 | $1,837 | +1.3% |
| FY 2026 | $1,066 | $1,073 | $1,309 | $1,569 | $2,047 | +11.4% |
| FY 2027 | $1,135 | $1,142 | $1,382 | $1,647 | $2,139 | +5.6% |
Nearby counties
Lancaster County
$1,05213 mi · pop 10,866
Richmond County
$1,15715 mi · pop 8,968
Middlesex County
$1,29121 mi · pop 10,738
Westmoreland County
$1,19423 mi · pop 18,480
Essex County
$1,11328 mi · pop 10,602
King and Queen County
$1,25031 mi · pop 6,681
Mathews County
$1,71332 mi · pop 8,537
Gloucester County
$1,71338 mi · pop 38,875
Questions people ask
$1,309 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $1,066 for a studio, $1,073 for one bedroom, $1,569 for three and $2,047 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 Northumberland actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Northumberland for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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