HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Richmond County, Virginia (FY 2026)
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Richmond County is $1,157 a month. That's the number the housing authority starts from when it sets Section 8 payment standards here.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,157
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,041 to $1,273
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$46,280
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Virginia
80th of 133
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Richmond moves to $1,187. That's up 3%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Richmond actually rent for?
Search any address in Richmond 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 | $876 | $788 to $964 | $35,040 | $16.85/hr | +9.4% |
| 1 bedroom | $882 | $794 to $970 | $35,280 | $16.96/hr | +9.4% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,157 | $1,041 to $1,273 | $46,280 | $22.25/hr | +9.6% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,464 | $1,318 to $1,610 | $58,560 | $28.15/hr | +9.4% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,825 | $1,643 to $2,008 | $73,000 | $35.10/hr | +2.9% |
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 | $2,099 | $1,889 to $2,309 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,373 | $2,136 to $2,610 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,646 | $2,381 to $2,911 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,920 | $2,628 to $3,212 |
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 Richmond, that runs from $876 for a studio up to $1,825 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Richmond 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, Farnham included.
Among Virginia's 133 counties, Richmond ranks 80th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 8% below the state median of $1,254 and about 14% above the national median county at $1,018. About 8,968 people live here, 117th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,130 in 22472 (Haynesville) and $1,240 in 22460 (Farnham), 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 Richmond somewhere between $1,041 and $1,273. 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.
$1,157 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $46,280 a year. Put another way, $22 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% ($1,041) | HAP at 100% ($1,157) | HAP at 110% ($1,273) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $291 | $407 | $523 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $73 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 10% from FY 2025 ($1,056) to FY 2026 ($1,157). Since FY 2020 it's up 30% in total, about 4.5% 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 | $600 | $676 | $890 | $1,109 | $1,337 | — |
| FY 2021 | $580 | $653 | $861 | $1,081 | $1,271 | -3.3% |
| FY 2022 | $590 | $688 | $864 | $1,068 | $1,278 | +0.3% |
| FY 2023 | $723 | $782 | $975 | $1,187 | $1,467 | +12.8% |
| FY 2024 | $889 | $895 | $1,110 | $1,342 | $1,884 | +13.8% |
| FY 2025 | $801 | $806 | $1,056 | $1,338 | $1,773 | -4.9% |
| FY 2026 | $876 | $882 | $1,157 | $1,464 | $1,825 | +9.6% |
| FY 2027 | $901 | $907 | $1,187 | $1,526 | $1,643 | +2.6% |
Nearby counties
Westmoreland County
$1,19413 mi · pop 18,480
Essex County
$1,11314 mi · pop 10,602
Northumberland County
$1,30915 mi · pop 12,007
Lancaster County
$1,05216 mi · pop 10,866
King and Queen County
$1,25019 mi · pop 6,681
Middlesex County
$1,29122 mi · pop 10,738
King William County
$1,65527 mi · pop 17,845
King George County
$1,46934 mi · pop 26,985
Questions people ask
$1,157 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $876 for a studio, $882 for one bedroom, $1,464 for three and $1,825 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 Richmond actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Richmond for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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