HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Island County, Washington (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Island County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $1,671 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Island keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,671
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,504 to $1,838
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$66,840
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Washington
11th of 39
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Island moves to $1,824. That's up 9%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Island actually rent for?
Search any address in Island 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 | $1,172 | $1,055 to $1,289 | $46,880 | $22.54/hr | -0.5% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,356 | $1,220 to $1,492 | $54,240 | $26.08/hr | +3.0% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,671 | $1,504 to $1,838 | $66,840 | $32.13/hr | +4.4% |
| 3 bedroom | $2,324 | $2,092 to $2,556 | $92,960 | $44.69/hr | +3.7% |
| 4 bedroom | $2,733 | $2,460 to $3,006 | $109,320 | $52.56/hr | +4.5% |
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 | $3,143 | $2,829 to $3,457 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $3,553 | $3,198 to $3,908 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $3,963 | $3,567 to $4,359 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $4,373 | $3,936 to $4,810 |
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 Island, that runs from $1,172 for a studio up to $2,733 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Island 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, Oak Harbor included.
Among Washington's 39 counties, Island ranks 11th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 22% above the state median of $1,374 and about 64% above the national median county at $1,018. About 86,510 people live here, 15th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,450 in 98239 (Coupeville) and $1,750 in 98260 (Langley), 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 Island somewhere between $1,504 and $1,838. 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.
$1,671 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $66,840 a year. Put another way, $32 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% ($1,504) | HAP at 100% ($1,671) | HAP at 110% ($1,838) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $754 | $921 | $1,088 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $304 | $471 | $638 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 4% from FY 2025 ($1,600) to FY 2026 ($1,671). Since FY 2020 it's up 47% in total, about 6.6% a year. The Washington median moved up 4% over the same year.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $899 | $905 | $1,139 | $1,643 | $1,986 | — |
| FY 2021 | $847 | $853 | $1,091 | $1,561 | $1,889 | -4.2% |
| FY 2022 | $917 | $923 | $1,215 | $1,726 | $2,080 | +11.4% |
| FY 2023 | $1,079 | $1,086 | $1,376 | $1,956 | $2,326 | +13.3% |
| FY 2024 | $1,156 | $1,236 | $1,523 | $2,146 | $2,536 | +10.7% |
| FY 2025 | $1,178 | $1,317 | $1,600 | $2,242 | $2,615 | +5.1% |
| FY 2026 | $1,172 | $1,356 | $1,671 | $2,324 | $2,733 | +4.4% |
| FY 2027 | $1,270 | $1,459 | $1,824 | $2,501 | $2,987 | +9.2% |
Nearby counties
Jefferson County
$1,36717 mi · pop 33,006
Snohomish County
$2,50124 mi · pop 828,337
Skagit County
$1,72031 mi · pop 129,480
Kitsap County
$2,03135 mi · pop 275,411
San Juan County
$1,76236 mi · pop 18,001
King County
$2,50143 mi · pop 2,254,371
Whatcom County
$1,79450 mi · pop 226,523
Mason County
$1,35458 mi · pop 66,053
Questions people ask
$1,671 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $1,172 for a studio, $1,356 for one bedroom, $2,324 for three and $2,733 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 Island actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Island for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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