HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Jefferson County, Washington (FY 2026)
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Jefferson County is $1,367 a month. That's the number the housing authority starts from when it sets Section 8 payment standards here.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,367
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,230 to $1,504
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$54,680
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Washington
21st of 39
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Jefferson moves to $1,588. That's up 16%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Jefferson actually rent for?
Search any address in Jefferson 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 | $1,119 | $1,007 to $1,231 | $44,760 | $21.52/hr | +4.4% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,165 | $1,049 to $1,282 | $46,600 | $22.40/hr | +4.6% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,367 | $1,230 to $1,504 | $54,680 | $26.29/hr | +10.9% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,901 | $1,711 to $2,091 | $76,040 | $36.56/hr | +10.0% |
| 4 bedroom | $2,293 | $2,064 to $2,522 | $91,720 | $44.10/hr | +10.7% |
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 | $2,637 | $2,373 to $2,901 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,981 | $2,683 to $3,279 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $3,325 | $2,993 to $3,658 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $3,669 | $3,302 to $4,036 |
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 Jefferson, that runs from $1,119 for a studio up to $2,293 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Jefferson 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, Brinnon included.
Among Washington's 39 counties, Jefferson ranks 21st for two-bedroom FMR. That's within a couple percent of the state median of $1,374 and about 34% above the national median county at $1,018. About 33,006 people live here, 27th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,110 in 98320 (Brinnon) and $2,020 in 98365 (Port Ludlow), 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 Jefferson somewhere between $1,230 and $1,504. 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.
$1,367 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $54,680 a year. Put another way, $26 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% ($1,230) | HAP at 100% ($1,367) | HAP at 110% ($1,504) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $480 | $617 | $754 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $30 | $167 | $304 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 11% from FY 2025 ($1,233) to FY 2026 ($1,367). Since FY 2020 it's up 34% in total, about 5.0% 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 | $693 | $781 | $1,020 | $1,471 | $1,663 | — |
| FY 2021 | $638 | $771 | $964 | $1,380 | $1,663 | -5.5% |
| FY 2022 | $754 | $885 | $1,046 | $1,486 | $1,790 | +8.5% |
| FY 2023 | $901 | $994 | $1,123 | $1,596 | $1,913 | +7.4% |
| FY 2024 | $1,052 | $1,080 | $1,213 | $1,709 | $2,058 | +8.0% |
| FY 2025 | $1,072 | $1,114 | $1,233 | $1,728 | $2,071 | +1.6% |
| FY 2026 | $1,119 | $1,165 | $1,367 | $1,901 | $2,293 | +10.9% |
| FY 2027 | $1,232 | $1,341 | $1,588 | $2,199 | $2,654 | +16.2% |
Nearby counties
Island County
$1,67117 mi · pop 86,510
Kitsap County
$2,03123 mi · pop 275,411
Snohomish County
$2,50130 mi · pop 828,337
King County
$2,50138 mi · pop 2,254,371
Mason County
$1,35442 mi · pop 66,053
San Juan County
$1,76246 mi · pop 18,001
Skagit County
$1,72048 mi · pop 129,480
Pierce County
$1,97156 mi · pop 918,993
Questions people ask
$1,367 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $1,119 for a studio, $1,165 for one bedroom, $1,901 for three and $2,293 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 Jefferson actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Jefferson for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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