HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Hardy County, West Virginia (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Hardy County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $932 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Hardy keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$932
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$839 to $1,025
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$37,280
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in West Virginia
22nd of 55
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Hardy moves to $955. That's up 2%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Hardy actually rent for?
Search any address in Hardy 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 | $715 | $644 to $787 | $28,600 | $13.75/hr | +3.9% |
| 1 bedroom | $784 | $706 to $862 | $31,360 | $15.08/hr | +9.0% |
| 2 bedroom | $932 | $839 to $1,025 | $37,280 | $17.92/hr | +4.6% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,146 | $1,031 to $1,261 | $45,840 | $22.04/hr | +1.6% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,263 | $1,137 to $1,389 | $50,520 | $24.29/hr | +1.0% |
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 | $1,452 | $1,307 to $1,597 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,642 | $1,478 to $1,806 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $1,831 | $1,648 to $2,014 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,021 | $1,819 to $2,223 |
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 Hardy, that runs from $715 for a studio up to $1,263 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Hardy 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, Baker included.
Among West Virginia's 55 counties, Hardy ranks 22nd for two-bedroom FMR. That's within a couple percent of the state median of $915 and about 8% below the national median county at $1,018. About 14,249 people live here, 38th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $900 in 26818 (Fisher) and $1,420 in 26845 (Old Fields), with the 8 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 Hardy somewhere between $839 and $1,025. 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.
$932 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $37,280 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% ($839) | HAP at 100% ($932) | HAP at 110% ($1,025) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $89 | $182 | $275 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 5% from FY 2025 ($891) to FY 2026 ($932). Since FY 2020 it's up 41% in total, about 5.9% a year. The West Virginia median moved up 4% over the same year.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $523 | $527 | $662 | $933 | $1,162 | — |
| FY 2021 | $520 | $523 | $676 | $944 | $1,170 | +2.1% |
| FY 2022 | $562 | $565 | $705 | $965 | $1,053 | +4.3% |
| FY 2023 | $580 | $583 | $768 | $973 | $1,115 | +8.9% |
| FY 2024 | $681 | $685 | $869 | $1,112 | $1,238 | +13.2% |
| FY 2025 | $688 | $719 | $891 | $1,128 | $1,250 | +2.5% |
| FY 2026 | $715 | $784 | $932 | $1,146 | $1,263 | +4.6% |
| FY 2027 | $716 | $805 | $955 | $1,151 | $1,293 | +2.5% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$932 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $715 for a studio, $784 for one bedroom, $1,146 for three and $1,263 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 Hardy actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Hardy for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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