HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Mercer County, West Virginia (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Mercer County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $896 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Mercer keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$896
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$806 to $986
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$35,840
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in West Virginia
30th of 55
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Mercer moves to $946. 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 Mercer actually rent for?
Search any address in Mercer 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 | $618 | $556 to $680 | $24,720 | $11.88/hr | +5.8% |
| 1 bedroom | $717 | $645 to $789 | $28,680 | $13.79/hr | +5.0% |
| 2 bedroom | $896 | $806 to $986 | $35,840 | $17.23/hr | +5.2% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,206 | $1,085 to $1,327 | $48,240 | $23.19/hr | +3.3% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,258 | $1,132 to $1,384 | $50,320 | $24.19/hr | +0.6% |
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 | $1,447 | $1,302 to $1,592 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,635 | $1,472 to $1,799 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $1,824 | $1,642 to $2,006 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,013 | $1,812 to $2,214 |
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 Mercer, that runs from $618 for a studio up to $1,258 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Mercer 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, Princeton included.
Among West Virginia's 55 counties, Mercer ranks 30th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 2% below the state median of $915 and about 12% below the national median county at $1,018. About 59,530 people live here, 8th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $880 in 24740 (Princeton) and $950 in 24712 (Athens), with the 18 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.
| ZIP | City | 2BR rate | vs county |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24701 | Bluefield | $890 | -0.7% |
| 24712 | Athens | $950 | +6.0% |
| 24714 | Beeson | $900 | +0.4% |
| 24715 | Bramwell | $900 | +0.4% |
| 24724 | Freeman | $890 | -0.7% |
| 24729 | Hiawatha | $900 | +0.4% |
| 24731 | Kegley | $900 | +0.4% |
| 24732 | Kellysville | $896County rate | — |
| 24733 | Lashmeet | $900 | +0.4% |
| 24736 | Matoaka | $890 | -0.7% |
| 24737 | Montcalm | $910 | +1.6% |
| 24738 | Nemours | $900 | +0.4% |
| 24739 | Princeton | $950 | +6.0% |
| 24740 | Princeton | $880 | -1.8% |
| 24747 | Rock | $930 | +3.8% |
| 24751 | Wolfe | $896County rate | — |
| 25820 | Camp Creek | $900 | +0.4% |
| 25841 | Flat Top | $900 | +0.4% |
| 25922 | Spanishburg | $880 | -1.8% |
| 25971 | Lerona | $900 | +0.4% |
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 Mercer somewhere between $806 and $986. 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.
$896 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $35,840 a year. Put another way, $17 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% ($806) | HAP at 100% ($896) | HAP at 110% ($986) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $56 | $146 | $236 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 5% from FY 2025 ($852) to FY 2026 ($896). Since FY 2020 it's up 35% in total, about 5.2% 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 | $431 | $533 | $662 | $857 | $1,004 | — |
| FY 2021 | $446 | $553 | $676 | $901 | $1,003 | +2.1% |
| FY 2022 | $468 | $593 | $705 | $964 | $1,024 | +4.3% |
| FY 2023 | $493 | $606 | $738 | $1,026 | $1,084 | +4.7% |
| FY 2024 | $575 | $690 | $848 | $1,165 | $1,250 | +14.9% |
| FY 2025 | $584 | $683 | $852 | $1,168 | $1,250 | +0.5% |
| FY 2026 | $618 | $717 | $896 | $1,206 | $1,258 | +5.2% |
| FY 2027 | $659 | $746 | $946 | $1,250 | $1,340 | +5.6% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$896 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $618 for a studio, $717 for one bedroom, $1,206 for three and $1,258 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 Mercer actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Mercer for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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