HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Nicholas County, West Virginia (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Nicholas County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $869 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Nicholas keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$869
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$782 to $956
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$34,760
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in West Virginia
45th of 55
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Nicholas moves to $944. 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 Nicholas actually rent for?
Search any address in Nicholas 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 | $667 | $600 to $734 | $26,680 | $12.83/hr | +1.4% |
| 1 bedroom | $696 | $626 to $766 | $27,840 | $13.38/hr | -0.6% |
| 2 bedroom | $869 | $782 to $956 | $34,760 | $16.71/hr | +2.0% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,125 | $1,013 to $1,238 | $45,000 | $21.63/hr | -4.8% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,177 | $1,059 to $1,295 | $47,080 | $22.63/hr | -1.5% |
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 | $1,354 | $1,219 to $1,489 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,530 | $1,377 to $1,683 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $1,707 | $1,536 to $1,878 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $1,883 | $1,695 to $2,071 |
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 Nicholas, that runs from $667 for a studio up to $1,177 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Nicholas 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, Dixie included.
Among West Virginia's 55 counties, Nicholas ranks 45th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 5% below the state median of $915 and about 15% below the national median county at $1,018. About 24,624 people live here, 24th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $870 in 26202 (Fenwick) and $1,160 in 26679 (Mount Nebo), 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25059 | Dixie | $950 | +9.3% |
| 26202 | Fenwick | $870 | +0.1% |
| 26205 | Craigsville | $870 | +0.1% |
| 26261 | Richwood | $870 | +0.1% |
| 26610 | Birch River | $870 | +0.1% |
| 26651 | Summersville | $940 | +8.2% |
| 26656 | Belva | $900 | +3.6% |
| 26660 | Calvin | $940 | +8.2% |
| 26662 | Canvas | $940 | +8.2% |
| 26667 | Drennen | $940 | +8.2% |
| 26671 | Gilboa | $930 | +7.0% |
| 26675 | Keslers Cross Lanes | $869County rate | — |
| 26676 | Leivasy | $910 | +4.7% |
| 26678 | Mount Lookout | $1,040 | +19.7% |
| 26679 | Mount Nebo | $1,160 | +33.5% |
| 26681 | Nettie | $1,020 | +17.4% |
| 26684 | Pool | $870 | +0.1% |
| 26690 | Swiss | $890 | +2.4% |
| 26691 | Tioga | $890 | +2.4% |
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 Nicholas somewhere between $782 and $956. 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.
$869 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $34,760 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% ($782) | HAP at 100% ($869) | HAP at 110% ($956) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $32 | $119 | $206 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 2% from FY 2025 ($852) to FY 2026 ($869). Since FY 2020 it's up 31% in total, about 4.6% 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 | $514 | $517 | $662 | $871 | $957 | — |
| FY 2021 | $510 | $513 | $676 | $918 | $980 | +2.1% |
| FY 2022 | $532 | $536 | $705 | $969 | $1,028 | +4.3% |
| FY 2023 | $566 | $570 | $738 | $1,048 | $1,071 | +4.7% |
| FY 2024 | $679 | $690 | $848 | $1,195 | $1,208 | +14.9% |
| FY 2025 | $658 | $700 | $852 | $1,182 | $1,195 | +0.5% |
| FY 2026 | $667 | $696 | $869 | $1,125 | $1,177 | +2.0% |
| FY 2027 | $708 | $729 | $944 | $1,125 | $1,241 | +8.6% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$869 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $667 for a studio, $696 for one bedroom, $1,125 for three and $1,177 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 Nicholas actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Nicholas for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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