HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2027 · Effective Oct 1, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027
Fair Market Rent in Nicholas County, West Virginia (FY 2027)
A two-bedroom in Nicholas County carries a FY 2027 Fair Market Rent of $944 a month, effective October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. Everything Section 8 pays in Nicholas keys off that figure.
Two-bedroom FMR
$944
+8.6% from FY 2026
Payment standard
$850–$1,038
90% to 110% of the FMR, two-bedroom
Income to afford
$37,760
a year, with rent at 30% of income
Rank in West Virginia
44th of 55
by two-bedroom FMR, highest first
FY 2027 Fair Market Rents
Payment standard is the 90% to 110% band a housing authority can set. Income needed puts rent at 30% of gross income, and the hourly wage assumes a 40-hour week.
| Bedrooms | FMR | Payment standard | Income needed | Hourly wage | vs FY 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $708 | $637–$779 | $28,320 | $13.62/hr | +6.1% |
| 1 bedroom | $729 | $656–$802 | $29,160 | $14.02/hr | +4.7% |
| 2 bedroom | $944 | $850–$1,038 | $37,760 | $18.15/hr | +8.6% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,125 | $1,013–$1,238 | $45,000 | $21.63/hr | 0.0% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,241 | $1,117–$1,365 | $49,640 | $23.87/hr | +5.4% |
Five to eight 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 | $1,427 | $1,284–$1,570 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,613 | $1,452–$1,774 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $1,799 | $1,619–$1,979 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $1,986 | $1,787–$2,185 |
Source: HUD Office of Policy Development and Research, FY 2027 Fair Market Rents. Rents include utilities. huduser.gov
Market check
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.
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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 $850 and $1,038. 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.
$944 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $37,760 a year. Put another way, $18 an hour full time.
Worked example for a two-bedroom renting at the payment standard. The tenant pays 30% of monthly income and the voucher covers the rest.
| Monthly household income | Tenant pays (30%) | Voucher pays at 90%$850 | Voucher pays at 100%$944 | Voucher pays at 110%$1,038 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $100 | $194 | $288 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 9% from FY 2026 ($869) to FY 2027 ($944). Since FY 2020 it's up 43% in total, about 5.2% a year. The West Virginia median moved up 4% over the same year.
| Fiscal 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 2027In effect | $708 | $729 | $944 | $1,125 | $1,241 | +8.6% |
About this rate
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 2027 that's October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. In Nicholas, that runs from $708 for a studio up to $1,241 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 44th for two-bedroom FMR. That's within a couple percent of the state median of $955 and about 11% below the national median county at $1,063. About 24,277 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 $940 in 26202 (Fenwick) and $1,180 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 | +0.6% |
| 26202 | Fenwick | $940 | -0.4% |
| 26205 | Craigsville | $940 | -0.4% |
| 26261 | Richwood | $940 | -0.4% |
| 26610 | Birch River | $940 | -0.4% |
| 26651 | Summersville | $1,030 | +9.1% |
| 26656 | Belva | $960 | +1.7% |
| 26660 | Calvin | $940 | -0.4% |
| 26662 | Canvas | $1,030 | +9.1% |
| 26667 | Drennen | $1,030 | +9.1% |
| 26671 | Gilboa | $1,020 | +8.1% |
| 26675 | Keslers Cross Lanes | $944County rate | — |
| 26676 | Leivasy | $970 | +2.8% |
| 26678 | Mount Lookout | $940 | -0.4% |
| 26679 | Mount Nebo | $1,180 | +25.0% |
| 26681 | Nettie | $940 | -0.4% |
| 26684 | Pool | $940 | -0.4% |
| 26690 | Swiss | $950 | +0.6% |
| 26691 | Tioga | $970 | +2.8% |
Nearby counties
Two-bedroom FMR, with how each compares to Nicholas.
Clay County
20 mi · 7,835 people
$1,048
+11%
Fayette County
23 mi · 39,519 people
$961
+2%
Webster County
25 mi · 8,144 people
$944
same rate
Greenbrier County
30 mi · 32,386 people
$991
+5%
Braxton County
32 mi · 12,208 people
$944
same rate
Roane County
39 mi · 13,786 people
$944
same rate
Kanawha County
41 mi · 176,537 people
$1,048
+11%
Raleigh County
42 mi · 73,195 people
$972
+3%
Questions people ask
$944 a month for FY 2027, which runs October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. The other rates are $708 for a studio, $729 for one bedroom, $1,125 for three and $1,241 for four.
Tools for this county
Fair Market Rent lookup
Any ZIP code's Small Area FMR by bedroom count
Section 8 rent calculator
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
The 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. Free to start, no card.
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