HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Preston County, West Virginia (FY 2026)
$1,099 a month. That's HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Preston County, and it's the baseline every voucher in Preston is measured against.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,099
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$989 to $1,209
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$43,960
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in West Virginia
5th of 55
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Preston moves to $1,143. That's up 4%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Preston actually rent for?
Search any address in Preston 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 | $871 | $784 to $958 | $34,840 | $16.75/hr | +3.9% |
| 1 bedroom | $877 | $789 to $965 | $35,080 | $16.87/hr | +3.9% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,099 | $989 to $1,209 | $43,960 | $21.13/hr | +3.2% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,318 | $1,186 to $1,450 | $52,720 | $25.35/hr | +2.7% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,657 | $1,491 to $1,823 | $66,280 | $31.87/hr | -7.3% |
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 | $1,906 | $1,715 to $2,097 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,154 | $1,939 to $2,369 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,403 | $2,163 to $2,643 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,651 | $2,386 to $2,916 |
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 Preston, that runs from $871 for a studio up to $1,657 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
This is a metro rate. The county doesn't get one of its own. HUD lumps Preston in with one other county in the Morgantown metro, Monongalia County among them, and every one of them gets $1,099 for a two-bedroom. Where you are inside the metro doesn't change the county number. It does change the ZIP number, covered below.
Among West Virginia's 55 counties, Preston ranks 5th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 20% above the state median of $915 and about 8% above the national median county at $1,018. About 34,206 people live here, 15th in the state.
Counties sharing the Morgantown metro rate
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $960 in 26425 (Rowlesburg) and $1,270 in 26410 (Newburg), with the 14 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26374 | Independence | $1,110 | +1.0% |
| 26410 | Newburg | $1,270 | +15.6% |
| 26425 | Rowlesburg | $960 | -12.6% |
| 26444 | Tunnelton | $980 | -10.8% |
| 26519 | Albright | $980 | -10.8% |
| 26520 | Arthurdale | $960 | -12.6% |
| 26524 | Bretz | $960 | -12.6% |
| 26525 | Bruceton Mills | $960 | -12.6% |
| 26537 | Kingwood | $960 | -12.6% |
| 26542 | Masontown | $1,020 | -7.2% |
| 26547 | Reedsville | $960 | -12.6% |
| 26705 | Aurora | $960 | -12.6% |
| 26716 | Eglon | $960 | -12.6% |
| 26764 | Terra Alta | $970 | -11.7% |
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 Preston somewhere between $989 and $1,209. 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.
$1,099 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $43,960 a year. Put another way, $21 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% ($989) | HAP at 100% ($1,099) | HAP at 110% ($1,209) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $239 | $349 | $459 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $9 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 3% from FY 2025 ($1,065) to FY 2026 ($1,099). Since FY 2020 it's up 25% in total, about 3.8% 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 | $743 | $748 | $880 | $1,184 | $1,485 | — |
| FY 2021 | $711 | $715 | $861 | $1,164 | $1,491 | -2.2% |
| FY 2022 | $725 | $729 | $892 | $1,205 | $1,527 | +3.6% |
| FY 2023 | $781 | $786 | $984 | $1,290 | $1,676 | +10.3% |
| FY 2024 | $857 | $862 | $1,078 | $1,346 | $1,829 | +9.6% |
| FY 2025 | $838 | $844 | $1,065 | $1,283 | $1,788 | -1.2% |
| FY 2026 | $871 | $877 | $1,099 | $1,318 | $1,657 | +3.2% |
| FY 2027 | $876 | $902 | $1,143 | $1,404 | $1,704 | +4.0% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$1,099 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $871 for a studio, $877 for one bedroom, $1,318 for three and $1,657 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 Preston actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Preston for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
Free tier. No credit card.