HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Wetzel County, West Virginia (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Wetzel County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $937 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Wetzel keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$937
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$843 to $1,031
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$37,480
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in West Virginia
21st of 55
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Wetzel moves to $944. That's up 1%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Wetzel actually rent for?
Search any address in Wetzel 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 | $709 | $638 to $780 | $28,360 | $13.63/hr | +1.7% |
| 1 bedroom | $714 | $643 to $785 | $28,560 | $13.73/hr | +1.9% |
| 2 bedroom | $937 | $843 to $1,031 | $37,480 | $18.02/hr | +1.8% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,206 | $1,085 to $1,327 | $48,240 | $23.19/hr | +8.5% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,241 | $1,117 to $1,365 | $49,640 | $23.87/hr | +1.7% |
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 | $1,427 | $1,284 to $1,570 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,613 | $1,452 to $1,774 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $1,799 | $1,619 to $1,979 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $1,986 | $1,787 to $2,185 |
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 Wetzel, that runs from $709 for a studio up to $1,241 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Wetzel 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, New Martinsville included.
Among West Virginia's 55 counties, Wetzel ranks 21st for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 2% above the state median of $915 and about 8% below the national median county at $1,018. About 14,431 people live here, 37th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $920 in 26377 (Jacksonburg) and $970 in 26155 (New Martinsville), with the 12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26155 | New Martinsville | $970 | +3.5% |
| 26159 | Paden City | $960 | +2.5% |
| 26162 | Porters Falls | $970 | +3.5% |
| 26167 | Reader | $940 | +0.3% |
| 26348 | Folsom | $940 | +0.3% |
| 26377 | Jacksonburg | $920 | -1.8% |
| 26419 | Pine Grove | $940 | +0.3% |
| 26437 | Smithfield | $940 | +0.3% |
| 26561 | Big Run | $940 | +0.3% |
| 26562 | Burton | $970 | +3.5% |
| 26575 | Hundred | $960 | +2.5% |
| 26581 | Littleton | $940 | +0.3% |
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 Wetzel somewhere between $843 and $1,031. 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.
$937 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $37,480 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% ($843) | HAP at 100% ($937) | HAP at 110% ($1,031) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $93 | $187 | $281 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 2% from FY 2025 ($920) to FY 2026 ($937). Since FY 2020 it's up 42% in total, about 6.0% 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 | $500 | $503 | $662 | $907 | $1,054 | — |
| FY 2021 | $495 | $513 | $676 | $895 | $983 | +2.1% |
| FY 2022 | $523 | $559 | $735 | $928 | $997 | +8.7% |
| FY 2023 | $565 | $620 | $816 | $993 | $1,096 | +11.0% |
| FY 2024 | $699 | $703 | $924 | $1,117 | $1,231 | +13.2% |
| FY 2025 | $697 | $701 | $920 | $1,112 | $1,220 | -0.4% |
| FY 2026 | $709 | $714 | $937 | $1,206 | $1,241 | +1.8% |
| FY 2027 | $708 | $791 | $944 | $1,235 | $1,278 | +0.7% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$937 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $709 for a studio, $714 for one bedroom, $1,206 for three and $1,241 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 Wetzel actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Wetzel for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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