HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Polk County, Wisconsin (FY 2026)
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Polk County is $1,097 a month. That's the number the housing authority starts from when it sets Section 8 payment standards here.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,097
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$987 to $1,207
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$43,880
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Wisconsin
30th of 72
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Polk moves to $1,121. That's up 2%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Polk actually rent for?
Search any address in Polk 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 | $756 | $680 to $832 | $30,240 | $14.54/hr | -0.5% |
| 1 bedroom | $836 | $752 to $920 | $33,440 | $16.08/hr | -1.1% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,097 | $987 to $1,207 | $43,880 | $21.10/hr | -1.0% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,357 | $1,221 to $1,493 | $54,280 | $26.10/hr | +1.6% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,669 | $1,502 to $1,836 | $66,760 | $32.10/hr | -0.2% |
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 | $1,919 | $1,727 to $2,111 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,170 | $1,953 to $2,387 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,420 | $2,178 to $2,662 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,670 | $2,403 to $2,937 |
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 Polk, that runs from $756 for a studio up to $1,669 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Polk 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, Amery included.
Among Wisconsin's 72 counties, Polk ranks 30th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 9% above the state median of $1,010 and about 8% above the national median county at $1,018. About 45,128 people live here, 33rd in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,000 in 54004 (Clayton) and $1,520 in 54005 (Clear Lake), with the 13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 54001 | Amery | $1,230 | +12.1% |
| 54004 | Clayton | $1,000 | -8.8% |
| 54005 | Clear Lake | $1,520 | +38.6% |
| 54006 | Cushing | $1,000 | -8.8% |
| 54009 | Dresser | $1,260 | +14.9% |
| 54020 | Osceola | $1,520 | +38.6% |
| 54024 | Saint Croix Falls | $1,080 | -1.5% |
| 54026 | Star Prairie | $1,520 | +38.6% |
| 54810 | Balsam Lake | $1,270 | +15.8% |
| 54824 | Centuria | $1,000 | -8.8% |
| 54837 | Frederic | $1,000 | -8.8% |
| 54853 | Luck | $1,010 | -7.9% |
| 54858 | Milltown | $1,000 | -8.8% |
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 Polk somewhere between $987 and $1,207. 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.
$1,097 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $43,880 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% ($987) | HAP at 100% ($1,097) | HAP at 110% ($1,207) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $237 | $347 | $457 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $7 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went down 1% from FY 2025 ($1,108) to FY 2026 ($1,097). Since FY 2020 it's up 31% in total, about 4.5% a year. The Wisconsin median moved up 1% over the same year.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $547 | $638 | $840 | $1,085 | $1,138 | — |
| FY 2021 | $550 | $633 | $834 | $1,048 | $1,131 | -0.7% |
| FY 2022 | $593 | $679 | $893 | $1,104 | $1,211 | +7.1% |
| FY 2023 | $643 | $731 | $962 | $1,171 | $1,326 | +7.7% |
| FY 2024 | $691 | $776 | $1,020 | $1,233 | $1,498 | +6.0% |
| FY 2025 | $760 | $845 | $1,108 | $1,335 | $1,673 | +8.6% |
| FY 2026 | $756 | $836 | $1,097 | $1,357 | $1,669 | -1.0% |
| FY 2027 | $781 | $857 | $1,121 | $1,437 | $1,705 | +2.2% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$1,097 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $756 for a studio, $836 for one bedroom, $1,357 for three and $1,669 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 Polk actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Polk for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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