HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Portage County, Wisconsin (FY 2026)
$1,037 a month. That's HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Portage County, and it's the baseline every voucher in Portage is measured against.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,037
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$933 to $1,141
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$41,480
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Wisconsin
33rd of 72
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Portage moves to $1,077. 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 Portage actually rent for?
Search any address in Portage 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 | $715 | $644 to $787 | $28,600 | $13.75/hr | +1.3% |
| 1 bedroom | $794 | $715 to $873 | $31,760 | $15.27/hr | 0.0% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,037 | $933 to $1,141 | $41,480 | $19.94/hr | +0.8% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,243 | $1,119 to $1,367 | $49,720 | $23.90/hr | +0.2% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,373 | $1,236 to $1,510 | $54,920 | $26.40/hr | -1.1% |
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 | $1,579 | $1,421 to $1,737 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,785 | $1,607 to $1,964 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $1,991 | $1,792 to $2,190 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,197 | $1,977 to $2,417 |
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 Portage, that runs from $715 for a studio up to $1,373 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Portage 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, Stevens Point included.
Among Wisconsin's 72 counties, Portage ranks 33rd for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 3% above the state median of $1,010 and within a couple percent of the national median county at $1,018. About 70,281 people live here, 23rd in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $970 in 54406 (Amherst) and $1,160 in 54407 (Amherst Junction), with the 11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 54406 | Amherst | $970 | -6.5% |
| 54407 | Amherst Junction | $1,160 | +11.9% |
| 54423 | Custer | $970 | -6.5% |
| 54443 | Junction City | $970 | -6.5% |
| 54458 | Nelsonville | $1,010 | -2.6% |
| 54467 | Plover | $1,140 | +9.9% |
| 54473 | Rosholt | $970 | -6.5% |
| 54481 | Stevens Point | $1,030 | -0.7% |
| 54482 | Stevens Point | $1,120 | +8.0% |
| 54492 | Stevens Point | $1,037County rate | — |
| 54909 | Almond | $1,030 | -0.7% |
| 54921 | Bancroft | $970 | -6.5% |
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 Portage somewhere between $933 and $1,141. 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.
$1,037 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $41,480 a year. Put another way, $20 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% ($933) | HAP at 100% ($1,037) | HAP at 110% ($1,141) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $183 | $287 | $391 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 1% from FY 2025 ($1,029) to FY 2026 ($1,037). Since FY 2020 it's up 32% in total, about 4.8% 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 | $610 | $627 | $784 | $1,032 | $1,262 | — |
| FY 2021 | $566 | $617 | $782 | $1,008 | $1,192 | -0.3% |
| FY 2022 | $569 | $654 | $844 | $1,093 | $1,187 | +7.9% |
| FY 2023 | $604 | $703 | $904 | $1,154 | $1,269 | +7.1% |
| FY 2024 | $662 | $762 | $977 | $1,224 | $1,335 | +8.1% |
| FY 2025 | $706 | $794 | $1,029 | $1,240 | $1,388 | +5.3% |
| FY 2026 | $715 | $794 | $1,037 | $1,243 | $1,373 | +0.8% |
| FY 2027 | $750 | $828 | $1,077 | $1,283 | $1,415 | +3.9% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$1,037 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $715 for a studio, $794 for one bedroom, $1,243 for three and $1,373 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 Portage actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Portage for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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