About · HUD FMR data

About PlainRent

We make HUD's official Fair Market Rent data searchable and comparable for every county and metro area in the United States, free for renters, advocates, landlords, and researchers.

FY2026
Current FMR schedule
HUD + Census
Federal data sources
Free
No paywall, no signup

Our Mission

PlainRent exists because we believe rental affordability data should be easy for everyone to access and understand. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development publishes Fair Market Rents for every county and metropolitan area in the country, but the raw data is buried in spreadsheets and technical documentation designed for program administrators, not everyday renters or researchers.

We built PlainRent to change that. Our mission is to make HUD's Fair Market Rent data instantly searchable and comparable, helping renters understand local rental benchmarks, housing advocates track affordability trends, landlords set competitive prices, and policymakers evaluate housing program effectiveness. Whether you are applying for a Housing Choice Voucher, researching rent trends for a journalism project, or simply curious how rents in your county compare to the national picture, PlainRent delivers the answer in seconds.

We believe that housing cost transparency empowers better decisions. By presenting official rent benchmarks alongside year-over-year trends and geographic comparisons, we help more people navigate the rental market with reliable data.

Our Data Sources

All rent data on PlainRent comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Fair Market Rent documentation system. We incorporate data from two fiscal years:

  • FY2026 Fair Market Rents: The current fiscal year's FMR schedule, covering studio through 4-bedroom units for every county and metropolitan area in the United States. Downloaded from HUD's official bulk data files (FY2026_4050_FMR.xlsx).
  • FY2025 Fair Market Rents: The prior fiscal year's schedule, enabling year-over-year comparisons and trend analysis. Downloaded from the same HUD data system (FY2025_4050_FMR.xlsx).

Fair Market Rents represent HUD's estimate of the 40th percentile of gross rents (including utilities) for standard quality rental units in a given area. They are used to set payment standards for the Housing Choice Voucher program (Section 8), rent ceilings for the HOME Investment Partnerships program, Emergency Solutions Grants, and maximum rents for Continuum of Care programs.

PlainRent covers over 3,100 counties and 400 metropolitan areas across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, with FMR data for studio through 4-bedroom units.

How We Process the Data

Our methodology begins with downloading annual Fair Market Rent schedules directly from HUD's FMR documentation system. We parse the bulk Excel files and load each record into a searchable database organized by county and metropolitan area. Each record includes FMR values for studio, 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom, 3-bedroom, and 4-bedroom units, along with year-over-year percentage changes computed against the prior fiscal year's figures.

State-level summaries aggregate county FMR data to show median rents, affordability indicators, and rent distributions across unit sizes. Cross-database enrichment from school quality data and neighborhood safety metrics provides additional context for renters evaluating areas. ZIP code lookups are mapped to their corresponding county FMR areas using HUD's crosswalk files.

All rent figures represent HUD's 40th-percentile gross rent estimates, they are not current market listing prices. We present the data as published by HUD without adjustment or editorializing.

Data Currency

HUD publishes new Fair Market Rent schedules annually, typically in the fall for the upcoming federal fiscal year (which runs October 1 through September 30). Our update schedule follows HUD's publication cycle, we refresh our database periodically after each new FMR release, not on a same-day basis.

The current data reflects FY2026 Fair Market Rents with FY2025 figures retained for year-over-year comparison. FMR estimates are based on American Community Survey data and local rent surveys conducted by HUD, typically reflecting market conditions from 1-2 years prior to the fiscal year. Data freshness indicators appear on individual area pages.

Editorial Independence & How Content Is Produced

PlainRent content is compiled by our editorial team from official source data. Raw data from HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research, the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey, and HUD's annual Random Digit Dialing rent survey is transformed into readable profiles by our editorial team. Each update is validated against the source agency's published documentation - Census ACS table B25064 for gross rent, HUD's published FY 2026 FMR documentation for area definitions, and BLS rent CPI for inflation reconciliation, before publication. The PlainRent editorial team, operating under PlainRent is responsible for editorial standards, methodology, and corrections.

We do not accept payment, sponsorship, or promoted placement from government agencies, environmental organizations, or any covered entity. Our only revenue source is contextual display advertising served by Google AdSense, advertisers do not influence which entities we cover or how we present data, and they do not receive preferential placement.

Limitations and Disclaimers

  • FMRs are not current market rents. Fair Market Rents are statistical estimates of the 40th percentile of gross rents, not real-time market prices. Actual rental listings in your area may be higher or lower than the FMR.
  • Data lag. FMR estimates are based on American Community Survey data that may be 1-2 years old by the time of publication. Rapidly changing markets may not be fully reflected in current FMR figures.
  • Area definitions vary. HUD uses a mix of metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) and non-metropolitan county areas. A single county's FMR may apply to a large geographic area with significant local rent variation.
  • Not a rent calculator. FMR data provides benchmarks for government housing programs, not rental price guarantees. Actual rent depends on unit condition, location within the area, amenities, and local market dynamics.
  • Voucher payment standards may differ. Public Housing Authorities may set payment standards between 90% and 110% of FMR (or higher with HUD approval). The FMR itself is a benchmark, not the actual voucher payment amount.

PlainRent is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development or any government agency. This site is for informational purposes only. Always verify important housing decisions with official HUD resources or your local Public Housing Authority.

Contact

Questions, feedback, or data corrections? Email us at hello@plainrent.com. We welcome suggestions for improving the site and reports of any data discrepancies.