County FMR · HUD FY2026

Alpine County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Alpine County, CA - 21% above the US average.

$1,165
1-bedroom FMR
$1,529
2-bedroom FMR
+5.8%
YoY change
+21%
vs US avg

The verdict

Alpine is the 18th cheapest of 58 counties in California by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #440 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 5.8% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.

#440
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#18
cheapest of 58 in California (2BR)
-29%
vs the state average
$46,600
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (8.2%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (37.8%); nearby California counties range as much as 68% apart in 1-bedroom FMR, so the county line itself can matter for renters comparing options.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Alpine County, CA. Verify with HUD →

The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Alpine County, California is $1,165 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $1,529/mo and a studio is $1,068/mo. This is 21% higher than the national average of $959 and 29% below the California average of $1,647.

Rent increased5.8% from FY 2025 ($1,101), outpacing inflation. A household needs about $46,600/year to stay under the 30% rent-to-income line.

Observed renter burden: 5.6% of the 90 renter households counted by ACS paid at least 30% of income in gross rent. This ACS 2023 household measure is distinct from HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent benchmark above.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in California. Population: 1,515.

FMR filing desk

Area ALPINE·COUNTY·CA·CA

Alpine County, CA: $1,165/mo 1BR · #440 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA CA
  • 1BR-FMR $1,165
  • 2BR-FMR $1,529
  • RANK-MID #440
  • YOY-SURGE +5.8%
  • VSUS-ABOVE +21%
  • VS-ST-LOW -29% CA
  • INC-ROOM 13%
  • POP-SMALL 2K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Los Angeles County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $1,049–$1,282
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Los Angeles ($920 1BR gap)

Read with: Understanding rent burden

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $1,513 · US avg: $893
$1,068/mo
↑ 6.5% YoY -29% vs state +20% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $1,647 · US avg: $959
$1,165/mo
↑ 5.8% YoY -29% vs state +21% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $2,053 · US avg: $1,175
$1,529/mo
↑ 5.8% YoY -26% vs state +30% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $2,752 · US avg: $1,525
$2,126/mo
↑ 5.0% YoY -23% vs state +39% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $3,165 · US avg: $1,756
$2,527/mo
↑ 5.5% YoY -20% vs state +44% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $1,003
$1,068
+$65 (+6.5%)
1 Bedroom $1,101
$1,165
+$64 (+5.8%)
2 Bedroom $1,445
$1,529
+$84 (+5.8%)
3 Bedroom $2,025
$2,126
+$101 (+5.0%)
4 Bedroom $2,396
$2,527
+$131 (+5.5%)

Rent Burden Analysis

How much of household income goes to rent in Alpine County. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.

Studio
11.6%
Affordable
Need $42,720/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
12.6%
Affordable
Need $46,600/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
16.6%
Affordable
Need $61,160/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
23%
Affordable
Need $85,040/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
27.4%
Affordable
Need $101,080/yr for 30% rule
How we calculate this

Rent burden = (FMR × 12) ÷ county median household income. Required income = (FMR × 12) ÷ 0.3, the federal 30%-of-gross-income rule HUD uses to define cost burden. Median household income is from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey; FMR is from HUD's FY2026 release. See methodology.

0%100%National avg22%16.6%
Alpine County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $110,781 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View California rent burden →

Where Alpine sits among every US county

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties

$1,529 Top 14% higher than 86% of 3,145 counties

$600–$800: 23 counties (1%). Below this entry. $800–$1,000: 1,406 counties (45%). Below this entry. $1,000–$1,200: 723 counties (23%). Below this entry. $1,200–$1,400: 417 counties (13%). Below this entry. $1,400–$1,600: 181 counties (6%). This entry sits in this band. $1,600–$1,800: 172 counties (5%). Above this entry. $1,800–$2,000: 108 counties (3%). Above this entry. $2,000–$2,200: 29 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,200–$2,400: 40 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,400–$2,600: 13 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,600–$2,800: 9 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,800–$3,000: 15 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,000–$3,200: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,200–$3,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,400–$3,600: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,600–$3,800: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,800–$4,000: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,000–$4,200: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,200–$4,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. This county $600 $4,400 every US county, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $0.2K-wide band; taller bars hold more counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents · FY2026

How Alpine compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other California counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Alpine is highlighted. Nearby California counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Santa Clara County ($2,982), Orange County ($2,746), San Diego County ($2,459), Los Angeles County ($2,085), Riverside County ($1,777), San Bernardino County ($1,777), Alpine County (this county) ($1,165).

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) As of FY2026

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

Against a high local FMR of $1,165/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using California BLS wages?

Occupation CA Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $170,910 8.2% Affordable
Registered Nurses $140,330 10% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $125,240 11.2% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $115,400 12.1% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $98,190 14.2% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $96,360 14.5% Affordable
Electricians $76,540 18.3% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $72,960 19.2% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $59,950 23.3% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $49,640 28.2% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $47,790 29.3% Affordable
Teaching Assistants $45,460 30.8% Stretched
Janitors & Cleaners $38,640 36.2% Stretched
Retail Salespersons $37,250 37.5% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $37,010 37.8% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (California) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

7-year Fair Market Rent history for Alpine County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Alpine (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 49.7% overall, from $778 to $1,165. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +15.9% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.

$700$800$900$1,000$1,100$1,200 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $1,165
Alpine County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑5.8% $1,068 $1,165 $1,529
FY 2025 ↑9.6% $1,003 $1,101 $1,445
FY 2024 ↑15.9% $911 $1,005 $1,321
FY 2023 ↑5.5% $776 $867 $1,140
FY 2022 ↑0.4% $725 $822 $1,073
FY 2021 ↑5.3% $723 $819 $1,068
FY 2020 $685 $778 $1,014
Total change (6yr): +49.7%
Annualized: +7.0%/yr
1 BR: $778 → $1,165

Part of the Gardnerville Ranchos, NV-CA Micro Area

Alpine County is a outlying county of the Gardnerville Ranchos, NV-CA micropolitan statistical area, alongside 1 other micro-area county.

Alpine County ranks #2 of 2 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Douglas County ($1,291), Alpine County (this county) ($1,165).

Douglas County
1 BR: $1,291/mo
Alpine County (this county)
1 BR: $1,165/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Alpine County, both outside California so the link neighborhoods are not the same-state geography lattice above. Axes stay disjoint: burden peers exclude the FMR peer set.

Similar 2-bedroom FMR

Nearest HUD 2BR Fair Market Rents outside CA (FY2026).

Monroe County
PA · 2 BR $1,529/mo
Jackson County
OR · 2 BR $1,530/mo
Elko County
NV · 2 BR $1,530/mo
Kent County
MI · 2 BR $1,531/mo

Similar rent burden

Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside CA).

Medina County
OH · 16.6% of income · 2 BR $1,279/mo
Alfalfa County
OK · 16.6% of income · 2 BR $937/mo
Pierce County
ND · 16.6% of income · 2 BR $873/mo
Franklin County
VA · 16.6% of income · 2 BR $944/mo

Nearby Counties in California

Largest counties by population in California

Showing the 8 largest of 57 other counties in California.

Los Angeles County
1 BR: $2,085/mo Pop: 9,936,690
San Diego County
1 BR: $2,459/mo Pop: 3,289,701
Orange County
1 BR: $2,746/mo Pop: 3,175,227
Riverside County
1 BR: $1,777/mo Pop: 2,429,487
San Bernardino County
1 BR: $1,777/mo Pop: 2,180,563
Santa Clara County
1 BR: $2,982/mo Pop: 1,916,831
Alameda County
1 BR: $2,385/mo Pop: 1,663,823
Sacramento County
1 BR: $1,832/mo Pop: 1,579,211
View all counties in California →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Alpine County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Alpine County is $1,165 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,529 and a studio is $1,068.
How does Alpine County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Alpine County is 21% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,165 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Alpine County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Alpine County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,529 ranks #440 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the upper-rent quarter of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Alpine County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $46,600 ($3,883/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Alpine County.
Is rent going up or down in Alpine County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Alpine County increased by 5.8% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,101 to $1,165.
Which jobs can afford rent in Alpine County? ▼
Based on California BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, Registered Nurses, General and Operations Managers can afford a 1-bedroom at $1,165/mo. 11 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Alpine County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Alpine County went from $778 in FY 2020 to $1,165 in FY 2026, a total change of +49.7% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Alpine County? ▼
In Alpine County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,165/mo for a 1-bedroom sets the baseline that local housing authorities use for Section 8 payment standards.
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Alpine County? ▼
For Alpine County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,165/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and HUD Fair Market Rents. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.

All federal data sources used on this page
  • HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) - county-level fair-market rent estimates by bedroom count. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
  • HUD Income Limits - area median income for affordability calculations. huduser.gov/datasets/il
  • HUD Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) - rent burden and housing-cost distribution. huduser.gov/datasets/cp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - county and metro housing characteristics + median rent. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • BLS Consumer Price Index, Rent of Primary Residence - rent inflation by metro. bls.gov/cpi
  • IRS Migration Data (SOI) - interstate migration aggregates affecting county demand. irs.gov/statistics/migration
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics - state-level median wages by occupation, used for job affordability analysis. bls.gov/oes

Every figure on PlainRent is rendered directly from HUD's published Fair Market Rent records, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of FY 2026.