County FMR · HUD FY2026
Arapahoe County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Arapahoe County, CO - 83% above the US average.
- $1,754
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $2,089
- 2-bedroom FMR
- -2.0%
- YoY change
- +83%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Arapahoe is the 13th most expensive of 64 counties in Colorado by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #94 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties.
- #94
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #13
- most expensive of 64 in Colorado (2BR)
- +51%
- vs the state average
- $70,160
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (15.6%), while Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary spend the most (67.1%); only 6 of 15 common occupations here can afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding the 30% threshold.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Arapahoe County, CO. Verify with HUD →
Arapahoe County, Colorado carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,754 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $2,089/mo and a studio is $1,643/mo. That's 83% above the national benchmark of $959 and 51% above the Colorado average of $1,161.
Rent decreased2.0% from FY 2025 ($1,789), declining against the trend. Clearing the 30% rule here takes $70,160/year, a high bar relative to most US counties.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Colorado. Population: 654,453. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+3.0%, Census ACS). That's slower than Colorado's statewide growth of +5.1% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Arapahoe County
HUD publishes one FMR schedule per FMR area (often the county). Local housing authorities use it as the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher payment-standard baseline. See how FMR is calculated.
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Arapahoe County's 2-bedroom of $2,089 ranks #94 most expensive of 3,145 US counties, in the highest-rent tenth of HUD counties.
Arapahoe County sits in the expensive tier: 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent is 83% above the US average of $959, and 51% above the Colorado average of $1,161. Voucher payment standards and renter budgets both feel that premium. From FY 2025 to FY 2026 the 1-bedroom schedule moved $1,789 → $1,754 (-2.0%), a rare easing in a high-rent county.
At $1,754/mo for a 1-bedroom, the 30% rule wants $70,160/year: still within reach of the county median income of $97,215, though a 2-bedroom at $2,089 raises the bar.
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,639 | $1,643 | +$4 (+0.2%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $1,789 | $1,754 | $-35 (-2.0%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $2,140 | $2,089 | $-51 (-2.4%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $2,794 | $2,734 | $-60 (-2.1%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $3,127 | $3,049 | $-78 (-2.5%) |
Affordability Snapshot
Based on the standard that rent should not exceed 30% of gross income:
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Arapahoe County. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.
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.
Where Arapahoe sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$2,089 Top 3% higher than 97% of 3,145 counties
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 Arapahoe compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Colorado counties
- Arapahoe
Arapahoe County
$1,754 1BR FMR / mo
- Denver
Denver County
$1,754 1BR FMR / mo
- Jefferson
Jefferson County
$1,754 1BR FMR / mo
- Adams
Adams County
$1,754 1BR FMR / mo
- Douglas
Douglas County
$1,754 1BR FMR / mo
- Larimer
Larimer County
$1,537 1BR FMR / mo
- El Paso
El Paso County
$1,464 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Arapahoe is highlighted. Nearby Colorado counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Arapahoe County (this county) ($1,754), Denver County ($1,754), Jefferson County ($1,754), Adams County ($1,754), Douglas County ($1,754), Larimer County ($1,537), El Paso County ($1,464).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
Against a high local FMR of $1,754/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using Colorado BLS wages?
| Occupation | CO Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $134,540 | 15.6% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $130,340 | 16.1% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $96,520 | 21.8% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $96,100 | 21.9% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $90,030 | 23.4% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $73,380 | 28.7% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $62,090 | 33.9% | Stretched |
| Elementary School Teachers | $61,550 | 34.2% | Stretched |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $60,260 | 34.9% | Stretched |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $48,070 | 43.8% | Stretched |
| Customer Service Representatives | $46,020 | 45.7% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $37,270 | 56.5% | Unaffordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $36,960 | 56.9% | Unaffordable |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $35,440 | 59.4% | Unaffordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $31,390 | 67.1% | Unaffordable |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Arapahoe County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Arapahoe (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 39.2% overall, from $1,260 to $1,754. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +19.3% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↓2.0% | $1,643 | $1,754 | $2,089 |
| FY 2025 ↓2.5% | $1,639 | $1,789 | $2,140 |
| FY 2024 ↑19.3% | $1,658 | $1,835 | $2,201 |
| FY 2023 ↑12.8% | $1,390 | $1,538 | $1,856 |
| FY 2022 ↑4.6% | $1,236 | $1,364 | $1,659 |
| FY 2021 ↑3.5% | $1,179 | $1,304 | $1,605 |
| FY 2020 | $1,114 | $1,260 | $1,566 |
Part of the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO Metro Area
Arapahoe County is a central county of the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metropolitan statistical area, alongside 9 other metro-area counties.
Arapahoe County ranks #10 of 10 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Denver County ($1,754), Jefferson County ($1,754), Adams County ($1,754), Douglas County ($1,754), Broomfield County ($1,754), Elbert County ($1,754), Park County ($1,754), Clear Creek County ($1,754), Gilpin County ($1,754), Arapahoe County (this county) ($1,754).
Nearby Counties in Colorado
Largest counties by population in Colorado
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Arapahoe County? ▼
How does Arapahoe County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Where does Arapahoe County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Arapahoe County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Arapahoe County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Arapahoe County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Arapahoe County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Arapahoe County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Arapahoe County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Arapahoe's FY2026 Fair Market Rent as HUD's affordability benchmark, not a market quote.
- Budget to roughly 30% of income: the FY2026 1-bedroom FMR of $1,754 implies about $70,160/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Compare this county against nearby metros and states before signing a lease. Compare areas
- See where it sits on the national rent map. View rankings
Fair Market Rent is HUD's 40th-percentile policy benchmark used to set Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. Actual asking rents in Arapahoe can run higher or lower, and HUD updates FMRs once a year. This page is informational and not financial or relocation advice.
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.
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.