County FMR · HUD FY2026
Athens County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Athens County, OH - 5% below the US average.
- $907
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,092
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +9.4%
- YoY change
- -5%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Athens is the 28th most expensive of 88 counties in Ohio by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,321 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 9.4% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.
- #1,321
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #28
- most expensive of 88 in Ohio (2BR)
- +4%
- vs the state average
- $36,280
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (10.1%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (38.7%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Athens County, OH. Verify with HUD →
Athens County, Ohio carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $907 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,092/mo and a studio is $902/mo. That's 5% below the national benchmark of $959 and 4% above the Ohio average of $873.
Rent increased9.4% from FY 2025 ($829), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $36,280/year for a 1-bedroom.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Ohio. Population: 61,276. Population declined 6.6% over the past five years (Census ACS), a trend that can ease rental-market pressure over time even as FMR reflects recent rent levels. That's slower than Ohio's statewide growth of +1.2% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Athens 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, Athens County's 2-bedroom of $1,092 ranks #1,321 most expensive of 3,145 US counties, in the middle half of HUD counties.
Athens County's 1-bedroom FMR tracks close to the national mid-point (5% below the US average of $959), while sitting 4% above the Ohio average of $873. The 1-bedroom FMR went from$829 in FY 2025 to $907 in FY 2026, a change of +9.4%, which outpaces typical consumer inflation.
At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $907, the 30% rule points to $36,280/year (about $3,023/month) versus this county's median household income of $53,837. A 2-bedroom at $1,092 pushes the threshold higher.
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $824 | $902 | +$78 (+9.5%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $829 | $907 | +$78 (+9.4%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,043 | $1,092 | +$49 (+4.7%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,257 | $1,338 | +$81 (+6.4%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,540 | $1,491 | $-49 (-3.2%) |
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 Athens 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.
Athens County 2-bedroom rent burden
Where Athens sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,092 higher than 58% 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 Athens compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Ohio counties
- Franklin
Franklin County
$1,194 1BR FMR / mo
- Cuyahoga
Cuyahoga County
$1,058 1BR FMR / mo
- Hamilton
Hamilton County
$1,051 1BR FMR / mo
- Montgomery
Montgomery County
$1,009 1BR FMR / mo
- Summit
Summit County
$985 1BR FMR / mo
- Athens
Athens County
$907 1BR FMR / mo
- Lucas
Lucas County
$820 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Athens is highlighted. Nearby Ohio counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Franklin County ($1,194), Cuyahoga County ($1,058), Hamilton County ($1,051), Montgomery County ($1,009), Summit County ($985), Athens County (this county) ($907), Lucas County ($820).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $907/mo compares to Ohio salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | OH Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $107,690 | 10.1% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $94,990 | 11.5% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $81,250 | 13.4% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $77,640 | 14% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $77,050 | 14.1% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $65,380 | 16.6% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $63,560 | 17.1% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $58,870 | 18.5% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $58,080 | 18.7% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $43,510 | 25% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $37,860 | 28.7% | Affordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $35,380 | 30.8% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $34,710 | 31.4% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $30,440 | 35.8% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $28,100 | 38.7% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Athens County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Athens (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 28.7% overall, from $705 to $907. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 9.4% (FY 2026).
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑9.4% | $902 | $907 | $1,092 |
| FY 2025 ↑2.5% | $824 | $829 | $1,043 |
| FY 2024 ↑2.1% | $804 | $809 | $983 |
| FY 2023 ↑3.9% | $779 | $792 | $926 |
| FY 2022 ↑3.1% | $738 | $762 | $868 |
| FY 2021 ↑4.8% | $722 | $739 | $842 |
| FY 2020 | $685 | $705 | $802 |
Part of the Athens, OH Micro Area
Athens County is a central county of the Athens, OH micropolitan statistical area.
Nearby Counties in Ohio
Largest counties by population in Ohio
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Athens County? ▼
How does Athens County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Where does Athens County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Athens County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Athens County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Athens County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Athens County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Athens County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Athens County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Athens'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 $907 implies about $36,280/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 Athens 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.