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.

FMR filing desk

Area ATHENS·COUNTY·OH·OH

Athens County, OH: $907/mo 1BR · #1321 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA OH
  • 1BR-FMR $907
  • 2BR-FMR $1,092
  • RANK-MID #1,321
  • YOY-SURGE +9.4%
  • VSUS-NEAR -5%
  • VS-ST-NEAR +4% OH
  • INC-MID 20%
  • POP-MID 61K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Franklin County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $816–$998
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Franklin ($287 1BR gap)

Read with: How Fair Market Rent works

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $816 · US avg: $893
$902/mo
↑ 9.5% YoY +11% vs state +1% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $873 · US avg: $959
$907/mo
↑ 9.4% YoY +4% vs state -5% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,092 · US avg: $1,175
$1,092/mo
↑ 4.7% YoY +0% vs state -7% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,388 · US avg: $1,525
$1,338/mo
↑ 6.4% YoY -4% vs state -12% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,550 · US avg: $1,756
$1,491/mo
↓ 3.2% YoY -4% vs state -15% vs US

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%)

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio
20.1%
Affordable
Need $36,080/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
20.2%
Affordable
Need $36,280/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
24.3%
Affordable
Need $43,680/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
29.8%
Affordable
Need $53,520/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
33.2%
Burdened
Need $59,640/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%24.3%
Athens County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $53,837 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Ohio 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

$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%). This entry sits in this band. $1,200–$1,400: 417 counties (13%). Above this entry. $1,400–$1,600: 181 counties (6%). Above this entry. $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 Athens compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Ohio counties

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).

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

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
Salaries: BLS OES (Ohio) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

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).

$650$700$750$800$850$900$950 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $907
Athens County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
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
Total change (6yr): +28.7%
Annualized: +4.3%/yr
1 BR: $705 → $907

Part of the Athens, OH Micro Area

Athens County is a central county of the Athens, OH micropolitan statistical area.

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Athens County, both outside Ohio 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 OH (FY2026).

Roane County
TN · 2 BR $1,092/mo
Shenandoah County
VA · 2 BR $1,091/mo
Dickinson County
IA · 2 BR $1,091/mo
Mitchell County
TX · 2 BR $1,091/mo

Similar rent burden

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

Seminole County
OK · 24.3% of income · 2 BR $937/mo
Pointe Coupee Parish
LA · 24.3% of income · 2 BR $1,204/mo
McIntosh County
OK · 24.3% of income · 2 BR $937/mo
Washington County
AR · 24.3% of income · 2 BR $1,347/mo

Nearby Counties in Ohio

Largest counties by population in Ohio

Showing the 8 largest of 87 other counties in Ohio.

Franklin County
1 BR: $1,194/mo Pop: 1,318,149
Cuyahoga County
1 BR: $1,058/mo Pop: 1,256,620
Hamilton County
1 BR: $1,051/mo Pop: 827,671
Summit County
1 BR: $985/mo Pop: 539,361
Montgomery County
1 BR: $1,009/mo Pop: 536,121
Lucas County
1 BR: $820/mo Pop: 430,014
Butler County
1 BR: $1,051/mo Pop: 388,327
Stark County
1 BR: $846/mo Pop: 374,199
View all counties in Ohio →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Athens County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Athens County is $907 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,092 and a studio is $902.
How does Athens County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Athens County is 5% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $907 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Athens County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Athens County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,092 ranks #1,321 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the middle half of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Athens County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $36,280 ($3,023/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Athens County.
Is rent going up or down in Athens County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Athens County increased by 9.4% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $829 to $907.
Which jobs can afford rent in Athens County? ▼
Based on Ohio BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $907/mo. 11 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Athens County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Athens County went from $705 in FY 2020 to $907 in FY 2026, a total change of +28.7% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Athens County? ▼
In Athens County, the FY 2026 FMR of $907/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 Athens County? ▼
For Athens County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($907/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.