County FMR · HUD FY2026
Baker County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Baker County, GA - 20% below the US average.
- $770
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $973
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +7.7%
- YoY change
- -20%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Baker is the 4th cheapest of 159 counties in Georgia by 2-bedroom FMR; rent here has climbed 7.7% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.
- #4
- cheapest of 159 in Georgia (2BR)
- -25%
- vs the state average
- $30,800
- income to afford it (30% rule)
- +7.7%
- YoY, FY2025→2026
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (7.2%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (35.1%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Baker County, GA. Verify with HUD →
Baker County, Georgia carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $770 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $973/mo and a studio is $765/mo. That's 20% below the national benchmark of $959 and 25% below the Georgia average of $1,023.
Rent increased7.7% from FY 2025 ($715), outpacing inflation. To afford rent here, a household needs at least $30,800/year based on the 30% affordability rule.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Georgia. Population: 2,878. Population declined 11.3% 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 Georgia's statewide growth of +5.1% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Baker County
The Baker County FMR area applies to all ZIP codes inside the county boundary, and Georgia's housing authorities use it as the baseline for Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. See how FMR is calculated for the full 40th-percentile methodology and payment-standard rules.
Compared to the rest of the country, a 1-bedroom here is 20% below the US average of $959 and 25% lower than the Georgia state average of $1,023. The 1-bedroom FMR went from$715 in FY 2025 to $770 in FY 2026 - a change of +7.7%, which outpaces typical consumer inflation.
At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $770, affording it under the 30%-of-income rule takes $30,800 per year (about $2,567/month) in household income, and a 2-bedroom at $973 pushes that threshold even higher. With a population of 2,878 and a county median household income of $44,405, the arithmetic here directly shapes which wage earners can rent without being cost-burdened.
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $710 | $765 | +$55 (+7.7%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $715 | $770 | +$55 (+7.7%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $905 | $973 | +$68 (+7.5%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,268 | $1,353 | +$85 (+6.7%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,300 | $1,395 | +$95 (+7.3%) |
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 Baker 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.
Baker County 2-bedroom rent burden
Where Baker sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$973 higher than 31% 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 Baker compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Georgia counties
- Fulton
Fulton County
$1,660 1BR FMR / mo
- Gwinnett
Gwinnett County
$1,660 1BR FMR / mo
- Cobb
Cobb County
$1,660 1BR FMR / mo
- DeKalb
DeKalb County
$1,660 1BR FMR / mo
- Clayton
Clayton County
$1,660 1BR FMR / mo
- Chatham
Chatham County
$1,533 1BR FMR / mo
- Baker
Baker County
$770 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Baker is highlighted. Nearby Georgia counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Fulton County ($1,660), Gwinnett County ($1,660), Cobb County ($1,660), DeKalb County ($1,660), Clayton County ($1,660), Chatham County ($1,533), Baker County (this county) ($770).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $770/mo compares to Georgia salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | GA Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $128,920 | 7.2% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $99,800 | 9.3% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $86,560 | 10.7% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $80,100 | 11.5% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $63,490 | 14.6% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $58,860 | 15.7% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $56,570 | 16.3% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $56,350 | 16.4% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $55,120 | 16.8% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $39,030 | 23.7% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $38,390 | 24.1% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $33,130 | 27.9% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $29,770 | 31% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $27,860 | 33.2% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $26,310 | 35.1% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Baker County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Baker (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 23.6% overall, from $623 to $770. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +15.0% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑7.7% | $765 | $770 | $973 |
| FY 2025 ↑2.6% | $710 | $715 | $905 |
| FY 2024 ↑15.0% | $693 | $697 | $885 |
| FY 2023 ↑4.3% | $602 | $606 | $772 |
| FY 2022 ↓9.9% | $562 | $581 | $704 |
| FY 2021 ↑3.5% | $624 | $645 | $761 |
| FY 2020 | $601 | $623 | $740 |
Where Baker County Ranks in Georgia
Baker County is not part of any federally-designated metropolitan or micropolitan statistical area -- an independent rental market not administratively tied to a larger urban core. By 2-bedroom FMR, it ranks #4 of 159 counties in Georgia. Nearest by rank: Appling County ($973), Atkinson County ($973), Bacon County ($973), Baker County (this county) ($973), Banks County ($973), Ben Hill County ($973), Berrien County ($973), Bleckley County ($973), Calhoun County ($973), Candler County ($973), Chattooga County ($973), Clay County ($973).
Nearby Counties in Georgia
Largest counties by population in Georgia
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Baker County? ▼
How does Baker County rent compare to the national average? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Baker County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Baker County? ▼
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How much has rent changed in Baker County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Baker County? ▼
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What this means for renters
Treat Baker'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 $770 implies about $30,800/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 Baker 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.