County FMR · HUD FY2026
Bartholomew County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Bartholomew County, IN - 31% above the US average.
- $1,257
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,415
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +9.8%
- YoY change
- +31%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Bartholomew is the 10th most expensive of 92 counties in Indiana by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #566 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 9.8% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.
- #566
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #10
- most expensive of 92 in Indiana (2BR)
- +43%
- vs the state average
- $50,280
- income to afford it (30% rule)
General and Operations Managers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (13.9%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (53.3%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Bartholomew County, IN. Verify with HUD →
HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Bartholomew County, Indiana at $1,257 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,415/mo and a studio is $1,233/mo. This is 31% higher than the national average of $959 and 43% above the Indiana average of $882.
Rent increased9.8% from FY 2025 ($1,145), outpacing inflation. A household needs about $50,280/year to stay under the 30% rent-to-income line.
Observed renter burden: 39.1% of the 9,921 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.
Market slack: The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 3.3%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
Local labor market: The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 3.3% over the past 12 months, a tight labor market that typically supports steadier rent demand.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Indiana. Population: 82,371. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+1.2%, Census ACS). That's in line with Indiana's statewide growth of +2.6% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area BARTHOLOMEW·COUNTY·IN·IN
Bartholomew County, IN: $1,257/mo 1BR · #566 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA IN
- 1BR-FMR $1,257
- 2BR-FMR $1,415
- RANK-MID #566
- YOY-SURGE +9.8%
- VSUS-HIGH +31%
- VS-ST-HIGH +43% IN
- INC-ROOM 19%
- POP-MID 82K
- PHOTO-FINISH Marion County
- VOUCH-90-110 $1,131–$1,383
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Marion ($10 1BR gap)
Read with: Understanding rent burden
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,103 | $1,233 | +$130 (+11.8%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $1,145 | $1,257 | +$112 (+9.8%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,268 | $1,415 | +$147 (+11.6%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,537 | $1,697 | +$160 (+10.4%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,776 | $2,000 | +$224 (+12.6%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Bartholomew 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 Bartholomew sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,415 Top 18% higher than 82% 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 Bartholomew compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Indiana counties
- Marion
Marion County
$1,267 1BR FMR / mo
- Hamilton
Hamilton County
$1,267 1BR FMR / mo
- Bartholomew
Bartholomew County
$1,257 1BR FMR / mo
- St. Joseph
St. Joseph County
$1,105 1BR FMR / mo
- Lake
Lake County
$1,082 1BR FMR / mo
- Elkhart
Elkhart County
$992 1BR FMR / mo
- Allen
Allen County
$916 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Bartholomew is highlighted. Nearby Indiana counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Marion County ($1,267), Hamilton County ($1,267), Bartholomew County (this county) ($1,257), St. Joseph County ($1,105), Lake County ($1,082), Elkhart County ($992), Allen County ($916).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
Against a high local FMR of $1,257/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using Indiana BLS wages?
| Occupation | IN Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| General & Operations Managers | $108,410 | 13.9% | Affordable |
| Software Developers | $103,570 | 14.6% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $80,740 | 18.7% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $77,410 | 19.5% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $71,540 | 21.1% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $65,480 | 23% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $60,090 | 25.1% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $58,370 | 25.8% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $50,690 | 29.8% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $41,600 | 36.3% | Stretched |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $40,020 | 37.7% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $35,240 | 42.8% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $30,460 | 49.5% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $30,300 | 49.8% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $28,290 | 53.3% | Unaffordable |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Bartholomew County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Bartholomew (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 72.7% overall, from $728 to $1,257. 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.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑9.8% | $1,233 | $1,257 | $1,415 |
| FY 2025 ↑7.5% | $1,103 | $1,145 | $1,268 |
| FY 2024 ↑15.9% | $1,037 | $1,065 | $1,196 |
| FY 2023 ↑11.4% | $899 | $919 | $1,038 |
| FY 2022 ↑8.0% | $822 | $825 | $953 |
| FY 2021 ↑4.9% | $760 | $764 | $901 |
| FY 2020 | $724 | $728 | $876 |
Part of the Columbus, IN Metro Area
Bartholomew County is a central county of the Columbus, IN metropolitan statistical area.
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Bartholomew County, both outside Indiana 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 IN (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside IN).
Nearby Counties in Indiana
Largest counties by population in Indiana
Showing the 8 largest of 91 other counties in Indiana.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Bartholomew County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Bartholomew County is $1,257 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,415 and a studio is $1,233.
How does Bartholomew County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Bartholomew County is 31% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,257 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Bartholomew County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Bartholomew County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,415 ranks #566 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 Bartholomew County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $50,280 ($4,190/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Bartholomew County.
Is rent going up or down in Bartholomew County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Bartholomew County increased by 9.8% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,145 to $1,257.
Which jobs can afford rent in Bartholomew County?
Based on Indiana BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like General and Operations Managers, Software Developers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $1,257/mo. 9 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Bartholomew County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Bartholomew County went from $728 in FY 2020 to $1,257 in FY 2026, a total change of +72.7% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Bartholomew County?
In Bartholomew County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,257/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 Bartholomew County?
For Bartholomew County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,257/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Bartholomew County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 3.3%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
What is the unemployment rate in Bartholomew County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 3.3% over the past 12 months, a tight labor market that typically supports steadier rent demand.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Bartholomew's FY2026 Fair Market Rent as HUD's affordability benchmark, not a single market quote.
- Budget to roughly 30% of income: the FY2026 1-bedroom FMR of $1,257 implies about $50,280/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Indiana counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Marion
- See where Bartholomew ranks nationally on rent. National rankings
Fair Market Rent is HUD's 40th-percentile policy benchmark used to set Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. Actual asking rents can run higher or lower, and HUD updates FMRs once a year. This site is informational and not financial or relocation advice.
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.