County FMR · HUD FY2026
Belknap County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Belknap County, NH - 49% above the US average.
- $1,425
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,800
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +20.6%
- YoY change
- +49%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Belknap is the 4th cheapest of 10 counties in New Hampshire by 2-bedroom FMR; rent here has climbed 20.6% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.
- #4
- cheapest of 10 in New Hampshire (2BR)
- -2%
- vs the state average
- $57,000
- income to afford it (30% rule)
- +20.6%
- YoY, FY2025→2026
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (12.9%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (56.4%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Belknap County, NH. Verify with HUD →
Belknap County, New Hampshire carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,425 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,800/mo and a studio is $1,241/mo. That's 49% above the national benchmark of $959 and 2% below the New Hampshire average of $1,460.
Rent increased20.6% from FY 2025 ($1,182), outpacing inflation. To afford rent here, a household needs at least $57,000/year based on the 30% affordability rule.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in New Hampshire. Population: 5,953. Population grew 6.0% over the past five years (Census ACS) - among the faster-growing counties nationally, a trend that typically adds upward pressure on rents. That's faster than New Hampshire's statewide growth of +3.3% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Belknap County
The Belknap County FMR area applies to all ZIP codes inside the county boundary, and New Hampshire'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 49% above the US average of $959 and 2% lower than the New Hampshire state average of $1,460. The 1-bedroom FMR went from$1,182 in FY 2025 to $1,425 in FY 2026 - a change of +20.6%, which outpaces typical consumer inflation.
At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $1,425, affording it under the 30%-of-income rule takes $57,000 per year (about $4,750/month) in household income, and a 2-bedroom at $1,800 pushes that threshold even higher. With a population of 5,953 and a county median household income of $87,983, 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 | $1,019 | $1,241 | +$222 (+21.8%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $1,182 | $1,425 | +$243 (+20.6%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,479 | $1,800 | +$321 (+21.7%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,864 | $2,219 | +$355 (+19.0%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $2,221 | $2,676 | +$455 (+20.5%) |
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 Belknap 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.
Belknap County 2-bedroom rent burden
Where Belknap sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,800 Top 7% higher than 93% 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 Belknap compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other New Hampshire counties
- Rockingham
Rockingham County
$1,730 1BR FMR / mo
- Strafford
Strafford County
$1,677 1BR FMR / mo
- Hillsborough
Hillsborough County
$1,673 1BR FMR / mo
- Merrimack
Merrimack County
$1,504 1BR FMR / mo
- Cheshire
Cheshire County
$1,468 1BR FMR / mo
- Grafton
Grafton County
$1,455 1BR FMR / mo
- Belknap
Belknap County
$1,425 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Belknap is highlighted. Nearby New Hampshire counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Rockingham County ($1,730), Strafford County ($1,677), Hillsborough County ($1,673), Merrimack County ($1,504), Cheshire County ($1,468), Grafton County ($1,455), Belknap County (this county) ($1,425).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $1,425/mo compares to New Hampshire salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | NH Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $132,420 | 12.9% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $107,060 | 16% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $96,830 | 17.7% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $82,830 | 20.6% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $67,620 | 25.3% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $64,430 | 26.5% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $61,990 | 27.6% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $60,640 | 28.2% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $58,620 | 29.2% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $46,960 | 36.4% | Stretched |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $45,300 | 37.7% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $37,860 | 45.2% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $37,220 | 45.9% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $35,440 | 48.3% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $30,320 | 56.4% | Unaffordable |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Belknap County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Belknap (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 79.5% overall, from $794 to $1,425. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +20.6% in FY 2026, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑20.6% | $1,241 | $1,425 | $1,800 |
| FY 2025 ↑11.7% | $1,019 | $1,182 | $1,479 |
| FY 2024 ↑4.2% | $906 | $1,058 | $1,329 |
| FY 2023 ↑14.8% | $926 | $1,015 | $1,292 |
| FY 2022 ↑6.6% | $793 | $884 | $1,128 |
| FY 2021 ↑4.4% | $745 | $829 | $1,057 |
| FY 2020 | $691 | $794 | $1,020 |
Part of the Laconia, NH Micro Area
Belknap County is a central county of the Laconia, NH micropolitan statistical area.
Nearby Counties in New Hampshire
Largest counties by population in New Hampshire
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Belknap County? ▼
How does Belknap County rent compare to the national average? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Belknap County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Belknap County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Belknap County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Belknap County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Belknap County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Belknap County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Belknap'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 $1,425 implies about $57,000/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 Belknap 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.