County FMR · HUD FY2026

Bell County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Bell County, KY - 18% below the US average.

$790
1-bedroom FMR
$866
2-bedroom FMR
+0.9%
YoY change
-18%
vs US avg

The verdict

Bell is the 3rd cheapest of 120 counties in Kentucky by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #95 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties.

#95
most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#3
cheapest of 120 in Kentucky (2BR)
-1%
vs the state average
$31,600
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (8.9%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (34.9%).

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Bell County, KY. Verify with HUD →

Bell County, Kentucky carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $790 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $866/mo and a studio is $597/mo. That's 18% below the national benchmark of $959 and 1% below the Kentucky average of $794.

Rent increased0.9% from FY 2025 ($783), roughly tracking inflation. The 30% affordability floor is comparatively reachable here at $31,600/year.

Observed renter burden: 45.0% of the 3,709 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.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Kentucky. Population: 24,248. Population declined 12.2% 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 Kentucky's statewide growth of +1.6% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area BELL·COUNTY·KY·KY

Bell County, KY: $790/mo 1BR · #95 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA KY
  • 1BR-FMR $790
  • 2BR-FMR $866
  • RANK-LOW #95
  • YOY-FLAT +0.9%
  • VSUS-BELOW -18%
  • VS-ST-NEAR -1% KY
  • INC-EDGE 29%
  • POP-SMALL 24K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Jefferson County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $711–$869
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Jefferson ($257 1BR gap)

Read with: Section 8 housing guide

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $719 · US avg: $893
$597/mo
↓ 6.3% YoY -17% vs state -33% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $794 · US avg: $959
$790/mo
↑ 0.9% YoY -1% vs state -18% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $984 · US avg: $1,175
$866/mo
↓ 0.1% YoY -12% vs state -26% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,277 · US avg: $1,525
$1,133/mo
↓ 4.7% YoY -11% vs state -26% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,442 · US avg: $1,756
$1,294/mo
↓ 3.1% YoY -10% vs state -26% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $637
$597
$-40 (-6.3%)
1 Bedroom $783
$790
+$7 (+0.9%)
2 Bedroom $867
$866
$-1 (-0.1%)
3 Bedroom $1,189
$1,133
$-56 (-4.7%)
4 Bedroom $1,336
$1,294
$-42 (-3.1%)

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio
22.1%
Affordable
Need $23,880/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
29.3%
Affordable
Need $31,600/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
32.1%
Burdened
Need $34,640/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
42%
Burdened
Need $45,320/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
47.9%
Burdened
Need $51,760/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%32.1%
Bell County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $32,403 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Kentucky rent burden →

Where Bell sits among every US county

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties

$866 higher than 3% of 3,145 counties

$600–$800: 23 counties (1%). Below this entry. $800–$1,000: 1,406 counties (45%). This entry sits in this band. $1,000–$1,200: 723 counties (23%). Above this entry. $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 Bell compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Kentucky counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Bell is highlighted. Nearby Kentucky counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Fayette County ($1,079), Kenton County ($1,051), Boone County ($1,051), Jefferson County ($1,047), Warren County ($985), Hardin County ($846), Bell County (this county) ($790).

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

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

With a below-average 1-bedroom at $790/mo, most of these Kentucky occupations clear, or miss, the 30% affordability line.

Occupation KY Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $106,200 8.9% Affordable
Registered Nurses $79,910 11.9% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $77,150 12.3% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $72,220 13.1% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $60,230 15.7% Affordable
Electricians $59,490 15.9% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $57,980 16.4% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $55,590 17.1% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $49,000 19.3% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $37,630 25.2% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $37,580 25.2% Affordable
Janitors & Cleaners $30,470 31.1% Stretched
Retail Salespersons $29,450 32.2% Stretched
Teaching Assistants $29,220 32.4% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $27,170 34.9% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (Kentucky) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

7-year Fair Market Rent history for Bell County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Bell (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 49.9% overall, from $527 to $790. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +15.2% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.

$500$600$700$800$900 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $790
Bell County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑0.9% $597 $790 $866
FY 2025 ↑3.4% $637 $783 $867
FY 2024 ↑15.2% $707 $757 $850
FY 2023 ↑11.0% $638 $657 $742
FY 2022 ↑3.0% $482 $592 $674
FY 2021 ↑9.1% $475 $575 $663
FY 2020 $448 $527 $631
Total change (6yr): +49.9%
Annualized: +7.0%/yr
1 BR: $527 → $790

Part of the Middlesborough, KY Micro Area

Bell County is a central county of the Middlesborough, KY micropolitan statistical area.

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Bell County, both outside Kentucky 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 KY (FY2026).

Iberville Parish
LA · 2 BR $866/mo
Clarke County
MS · 2 BR $867/mo
Cleburne County
AL · 2 BR $867/mo
Logan County
WV · 2 BR $869/mo

Similar rent burden

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

Madison County
NC · 32.1% of income · 2 BR $1,567/mo
Oglala Lakota County
SD · 32.1% of income · 2 BR $929/mo
Norfolk city
VA · 32.1% of income · 2 BR $1,713/mo
Passaic County
NJ · 32% of income · 2 BR $2,324/mo

Nearby Counties in Kentucky

Largest counties by population in Kentucky

Showing the 8 largest of 119 other counties in Kentucky.

Jefferson County
1 BR: $1,047/mo Pop: 779,232
Fayette County
1 BR: $1,079/mo Pop: 321,276
Kenton County
1 BR: $1,051/mo Pop: 169,066
Boone County
1 BR: $1,051/mo Pop: 136,150
Warren County
1 BR: $985/mo Pop: 135,307
Hardin County
1 BR: $846/mo Pop: 111,005
Daviess County
1 BR: $846/mo Pop: 102,916
Campbell County
1 BR: $1,051/mo Pop: 93,122
View all counties in Kentucky →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Bell County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Bell County is $790 per month. A 2-bedroom is $866 and a studio is $597.
How does Bell County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Bell County is 18% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $790 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Bell County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Bell County's 2-bedroom FMR of $866 ranks #95 most affordable among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the lowest-rent tenth of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Bell County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $31,600 ($2,633/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Bell County.
Is rent going up or down in Bell County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Bell County increased by 0.9% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $783 to $790.
Which jobs can afford rent in Bell County? ▼
Based on Kentucky BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, Registered Nurses, General and Operations Managers can afford a 1-bedroom at $790/mo. 11 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Bell County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Bell County went from $527 in FY 2020 to $790 in FY 2026, a total change of +49.9% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Bell County? ▼
In Bell County, the FY 2026 FMR of $790/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 Bell County? ▼
For Bell County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($790/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.