County FMR · HUD FY2026

Belmont County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Belmont County, OH - 15% below the US average.

$816
1-bedroom FMR
$991
2-bedroom FMR
+3.8%
YoY change
-15%
vs US avg

The verdict

Belmont is the 40th cheapest of 88 counties in Ohio by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,385 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties.

#1,385
most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#40
cheapest of 88 in Ohio (2BR)
-7%
vs the state average
$32,640
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (9.1%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (34.8%); 13 of 15 common occupations here can afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding the 30% threshold.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Belmont County, OH. Verify with HUD →

The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Belmont County, Ohio is $816 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $991/mo and a studio is $683/mo. This is 15% lower than the national average of $959 and 7% below the Ohio average of $873.

Rent increased3.8% from FY 2025 ($786), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $32,640/year for a 1-bedroom.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Ohio. Population: 66,554. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-3.6%, Census ACS). That's slower than Ohio's statewide growth of +1.2% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area BELMONT·COUNTY·OH·OH

Belmont County, OH: $816/mo 1BR · #1385 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA OH
  • 1BR-FMR $816
  • 2BR-FMR $991
  • RANK-MID #1,385
  • YOY-UP +3.8%
  • VSUS-BELOW -15%
  • VS-ST-NEAR -7% OH
  • INC-ROOM 17%
  • POP-MID 67K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Franklin County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $734–$898
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Franklin ($378 1BR gap)

Read with: How Fair Market Rent works

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $816 · US avg: $893
$683/mo
↑ 4.4% YoY -16% vs state -24% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $873 · US avg: $959
$816/mo
↑ 3.8% YoY -7% vs state -15% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,092 · US avg: $1,175
$991/mo
↑ 3.9% YoY -9% vs state -16% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,388 · US avg: $1,525
$1,277/mo
↑ 4.0% YoY -8% vs state -16% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,550 · US avg: $1,756
$1,413/mo
↑ 2.5% YoY -9% vs state -20% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $654
$683
+$29 (+4.4%)
1 Bedroom $786
$816
+$30 (+3.8%)
2 Bedroom $954
$991
+$37 (+3.9%)
3 Bedroom $1,228
$1,277
+$49 (+4.0%)
4 Bedroom $1,379
$1,413
+$34 (+2.5%)

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio
14%
Affordable
Need $27,320/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
16.8%
Affordable
Need $32,640/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
20.4%
Affordable
Need $39,640/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
26.2%
Affordable
Need $51,080/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
29%
Affordable
Need $56,520/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%20.4%
Belmont County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $58,411 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Ohio rent burden →

Where Belmont sits among every US county

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

$991 higher than 44% 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 Belmont compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Ohio counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Belmont 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), Lucas County ($820), Belmont County (this county) ($816).

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

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

How a 1-bedroom at $816/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 9.1% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $94,990 10.3% Affordable
Registered Nurses $81,250 12.1% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $77,640 12.6% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $77,050 12.7% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $65,380 15% Affordable
Electricians $63,560 15.4% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $58,870 16.6% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $58,080 16.9% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $43,510 22.5% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $37,860 25.9% Affordable
Teaching Assistants $35,380 27.7% Affordable
Janitors & Cleaners $34,710 28.2% Affordable
Retail Salespersons $30,440 32.2% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $28,100 34.8% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (Ohio) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

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

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Belmont (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 43.2% overall, from $570 to $816. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 10.4% (FY 2024).

$500$600$700$800$900 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $816
Belmont County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑3.8% $683 $816 $991
FY 2025 ↑10.1% $654 $786 $954
FY 2024 ↑10.4% $607 $714 $895
FY 2023 ↑10.0% $563 $647 $827
FY 2022 ↑3.2% $539 $588 $762
FY 2021 ↑0.0% $550 $570 $740
FY 2020 $566 $570 $737
Total change (6yr): +43.2%
Annualized: +6.2%/yr
1 BR: $570 → $816

Part of the Wheeling, WV-OH Metro Area

Belmont County is a central county of the Wheeling, WV-OH metropolitan statistical area, alongside 2 other metro-area counties.

Belmont County ranks #3 of 3 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Ohio County ($816), Marshall County ($816), Belmont County (this county) ($816).

Ohio County
1 BR: $816/mo
Marshall County
1 BR: $816/mo
Belmont County (this county)
1 BR: $816/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Belmont 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).

Ohio County
WV · 2 BR $991/mo
Douglas County
MN · 2 BR $991/mo
Marshall County
WV · 2 BR $991/mo
Wells County
IN · 2 BR $991/mo

Similar rent burden

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

Lewis County
MO · 20.4% of income · 2 BR $888/mo
Comanche County
OK · 20.4% of income · 2 BR $1,001/mo
Northampton County
VA · 20.4% of income · 2 BR $949/mo
Catawba County
NC · 20.4% of income · 2 BR $1,095/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 Belmont County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Belmont County is $816 per month. A 2-bedroom is $991 and a studio is $683.
How does Belmont County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Belmont County is 15% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $816 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Belmont County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Belmont County's 2-bedroom FMR of $991 ranks #1,385 most affordable among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the middle half of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Belmont County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $32,640 ($2,720/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Belmont County.
Is rent going up or down in Belmont County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Belmont County increased by 3.8% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $786 to $816.
Which jobs can afford rent in Belmont 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 $816/mo. 13 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Belmont County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Belmont County went from $570 in FY 2020 to $816 in FY 2026, a total change of +43.2% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Belmont County? ▼
In Belmont County, the FY 2026 FMR of $816/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 Belmont County? ▼
For Belmont County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($816/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.