County FMR · HUD FY2026
Benson County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Benson County, ND - 20% below the US average.
- $769
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $873
- 2-bedroom FMR
- -5.1%
- YoY change
- -20%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Benson is the 2nd cheapest of 53 counties in North Dakota by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #190 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has fallen 5.1% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.
- #190
- most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #2
- cheapest of 53 in North Dakota (2BR)
- -3%
- vs the state average
- $30,760
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (9.4%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (30.7%); 14 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 Benson County, ND. Verify with HUD →
Benson County, North Dakota carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $769 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $873/mo and a studio is $760/mo. That's 20% below the national benchmark of $959 and 3% below the North Dakota average of $795.
Rent decreased5.1% from FY 2025 ($810), declining against the trend. The 30% affordability floor is comparatively reachable here at $30,760/year.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in North Dakota. Population: 5,960. Population declined 14.9% 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 North Dakota's statewide growth of +3.6% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Benson County
HUD publishes one FMR schedule per FMR area (often the county). Local housing authorities use it as the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher payment-standard baseline. See how FMR is calculated.
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Benson County's 2-bedroom of $873 ranks #190 most affordable of 3,145 US counties, in the lowest-rent tenth of HUD counties.
This is a below-average rent market: 1-bedroom FMR is 20% under the US average of $959 and 3% below North Dakota's $795. HUD's 1-bedroom figure shifted from $810 (FY 2025) to $769 (FY 2026), a -5.1% move that deepens an already-cheap market.
A 1-bedroom at $769 needs $30,760/year under the 30% rule against a county median of $68,049, and the median household clears that line with room to spare. A 2-bedroom at $873 is the next step up.
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $807 | $760 | $-47 (-5.8%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $810 | $769 | $-41 (-5.1%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $928 | $873 | $-55 (-5.9%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,300 | $1,214 | $-86 (-6.6%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,558 | $1,464 | $-94 (-6.0%) |
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 Benson 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 Benson sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$873 higher than 6% 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 Benson compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other North Dakota counties
- Williams
Williams County
$1,068 1BR FMR / mo
- Burleigh
Burleigh County
$1,030 1BR FMR / mo
- Morton
Morton County
$1,030 1BR FMR / mo
- Ward
Ward County
$960 1BR FMR / mo
- Cass
Cass County
$917 1BR FMR / mo
- Grand Forks
Grand Forks County
$868 1BR FMR / mo
- Benson
Benson County
$769 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Benson is highlighted. Nearby North Dakota counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Williams County ($1,068), Burleigh County ($1,030), Morton County ($1,030), Ward County ($960), Cass County ($917), Grand Forks County ($868), Benson County (this county) ($769).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
With a below-average 1-bedroom at $769/mo, most of these North Dakota occupations clear, or miss, the 30% affordability line.
| Occupation | ND Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $98,550 | 9.4% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $93,290 | 9.9% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $78,260 | 11.8% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $75,530 | 12.2% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $72,180 | 12.8% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $65,820 | 14% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $59,910 | 15.4% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $58,970 | 15.6% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $57,820 | 16% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $47,600 | 19.4% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $43,160 | 21.4% | Affordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $36,810 | 25.1% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $36,660 | 25.2% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $35,670 | 25.9% | Affordable |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $30,010 | 30.7% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Benson County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Benson (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 22.6% overall, from $627 to $769. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 10.1% (FY 2023).
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↓5.1% | $760 | $769 | $873 |
| FY 2025 ↑5.9% | $807 | $810 | $928 |
| FY 2024 ↑4.7% | $745 | $765 | $859 |
| FY 2023 ↑10.1% | $715 | $731 | $826 |
| FY 2022 ↑3.1% | $653 | $664 | $757 |
| FY 2021 ↑2.7% | $629 | $644 | $734 |
| FY 2020 | $609 | $627 | $714 |
Where Benson County Ranks in North Dakota
Benson 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 #2 of 53 counties in North Dakota. Nearest by rank: Adams County ($873), Benson County (this county) ($873), Billings County ($873), Bottineau County ($873), Bowman County ($873), Burke County ($873), Cavalier County ($873), Dickey County ($873), Eddy County ($873).
Nearby Counties in North Dakota
Largest counties by population in North Dakota
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Benson County? ▼
How does Benson County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Where does Benson County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Benson County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Benson County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Benson County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Benson County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Benson County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Benson County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Benson'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 $769 implies about $30,760/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 Benson 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.