County FMR · HUD FY2026
Benton County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Benton County, TN - 26% below the US average.
- $705
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $925
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +2.9%
- YoY change
- -26%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Benton is the 1st cheapest of 95 counties in Tennessee by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #599 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties.
- #599
- most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #1
- cheapest of 95 in Tennessee (2BR)
- -24%
- vs the state average
- $28,200
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (7.2%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (30.4%); 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 Benton County, TN. Verify with HUD →
Benton County, Tennessee carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $705 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $925/mo and a studio is $700/mo. That's 26% below the national benchmark of $959 and 24% below the Tennessee average of $924.
Rent increased2.9% from FY 2025 ($685), outpacing inflation. The 30% affordability floor is comparatively reachable here at $28,200/year.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Tennessee. Population: 15,933. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-1.0%, Census ACS). That's slower than Tennessee's statewide growth of +5.0% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Benton 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, Benton County's 2-bedroom of $925 ranks #599 most affordable of 3,145 US counties, in the lower-rent quarter of HUD counties.
This is a below-average rent market: 1-bedroom FMR is 26% under the US average of $959 and 24% below Tennessee's $924. HUD's 1-bedroom figure shifted from $685 (FY 2025) to $705 (FY 2026), a +2.9% move that still leaves this county below the US mid-point.
A 1-bedroom at $705 needs $28,200/year under the 30% rule against a county median of $50,435, and the median household clears that line with room to spare. A 2-bedroom at $925 is the next step up.
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $681 | $700 | +$19 (+2.8%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $685 | $705 | +$20 (+2.9%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $899 | $925 | +$26 (+2.9%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,216 | $1,286 | +$70 (+5.8%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,480 | $1,402 | $-78 (-5.3%) |
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 Benton 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 Benton sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$925 higher than 19% 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 Benton compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Tennessee counties
- Davidson
Davidson County
$1,578 1BR FMR / mo
- Rutherford
Rutherford County
$1,578 1BR FMR / mo
- Williamson
Williamson County
$1,578 1BR FMR / mo
- Hamilton
Hamilton County
$1,263 1BR FMR / mo
- Knox
Knox County
$1,184 1BR FMR / mo
- Shelby
Shelby County
$1,154 1BR FMR / mo
- Benton
Benton County
$705 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Benton is highlighted. Nearby Tennessee counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Davidson County ($1,578), Rutherford County ($1,578), Williamson County ($1,578), Hamilton County ($1,263), Knox County ($1,184), Shelby County ($1,154), Benton County (this county) ($705).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
With a below-average 1-bedroom at $705/mo, most of these Tennessee occupations clear, or miss, the 30% affordability line.
| Occupation | TN Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $117,340 | 7.2% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $102,850 | 8.2% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $79,030 | 10.7% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $75,500 | 11.2% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $59,410 | 14.2% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $59,190 | 14.3% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $55,610 | 15.2% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $55,270 | 15.3% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $52,690 | 16.1% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $40,130 | 21.1% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $38,130 | 22.2% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $31,220 | 27.1% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $30,770 | 27.5% | Affordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $28,030 | 30.2% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $27,840 | 30.4% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Benton County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Benton (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 27.9% overall, from $551 to $705. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 9.0% (FY 2024).
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑2.9% | $700 | $705 | $925 |
| FY 2025 ↑4.6% | $681 | $685 | $899 |
| FY 2024 ↑9.0% | $651 | $655 | $861 |
| FY 2023 ↑3.8% | $597 | $601 | $747 |
| FY 2022 ↓0.5% | $547 | $579 | $676 |
| FY 2021 ↑5.6% | $514 | $582 | $663 |
| FY 2020 | $492 | $551 | $649 |
Where Benton County Ranks in Tennessee
Benton 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 #1 of 95 counties in Tennessee. Nearest by rank: Benton County (this county) ($925), Carroll County ($925), Claiborne County ($925), Clay County ($925), Cocke County ($925), Decatur County ($925), Dyer County ($925), Fentress County ($925), Greene County ($925).
Nearby Counties in Tennessee
Largest counties by population in Tennessee
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Benton County? ▼
How does Benton County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Where does Benton County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Benton County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Benton County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Benton County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Benton County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Benton County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Benton County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Benton'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 $705 implies about $28,200/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 Benton 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.