County FMR · HUD FY2026

Benton County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Benton County, WA - 32% above the US average.

$1,268
1-bedroom FMR
$1,538
2-bedroom FMR
+2.6%
YoY change
+32%
vs US avg

The verdict

Benton is the 14th most expensive of 39 counties in Washington by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #440 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties.

#440
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#14
most expensive of 39 in Washington (2BR)
+7%
vs the state average
$50,720
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 (41.3%); nearby Washington counties range as much as 80% apart in 1-bedroom FMR, so the county line itself can matter for renters comparing options.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Benton County, WA. Verify with HUD →

The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Benton County, Washington is $1,268 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $1,538/mo and a studio is $1,122/mo. This is 32% higher than the national average of $959 and 7% above the Washington average of $1,180.

Rent increased2.6% from FY 2025 ($1,236), outpacing inflation. A household needs about $50,720/year to stay under the 30% rent-to-income line.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Washington. Population: 207,560. Population grew 8.3% 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 Washington's statewide growth of +6.1% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area BENTON·COUNTY·WA·WA

Benton County, WA: $1,268/mo 1BR · #440 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA WA
  • 1BR-FMR $1,268
  • 2BR-FMR $1,538
  • RANK-MID #440
  • YOY-UP +2.6%
  • VSUS-HIGH +32%
  • VS-ST-NEAR +7% WA
  • INC-ROOM 17%
  • POP-MID 208K
  • PHOTO-NEAR King County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $1,141–$1,395
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: King ($878 1BR gap)

Read with: Understanding rent burden

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $1,082 · US avg: $893
$1,122/mo
↑ 1.9% YoY +4% vs state +26% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $1,180 · US avg: $959
$1,268/mo
↑ 2.6% YoY +7% vs state +32% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,472 · US avg: $1,175
$1,538/mo
↑ 2.3% YoY +4% vs state +31% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $2,003 · US avg: $1,525
$2,071/mo
↑ 3.4% YoY +3% vs state +36% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $2,351 · US avg: $1,756
$2,385/mo
↑ 2.9% YoY +1% vs state +36% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $1,101
$1,122
+$21 (+1.9%)
1 Bedroom $1,236
$1,268
+$32 (+2.6%)
2 Bedroom $1,503
$1,538
+$35 (+2.3%)
3 Bedroom $2,003
$2,071
+$68 (+3.4%)
4 Bedroom $2,318
$2,385
+$67 (+2.9%)

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio
15.4%
Affordable
Need $44,880/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
17.4%
Affordable
Need $50,720/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
21.1%
Affordable
Need $61,520/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
28.5%
Affordable
Need $82,840/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
32.8%
Burdened
Need $95,400/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%21.1%
Benton County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $87,316 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Washington rent burden →

Where Benton sits among every US county

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

$1,538 Top 14% higher than 86% of 3,145 counties

$600–$800: 23 counties (1%). Below this entry. $800–$1,000: 1,406 counties (45%). Below this entry. $1,000–$1,200: 723 counties (23%). Below this entry. $1,200–$1,400: 417 counties (13%). Below this entry. $1,400–$1,600: 181 counties (6%). This entry sits in this band. $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 Benton compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Washington counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Benton is highlighted. Nearby Washington counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: King County ($2,146), Snohomish County ($2,146), Thurston County ($1,682), Clark County ($1,677), Pierce County ($1,605), Benton County (this county) ($1,268), Spokane County ($1,193).

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

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

Against a high local FMR of $1,268/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using Washington BLS wages?

Occupation WA Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $166,910 9.1% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $130,240 11.7% Affordable
Registered Nurses $112,180 13.6% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $102,640 14.8% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $99,110 15.4% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $96,180 15.8% Affordable
Electricians $96,530 15.8% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $78,010 19.5% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $63,760 23.9% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $56,140 27.1% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $49,150 31% Stretched
Teaching Assistants $47,210 32.2% Stretched
Janitors & Cleaners $43,720 34.8% Stretched
Retail Salespersons $38,350 39.7% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $36,820 41.3% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (Washington) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

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 43.6% overall, from $883 to $1,268. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 26.3% (FY 2024), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.

$800$900$1,000$1,100$1,200$1,300 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $1,268
Benton County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑2.6% $1,122 $1,268 $1,538
FY 2025 ↑2.5% $1,101 $1,236 $1,503
FY 2024 ↑26.3% $1,052 $1,206 $1,485
FY 2023 ↑11.7% $811 $955 $1,187
FY 2022 ↑3.8% $704 $855 $1,060
FY 2021 ↓6.7% $678 $824 $1,019
FY 2020 $720 $883 $1,089
Total change (6yr): +43.6%
Annualized: +6.2%/yr
1 BR: $883 → $1,268

Part of the Kennewick-Richland, WA Metro Area

Benton County is a central county of the Kennewick-Richland, WA metropolitan statistical area, alongside 1 other metro-area county.

Benton County ranks #2 of 2 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Franklin County ($1,268), Benton County (this county) ($1,268).

Franklin County
1 BR: $1,268/mo
Benton County (this county)
1 BR: $1,268/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Benton County, both outside Washington 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 WA (FY2026).

Madison County
MT · 2 BR $1,540/mo
Calaveras County
CA · 2 BR $1,542/mo
Jasper County
SC · 2 BR $1,542/mo
Divide County
ND · 2 BR $1,534/mo

Similar rent burden

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

Orange County
VT · 21.1% of income · 2 BR $1,362/mo
Monroe County
MI · 21.1% of income · 2 BR $1,326/mo
Glascock County
GA · 21.1% of income · 2 BR $973/mo
Dare County
NC · 21.1% of income · 2 BR $1,430/mo

Nearby Counties in Washington

Largest counties by population in Washington

Showing the 8 largest of 38 other counties in Washington.

King County
1 BR: $2,146/mo Pop: 2,254,371
Pierce County
1 BR: $1,605/mo Pop: 918,993
Snohomish County
1 BR: $2,146/mo Pop: 828,337
Spokane County
1 BR: $1,193/mo Pop: 538,711
Clark County
1 BR: $1,677/mo Pop: 504,091
Thurston County
1 BR: $1,682/mo Pop: 294,272
Kitsap County
1 BR: $1,548/mo Pop: 275,411
Yakima County
1 BR: $1,047/mo Pop: 256,143
View all counties in Washington →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Benton County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Benton County is $1,268 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,538 and a studio is $1,122.
How does Benton County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Benton County is 32% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,268 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Benton County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Benton County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,538 ranks #440 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the upper-rent quarter of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Benton County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $50,720 ($4,227/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Benton County.
Is rent going up or down in Benton County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Benton County increased by 2.6% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,236 to $1,268.
Which jobs can afford rent in Benton County? ▼
Based on Washington BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $1,268/mo. 10 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Benton County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Benton County went from $883 in FY 2020 to $1,268 in FY 2026, a total change of +43.6% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Benton County? ▼
In Benton County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,268/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 Benton County? ▼
For Benton County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,268/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.