County FMR · HUD FY2026
Bergen County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Bergen County, NJ - 111% above the US average.
- $2,024
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $2,324
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +12.0%
- YoY change
- +111%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Bergen is the 8th most expensive of 21 counties in New Jersey by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #63 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 12.0% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.
- #63
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #8
- most expensive of 21 in New Jersey (2BR)
- +15%
- vs the state average
- $80,960
- income to afford it (30% rule)
General and Operations Managers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (16.2%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (73%); only 5 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 Bergen County, NJ. Verify with HUD →
HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Bergen County, New Jersey at $2,024 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $2,324/mo and a studio is $1,778/mo. This is 111% higher than the national average of $959 and 15% above the New Jersey average of $1,759.
Rent increased12.0% from FY 2025 ($1,807), outpacing inflation. Clearing the 30% rule here takes $80,960/year, a high bar relative to most US counties.
Observed renter burden: 47.3% of the 122,384 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.
Market slack: The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 3.5%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
Local labor market: The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 4.1% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in New Jersey. Population: 953,243. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+2.7%, Census ACS). That's slower than New Jersey's statewide growth of +4.3% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area BERGEN·COUNTY·NJ·NJ
Bergen County, NJ: $2,024/mo 1BR · #63 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA NJ
- 1BR-FMR $2,024
- 2BR-FMR $2,324
- RANK-UPPER #63
- YOY-SURGE +12.0%
- VSUS-HIGH +111%
- VS-ST-HIGH +15% NJ
- INC-ROOM 20%
- POP-MAJOR 953K
- PHOTO-NEAR Middlesex County
- VOUCH-90-110 $1,822–$2,226
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Middlesex ($46 1BR gap)
Read with: Understanding rent burden
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,556 | $1,778 | +$222 (+14.3%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $1,807 | $2,024 | +$217 (+12.0%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $2,072 | $2,324 | +$252 (+12.2%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $2,550 | $2,835 | +$285 (+11.2%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $3,225 | $3,618 | +$393 (+12.2%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Bergen 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 Bergen sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$2,324 Top 2% higher than 98% 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 Bergen compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other New Jersey counties
- Hudson
Hudson County
$2,458 1BR FMR / mo
- Bergen
Bergen County
$2,024 1BR FMR / mo
- Middlesex
Middlesex County
$1,978 1BR FMR / mo
- Monmouth
Monmouth County
$1,889 1BR FMR / mo
- Ocean
Ocean County
$1,889 1BR FMR / mo
- Essex
Essex County
$1,822 1BR FMR / mo
- Union
Union County
$1,822 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Bergen is highlighted. Nearby New Jersey counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Hudson County ($2,458), Bergen County (this county) ($2,024), Middlesex County ($1,978), Monmouth County ($1,889), Ocean County ($1,889), Essex County ($1,822), Union County ($1,822).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
Against a high local FMR of $2,024/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using New Jersey BLS wages?
| Occupation | NJ Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| General & Operations Managers | $149,990 | 16.2% | Affordable |
| Software Developers | $132,400 | 18.3% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $102,730 | 23.6% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $101,340 | 24% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $89,030 | 27.3% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $77,150 | 31.5% | Stretched |
| Electricians | $73,090 | 33.2% | Stretched |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $64,720 | 37.5% | Stretched |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $62,790 | 38.7% | Stretched |
| Customer Service Representatives | $46,740 | 52% | Unaffordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $38,890 | 62.5% | Unaffordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $37,320 | 65.1% | Unaffordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $35,620 | 68.2% | Unaffordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $35,630 | 68.2% | Unaffordable |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $33,290 | 73% | Unaffordable |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Bergen County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Bergen (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 47.0% overall, from $1,377 to $2,024. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +12.0% in FY 2026, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑12.0% | $1,778 | $2,024 | $2,324 |
| FY 2025 ↑9.8% | $1,556 | $1,807 | $2,072 |
| FY 2024 ↑4.2% | $1,400 | $1,645 | $1,892 |
| FY 2023 ↑6.6% | $1,321 | $1,579 | $1,832 |
| FY 2022 ↓1.5% | $1,237 | $1,481 | $1,736 |
| FY 2021 ↑9.2% | $1,253 | $1,503 | $1,768 |
| FY 2020 | $1,151 | $1,377 | $1,623 |
Part of the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ Metro Area
Bergen County is a central county of the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metropolitan statistical area, alongside 21 other metro-area counties.
Bergen County ranks #13 of 22 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Kings County ($2,655), Queens County ($2,655), New York County ($2,655), Bronx County ($2,655), Westchester County ($2,655), Richmond County ($2,655), Rockland County ($2,655), Putnam County ($2,655), Hudson County ($2,458), Suffolk County ($2,379), Nassau County ($2,379), Passaic County ($2,024), Bergen County (this county) ($2,024), Middlesex County ($1,978), Somerset County ($1,978), Hunterdon County ($1,978), Monmouth County ($1,889), Ocean County ($1,889), Essex County ($1,822), Union County ($1,822), Morris County ($1,822), Sussex County ($1,822).
Show all 22 counties in this metro area
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Bergen County, both outside New Jersey 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 NJ (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside NJ).
Nearby Counties in New Jersey
Largest counties by population in New Jersey
Showing the 8 largest of 20 other counties in New Jersey.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Bergen County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Bergen County is $2,024 per month. A 2-bedroom is $2,324 and a studio is $1,778.
How does Bergen County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Bergen County is 111% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $2,024 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Bergen County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Bergen County's 2-bedroom FMR of $2,324 ranks #63 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the highest-rent tenth of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Bergen County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $80,960 ($6,747/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Bergen County.
Is rent going up or down in Bergen County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Bergen County increased by 12.0% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,807 to $2,024.
Which jobs can afford rent in Bergen County?
Based on New Jersey BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like General and Operations Managers, Software Developers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $2,024/mo. 5 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Bergen County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Bergen County went from $1,377 in FY 2020 to $2,024 in FY 2026, a total change of +47.0% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Bergen County?
In Bergen County, the FY 2026 FMR of $2,024/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 Bergen County?
For Bergen County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($2,024/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Bergen County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 3.5%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
What is the unemployment rate in Bergen County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 4.1% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Bergen's FY2026 Fair Market Rent as HUD's affordability benchmark, not a single market quote.
- Budget to roughly 30% of income: the FY2026 1-bedroom FMR of $2,024 implies about $80,960/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- New Jersey counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Middlesex
- See where Bergen ranks nationally on rent. National rankings
Fair Market Rent is HUD's 40th-percentile policy benchmark used to set Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. Actual asking rents can run higher or lower, and HUD updates FMRs once a year. This site is informational and not financial or relocation advice.
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.