County FMR · HUD FY2026
Big Horn County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Big Horn County, WY - 9% below the US average.
- $871
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $963
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +7.1%
- YoY change
- -9%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Big Horn is the 2nd cheapest of 23 counties in Wyoming by 2-bedroom FMR; rent here has climbed 7.1% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.
- #2
- cheapest of 23 in Wyoming (2BR)
- +6%
- vs the state average
- $34,840
- income to afford it (30% rule)
- +7.1%
- YoY, FY2025→2026
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (9.3%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (37.1%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Big Horn County, WY. Verify with HUD →
Big Horn County, Wyoming carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $871 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $963/mo and a studio is $761/mo. That's 9% below the national benchmark of $959 and 6% above the Wyoming average of $824.
Rent increased7.1% from FY 2025 ($813), outpacing inflation. To afford rent here, a household needs at least $34,840/year based on the 30% affordability rule.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Wyoming. Population: 11,690. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-1.4%, Census ACS). That's in line with Wyoming's statewide growth of -0.4% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Big Horn County
The Big Horn County FMR area applies to all ZIP codes inside the county boundary, and Wyoming's housing authorities use it as the baseline for Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. See how FMR is calculated for the full 40th-percentile methodology and payment-standard rules.
Compared to the rest of the country, a 1-bedroom here is 9% below the US average of $959 and 6% higher than the Wyoming state average of $824. The 1-bedroom FMR went from$813 in FY 2025 to $871 in FY 2026 - a change of +7.1%, which outpaces typical consumer inflation.
At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $871, affording it under the 30%-of-income rule takes $34,840 per year (about $2,903/month) in household income, and a 2-bedroom at $963 pushes that threshold even higher. With a population of 11,690 and a county median household income of $60,547, the arithmetic here directly shapes which wage earners can rent without being cost-burdened.
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $751 | $761 | +$10 (+1.3%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $813 | $871 | +$58 (+7.1%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $933 | $963 | +$30 (+3.2%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,137 | $1,189 | +$52 (+4.6%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,496 | $1,515 | +$19 (+1.3%) |
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 Big Horn 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.
Big Horn County 2-bedroom rent burden
Where Big Horn sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$963 higher than 30% 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 Big Horn compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Wyoming counties
- Laramie
Laramie County
$917 1BR FMR / mo
- Campbell
Campbell County
$896 1BR FMR / mo
- Big Horn
Big Horn County
$871 1BR FMR / mo
- Sweetwater
Sweetwater County
$854 1BR FMR / mo
- Natrona
Natrona County
$852 1BR FMR / mo
- Albany
Albany County
$786 1BR FMR / mo
- Fremont
Fremont County
$753 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Big Horn is highlighted. Nearby Wyoming counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Laramie County ($917), Campbell County ($896), Big Horn County (this county) ($871), Sweetwater County ($854), Natrona County ($852), Albany County ($786), Fremont County ($753).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $871/mo compares to Wyoming salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | WY Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $112,590 | 9.3% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $94,900 | 11% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $81,790 | 12.8% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $77,400 | 13.5% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $73,450 | 14.2% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $65,180 | 16% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $61,560 | 17% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $60,270 | 17.3% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $49,980 | 20.9% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $46,490 | 22.5% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $39,360 | 26.6% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $35,580 | 29.4% | Affordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $34,410 | 30.4% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $31,450 | 33.2% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $28,200 | 37.1% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Big Horn County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Big Horn (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 59.2% overall, from $547 to $871. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +15.5% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑7.1% | $761 | $871 | $963 |
| FY 2025 ↑8.8% | $751 | $813 | $933 |
| FY 2024 ↑15.5% | $744 | $747 | $905 |
| FY 2023 ↑9.8% | $643 | $647 | $826 |
| FY 2022 ↑3.7% | $585 | $589 | $757 |
| FY 2021 ↑3.8% | $564 | $568 | $734 |
| FY 2020 | $534 | $547 | $714 |
Where Big Horn County Ranks in Wyoming
Big Horn 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 23 counties in Wyoming. Nearest by rank: Albany County ($963), Big Horn County (this county) ($963), Crook County ($963), Fremont County ($963), Goshen County ($963), Hot Springs County ($963), Lincoln County ($963).
Nearby Counties in Wyoming
Largest counties by population in Wyoming
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Big Horn County? ▼
How does Big Horn County rent compare to the national average? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Big Horn County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Big Horn County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Big Horn County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Big Horn County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Big Horn County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Big Horn County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Big Horn'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 $871 implies about $34,840/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 Big Horn 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.