County FMR · HUD FY2026
Blair County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Blair County, PA - 1% below the US average.
- $948
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,138
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +7.5%
- YoY change
- -1%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Blair is the 34th cheapest of 67 counties in Pennsylvania by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,164 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 7.5% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.
- #1,164
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #34
- cheapest of 67 in Pennsylvania (2BR)
- -5%
- vs the state average
- $37,920
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (9.2%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (39.9%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Blair County, PA. Verify with HUD →
HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Blair County, Pennsylvania at $948 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,138/mo and a studio is $802/mo. This is 1% lower than the national average of $959 and 5% below the Pennsylvania average of $996.
Rent increased7.5% from FY 2025 ($882), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $37,920/year for a 1-bedroom.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Pennsylvania. Population: 122,640. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-1.6%, Census ACS). That's slower than Pennsylvania's statewide growth of +1.5% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Blair 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, Blair County's 2-bedroom of $1,138 ranks #1,164 most expensive of 3,145 US counties, in the middle half of HUD counties.
Blair County's 1-bedroom FMR tracks close to the national mid-point (1% below the US average of $959), while sitting 5% below the Pennsylvania average of $996. Over the past year, 1-bedroom rent here shifted from$882 in FY 2025 to $948 in FY 2026, a change of +7.5%, which outpaces typical consumer inflation.
At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $948, the 30% rule points to $37,920/year (about $3,160/month) versus this county's median household income of $60,594. A 2-bedroom at $1,138 pushes the threshold higher.
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $728 | $802 | +$74 (+10.2%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $882 | $948 | +$66 (+7.5%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,062 | $1,138 | +$76 (+7.2%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,337 | $1,458 | +$121 (+9.1%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,531 | $1,705 | +$174 (+11.4%) |
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 Blair 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 Blair sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,138 Top 37% higher than 63% 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 Blair compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Pennsylvania counties
- Philadelphia
Philadelphia County
$1,520 1BR FMR / mo
- Montgomery
Montgomery County
$1,520 1BR FMR / mo
- Bucks
Bucks County
$1,520 1BR FMR / mo
- Delaware
Delaware County
$1,520 1BR FMR / mo
- Lancaster
Lancaster County
$1,220 1BR FMR / mo
- Allegheny
Allegheny County
$1,077 1BR FMR / mo
- Blair
Blair County
$948 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Blair is highlighted. Nearby Pennsylvania counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Philadelphia County ($1,520), Montgomery County ($1,520), Bucks County ($1,520), Delaware County ($1,520), Lancaster County ($1,220), Allegheny County ($1,077), Blair County (this county) ($948).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $948/mo compares to Pennsylvania salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | PA Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $123,740 | 9.2% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $100,400 | 11.3% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $87,610 | 13% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $86,350 | 13.2% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $77,330 | 14.7% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $74,160 | 15.3% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $65,400 | 17.4% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $60,950 | 18.7% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $58,540 | 19.4% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $43,080 | 26.4% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $37,560 | 30.3% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $35,670 | 31.9% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $30,550 | 37.2% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $30,410 | 37.4% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $28,490 | 39.9% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Blair County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Blair (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 53.9% overall, from $616 to $948. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 11.7% (FY 2023).
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑7.5% | $802 | $948 | $1,138 |
| FY 2025 ↑6.1% | $728 | $882 | $1,062 |
| FY 2024 ↑9.9% | $673 | $831 | $993 |
| FY 2023 ↑11.7% | $613 | $756 | $917 |
| FY 2022 ↑4.6% | $552 | $677 | $829 |
| FY 2021 ↑5.0% | $574 | $647 | $806 |
| FY 2020 | $561 | $616 | $770 |
Part of the Altoona, PA Metro Area
Blair County is a central county of the Altoona, PA metropolitan statistical area.
Nearby Counties in Pennsylvania
Largest counties by population in Pennsylvania
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Blair County? ▼
How does Blair County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Where does Blair County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Blair County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Blair County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Blair County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Blair County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Blair County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Blair County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Blair'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 $948 implies about $37,920/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 Blair 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.