County FMR · HUD FY2026
Bledsoe County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Bledsoe County, TN - 23% below the US average.
- $743
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $975
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +8.5%
- YoY change
- -23%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Bledsoe is the 48th cheapest of 95 counties in Tennessee by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,322 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 8.5% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.
- #1,322
- most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #48
- cheapest of 95 in Tennessee (2BR)
- -20%
- vs the state average
- $29,720
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (7.6%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (32%); 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 Bledsoe County, TN. Verify with HUD →
Bledsoe County, Tennessee carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $743 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $975/mo and a studio is $738/mo. That's 23% below the national benchmark of $959 and 20% below the Tennessee average of $924.
Rent increased8.5% from FY 2025 ($685), outpacing inflation. The 30% affordability floor is comparatively reachable here at $29,720/year.
Observed renter burden: 25.7% of the 1,004 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 6.9%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
Local labor market: The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 3.2% over the past 12 months, a tight labor market that typically supports steadier rent demand.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Tennessee. Population: 14,816. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+2.1%, Census ACS). That's slower than Tennessee's statewide growth of +5.0% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area BLEDSOE·COUNTY·TN·TN
Bledsoe County, TN: $743/mo 1BR · #1322 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA TN
- 1BR-FMR $743
- 2BR-FMR $975
- RANK-MID #1,322
- YOY-SURGE +8.5%
- VSUS-BELOW -23%
- VS-ST-LOW -20% TN
- INC-ROOM 18%
- POP-SMALL 15K
- PHOTO-NEAR Shelby County
- VOUCH-90-110 $669–$817
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Shelby ($411 1BR gap)
Read with: Section 8 housing guide
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $681 | $738 | +$57 (+8.4%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $685 | $743 | +$58 (+8.5%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $899 | $975 | +$76 (+8.5%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,103 | $1,169 | +$66 (+6.0%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,510 | $1,636 | +$126 (+8.3%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Bledsoe 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 Bledsoe sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$975 higher than 42% 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 Bledsoe 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
- Bledsoe
Bledsoe County
$743 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Bledsoe 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), Bledsoe County (this county) ($743).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
With a below-average 1-bedroom at $743/mo, most of these Tennessee occupations clear, or miss, the 30% affordability line.
| Occupation | TN Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $117,340 | 7.6% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $102,850 | 8.7% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $79,030 | 11.3% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $75,500 | 11.8% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $59,410 | 15% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $59,190 | 15.1% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $55,610 | 16% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $55,270 | 16.1% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $52,690 | 16.9% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $40,130 | 22.2% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $38,130 | 23.4% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $31,220 | 28.6% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $30,770 | 29% | Affordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $28,030 | 31.8% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $27,840 | 32% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Bledsoe County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Bledsoe (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 34.1% overall, from $554 to $743. 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 ↑8.5% | $738 | $743 | $975 |
| FY 2025 ↑4.6% | $681 | $685 | $899 |
| FY 2024 ↑15.5% | $651 | $655 | $861 |
| FY 2023 ↑10.3% | $564 | $567 | $747 |
| FY 2022 ↓6.4% | $510 | $514 | $676 |
| FY 2021 ↓0.9% | $514 | $549 | $663 |
| FY 2020 | $492 | $554 | $649 |
Where Bledsoe County Ranks in Tennessee
Bledsoe 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 #48 of 95 counties in Tennessee. Nearest by rank: Campbell County ($947), Henry County ($949), DeKalb County ($953), Humphreys County ($955), Pickett County ($958), Coffee County ($959), Warren County ($964), Macon County ($972), Bledsoe County (this county) ($975), Franklin County ($980), Morgan County ($988), Hickman County ($992), White County ($992), Giles County ($1,001), Stewart County ($1,004), Putnam County ($1,014), Bedford County ($1,017).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Bledsoe County, both outside Tennessee 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 TN (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside TN).
Nearby Counties in Tennessee
Largest counties by population in Tennessee
Showing the 8 largest of 94 other counties in Tennessee.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Bledsoe County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Bledsoe County is $743 per month. A 2-bedroom is $975 and a studio is $738.
How does Bledsoe County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Bledsoe County is 23% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $743 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Bledsoe County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Bledsoe County's 2-bedroom FMR of $975 ranks #1,322 most affordable among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the middle half of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Bledsoe County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $29,720 ($2,477/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Bledsoe County.
Is rent going up or down in Bledsoe County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Bledsoe County increased by 8.5% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $685 to $743.
Which jobs can afford rent in Bledsoe County?
Based on Tennessee BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $743/mo. 13 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Bledsoe County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Bledsoe County went from $554 in FY 2020 to $743 in FY 2026, a total change of +34.1% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Bledsoe County?
In Bledsoe County, the FY 2026 FMR of $743/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 Bledsoe County?
For Bledsoe County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($743/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Bledsoe County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 6.9%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
What is the unemployment rate in Bledsoe County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 3.2% over the past 12 months, a tight labor market that typically supports steadier rent demand.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Bledsoe'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 $743 implies about $29,720/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Tennessee counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Shelby
- See where Bledsoe 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.