County FMR · HUD FY2026
Boone County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Boone County, IA - 18% below the US average.
- $788
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,026
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +9.6%
- YoY change
- -18%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Boone is the 23rd most expensive of 99 counties in Iowa by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,573 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 9.6% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.
- #1,573
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #23
- most expensive of 99 in Iowa (2BR)
- +0%
- vs the state average
- $31,520
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (8.6%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (33.3%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Boone County, IA. Verify with HUD →
Boone County, Iowa carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $788 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,026/mo and a studio is $783/mo. That's 18% below the national benchmark of $959 and 0% above the Iowa average of $788.
Rent increased9.6% from FY 2025 ($719), outpacing inflation. The 30% affordability floor is comparatively reachable here at $31,520/year.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Iowa. Population: 26,700. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+1.0%, Census ACS). That's in line with Iowa's statewide growth of +2.0% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Boone 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, Boone County's 2-bedroom of $1,026 ranks #1,573 most expensive of 3,145 US counties, in the middle half of HUD counties.
This is a below-average rent market: 1-bedroom FMR is 18% under the US average of $959 and 0% above Iowa's $788. HUD's 1-bedroom figure shifted from $719 (FY 2025) to $788 (FY 2026), a +9.6% move that still leaves this county below the US mid-point.
A 1-bedroom at $788 needs $31,520/year under the 30% rule against a county median of $79,741, and the median household clears that line with room to spare. A 2-bedroom at $1,026 is the next step up.
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $714 | $783 | +$69 (+9.7%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $719 | $788 | +$69 (+9.6%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $930 | $1,026 | +$96 (+10.3%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,303 | $1,427 | +$124 (+9.5%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,315 | $1,500 | +$185 (+14.1%) |
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 Boone 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.
Boone County 2-bedroom rent burden
Where Boone sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,026 higher than 50% 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 Boone compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Iowa counties
- Polk
Polk County
$1,109 1BR FMR / mo
- Johnson
Johnson County
$961 1BR FMR / mo
- Scott
Scott County
$928 1BR FMR / mo
- Woodbury
Woodbury County
$925 1BR FMR / mo
- Linn
Linn County
$816 1BR FMR / mo
- Black Hawk
Black Hawk County
$801 1BR FMR / mo
- Boone
Boone County
$788 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Boone is highlighted. Nearby Iowa counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Polk County ($1,109), Johnson County ($961), Scott County ($928), Woodbury County ($925), Linn County ($816), Black Hawk County ($801), Boone County (this county) ($788).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
With a below-average 1-bedroom at $788/mo, most of these Iowa occupations clear, or miss, the 30% affordability line.
| Occupation | IA Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $109,850 | 8.6% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $80,620 | 11.7% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $76,960 | 12.3% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $74,290 | 12.7% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $73,900 | 12.8% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $62,880 | 15% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $55,540 | 17% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $55,080 | 17.2% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $53,280 | 17.7% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $44,990 | 21% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $41,380 | 22.9% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $36,130 | 26.2% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $30,030 | 31.5% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $28,500 | 33.2% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $28,400 | 33.3% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Boone County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Boone (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 29.8% overall, from $607 to $788. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 9.6% (FY 2026).
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑9.6% | $783 | $788 | $1,026 |
| FY 2025 ↑5.0% | $714 | $719 | $930 |
| FY 2024 ↑2.1% | $614 | $685 | $900 |
| FY 2023 ↑8.2% | $602 | $671 | $883 |
| FY 2022 ↓1.0% | $616 | $620 | $810 |
| FY 2021 ↑3.1% | $572 | $626 | $788 |
| FY 2020 | $538 | $607 | $744 |
Part of the Ames, IA Metro Area
Boone County is a outlying county of the Ames, IA metropolitan statistical area, alongside 1 other metro-area county.
Boone County ranks #2 of 2 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Story County ($1,026), Boone County (this county) ($788).
Nearby Counties in Iowa
Largest counties by population in Iowa
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Boone County? ▼
How does Boone County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Where does Boone County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Boone County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Boone County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Boone County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Boone County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Boone County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Boone County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Boone'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 $788 implies about $31,520/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 Boone 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.