County FMR · HUD FY2026
Bowie County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Bowie County, TX - 9% below the US average.
- $868
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,101
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +1.8%
- YoY change
- -9%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Bowie is the 105th most expensive of 254 counties in Texas by 2-bedroom FMR.
- #105
- most expensive of 254 in Texas (2BR)
- -7%
- vs the state average
- $34,720
- income to afford it (30% rule)
- +1.8%
- YoY, FY2025→2026
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (8%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (38.6%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Bowie County, TX. Verify with HUD →
Bowie County, Texas carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $868 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,101/mo and a studio is $859/mo. That's 9% below the national benchmark of $959 and 7% below the Texas average of $935.
Rent increased1.8% from FY 2025 ($853), roughly tracking inflation. To afford rent here, a household needs at least $34,720/year based on the 30% affordability rule.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Texas. Population: 92,747. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-1.6%, Census ACS). That's slower than Texas's statewide growth of +6.3% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Bowie County
The Bowie County FMR area applies to all ZIP codes inside the county boundary, and Texas'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 7% lower than the Texas state average of $935. The 1-bedroom FMR went from$853 in FY 2025 to $868 in FY 2026 - a change of +1.8%, which tracks roughly with broader price trends.
At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $868, affording it under the 30%-of-income rule takes $34,720 per year (about $2,893/month) in household income, and a 2-bedroom at $1,101 pushes that threshold even higher. With a population of 92,747 and a county median household income of $59,295, 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 | $848 | $859 | +$11 (+1.3%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $853 | $868 | +$15 (+1.8%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,071 | $1,101 | +$30 (+2.8%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,327 | $1,369 | +$42 (+3.2%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,677 | $1,657 | $-20 (-1.2%) |
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 Bowie 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.
Bowie County 2-bedroom rent burden
Where Bowie sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,101 higher than 59% 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 Bowie compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Texas counties
- Dallas
Dallas County
$1,648 1BR FMR / mo
- Collin
Collin County
$1,648 1BR FMR / mo
- Travis
Travis County
$1,562 1BR FMR / mo
- Tarrant
Tarrant County
$1,473 1BR FMR / mo
- Harris
Harris County
$1,323 1BR FMR / mo
- Bexar
Bexar County
$1,177 1BR FMR / mo
- Bowie
Bowie County
$868 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Bowie is highlighted. Nearby Texas counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Dallas County ($1,648), Collin County ($1,648), Travis County ($1,562), Tarrant County ($1,473), Harris County ($1,323), Bexar County ($1,177), Bowie County (this county) ($868).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $868/mo compares to Texas salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | TX Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $130,500 | 8% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $100,290 | 10.4% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $90,010 | 11.6% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $80,000 | 13% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $76,350 | 13.6% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $61,380 | 17% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $59,700 | 17.4% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $56,920 | 18.3% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $53,070 | 19.6% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $43,920 | 23.7% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $39,100 | 26.6% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $31,230 | 33.4% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $30,130 | 34.6% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $27,630 | 37.7% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $27,000 | 38.6% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Bowie County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Bowie (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 39.1% overall, from $624 to $868. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 10.6% (FY 2024).
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑1.8% | $859 | $868 | $1,101 |
| FY 2025 ↑8.8% | $848 | $853 | $1,071 |
| FY 2024 ↑10.6% | $779 | $784 | $982 |
| FY 2023 ↑5.8% | $704 | $709 | $890 |
| FY 2022 ↑1.8% | $669 | $670 | $838 |
| FY 2021 ↑5.4% | $647 | $658 | $826 |
| FY 2020 | $611 | $624 | $792 |
Part of the Texarkana, TX-AR Metro Area
Bowie County is a central county of the Texarkana, TX-AR metropolitan statistical area, alongside 2 other metro-area counties.
Bowie County ranks #2 of 3 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Miller County ($868), Bowie County (this county) ($868), Little River County ($671).
Nearby Counties in Texas
Largest counties by population in Texas
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Bowie County? ▼
How does Bowie County rent compare to the national average? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Bowie County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Bowie County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Bowie County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Bowie County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Bowie County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Bowie County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Bowie'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 $868 implies about $34,720/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 Bowie 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.