County FMR · HUD FY2026
Boyd County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Boyd County, KY - 11% below the US average.
- $853
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $973
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +0.4%
- YoY change
- -11%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Boyd is the 44th most expensive of 120 counties in Kentucky by 2-bedroom FMR.
- #44
- most expensive of 120 in Kentucky (2BR)
- +7%
- vs the state average
- $34,120
- income to afford it (30% rule)
- +0.4%
- YoY, FY2025→2026
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (9.6%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (37.7%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Boyd County, KY. Verify with HUD →
HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Boyd County, Kentucky at $853 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $973/mo and a studio is $848/mo. This is 11% lower than the national average of $959 and 7% above the Kentucky average of $794.
Rent increased0.4% from FY 2025 ($850), roughly tracking inflation. To afford rent here, a household needs at least $34,120/year based on the 30% affordability rule.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Kentucky. Population: 48,242. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-0.1%, Census ACS). That's slower than Kentucky's statewide growth of +1.6% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Boyd County
The Boyd County FMR area applies to all ZIP codes inside the county boundary, and Kentucky'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.
Boyd County's 1-bedroom rent runs 11% below the US average of $959 and 7% higher than the Kentucky state average of $794. Over the past year, 1-bedroom rent here shifted from$850 in FY 2025 to $853 in FY 2026 - a change of +0.4%, which tracks roughly with broader price trends.
At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $853, affording it under the 30%-of-income rule takes $34,120 per year (about $2,843/month) in household income, and a 2-bedroom at $973 pushes that threshold even higher. With a population of 48,242 and a county median household income of $60,659, 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 | $844 | $848 | +$4 (+0.5%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $850 | $853 | +$3 (+0.4%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $971 | $973 | +$2 (+0.2%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,259 | $1,249 | $-10 (-0.8%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,459 | $1,410 | $-49 (-3.4%) |
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 Boyd 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.
Boyd County 2-bedroom rent burden
Where Boyd sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$973 higher than 31% 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 Boyd compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Kentucky counties
- Fayette
Fayette County
$1,079 1BR FMR / mo
- Kenton
Kenton County
$1,051 1BR FMR / mo
- Boone
Boone County
$1,051 1BR FMR / mo
- Jefferson
Jefferson County
$1,047 1BR FMR / mo
- Warren
Warren County
$985 1BR FMR / mo
- Boyd
Boyd County
$853 1BR FMR / mo
- Hardin
Hardin County
$846 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Boyd is highlighted. Nearby Kentucky counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Fayette County ($1,079), Kenton County ($1,051), Boone County ($1,051), Jefferson County ($1,047), Warren County ($985), Boyd County (this county) ($853), Hardin County ($846).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $853/mo compares to Kentucky salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | KY Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $106,200 | 9.6% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $79,910 | 12.8% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $77,150 | 13.3% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $72,220 | 14.2% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $60,230 | 17% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $59,490 | 17.2% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $57,980 | 17.7% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $55,590 | 18.4% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $49,000 | 20.9% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $37,630 | 27.2% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $37,580 | 27.2% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $30,470 | 33.6% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $29,450 | 34.8% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $29,220 | 35% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $27,170 | 37.7% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Boyd County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Boyd (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 27.5% overall, from $669 to $853. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +15.4% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑0.4% | $848 | $853 | $973 |
| FY 2025 ↑4.3% | $844 | $850 | $971 |
| FY 2024 ↑15.4% | $793 | $815 | $938 |
| FY 2023 ↑7.1% | $648 | $706 | $829 |
| FY 2022 ↑1.1% | $570 | $659 | $791 |
| FY 2021 ↓2.5% | $553 | $652 | $791 |
| FY 2020 | $553 | $669 | $808 |
Part of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH Metro Area
Boyd County is a central county of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH metropolitan statistical area, alongside 7 other metro-area counties.
Boyd County ranks #5 of 8 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Cabell County ($853), Lawrence County ($853), Wayne County ($853), Greenup County ($853), Boyd County (this county) ($853), Putnam County ($803), Lawrence County ($720), Carter County ($703).
Nearby Counties in Kentucky
Largest counties by population in Kentucky
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Boyd County? ▼
How does Boyd County rent compare to the national average? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Boyd County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Boyd County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Boyd County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Boyd County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Boyd County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Boyd County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Boyd'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 $853 implies about $34,120/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 Boyd 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.