County FMR · HUD FY2026

Buchanan County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Buchanan County, MO - 13% below the US average.

$832
1-bedroom FMR
$1,077
2-bedroom FMR
+5.4%
YoY change
-13%
vs US avg

The verdict

Buchanan is the 22nd most expensive of 116 counties in Missouri by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,384 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 5.4% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.

#1,384
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#22
most expensive of 116 in Missouri (2BR)
+7%
vs the state average
$33,280
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (8.7%), while Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary spend the most (34.4%).

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Buchanan County, MO. Verify with HUD →

Buchanan County, Missouri carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $832 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,077/mo and a studio is $774/mo. That's 13% below the national benchmark of $959 and 7% above the Missouri average of $777.

Rent increased5.4% from FY 2025 ($789), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $33,280/year for a 1-bedroom.

Observed renter burden: 45.9% of the 11,724 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.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Missouri. Population: 84,544. Population declined 5.9% over the past five years (Census ACS), a trend that can ease rental-market pressure over time even as FMR reflects recent rent levels. That's slower than Missouri's statewide growth of +1.3% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area BUCHANAN·COUNTY·MO·MO

Buchanan County, MO: $832/mo 1BR · #1384 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA MO
  • 1BR-FMR $832
  • 2BR-FMR $1,077
  • RANK-MID #1,384
  • YOY-SURGE +5.4%
  • VSUS-BELOW -13%
  • VS-ST-NEAR +7% MO
  • INC-ROOM 17%
  • POP-MID 85K
  • PHOTO-NEAR St. Louis County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $749–$915
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: St. Louis ($163 1BR gap)

Read with: How Fair Market Rent works

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $734 · US avg: $893
$774/mo
↑ 9.0% YoY +5% vs state -13% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $777 · US avg: $959
$832/mo
↑ 5.4% YoY +7% vs state -13% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $972 · US avg: $1,175
$1,077/mo
↑ 4.1% YoY +11% vs state -8% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,268 · US avg: $1,525
$1,363/mo
↑ 3.7% YoY +7% vs state -11% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,460 · US avg: $1,756
$1,566/mo
↑ 6.4% YoY +7% vs state -11% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $710
$774
+$64 (+9.0%)
1 Bedroom $789
$832
+$43 (+5.4%)
2 Bedroom $1,035
$1,077
+$42 (+4.1%)
3 Bedroom $1,315
$1,363
+$48 (+3.7%)
4 Bedroom $1,472
$1,566
+$94 (+6.4%)

Rent Burden Analysis

How much of household income goes to rent in Buchanan County. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.

Studio
15.6%
Affordable
Need $30,960/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
16.8%
Affordable
Need $33,280/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
21.7%
Affordable
Need $43,080/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
27.5%
Affordable
Need $54,520/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
31.6%
Burdened
Need $62,640/yr for 30% rule
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.

0%100%National avg22%21.7%
Buchanan County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $59,423 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Missouri rent burden →

Where Buchanan sits among every US county

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties

$1,077 higher than 56% of 3,145 counties

$600–$800: 23 counties (1%). Below this entry. $800–$1,000: 1,406 counties (45%). Below this entry. $1,000–$1,200: 723 counties (23%). This entry sits in this band. $1,200–$1,400: 417 counties (13%). Above this entry. $1,400–$1,600: 181 counties (6%). Above this entry. $1,600–$1,800: 172 counties (5%). Above this entry. $1,800–$2,000: 108 counties (3%). Above this entry. $2,000–$2,200: 29 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,200–$2,400: 40 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,400–$2,600: 13 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,600–$2,800: 9 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,800–$3,000: 15 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,000–$3,200: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,200–$3,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,400–$3,600: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,600–$3,800: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,800–$4,000: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,000–$4,200: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,200–$4,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. This county $600 $4,400 every US county, bucketed by value

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 Buchanan compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Missouri counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Buchanan is highlighted. Nearby Missouri counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Jackson County ($1,197), Clay County ($1,197), St. Louis County ($995), St. Charles County ($995), St. Louis city ($995), Greene County ($883), Buchanan County (this county) ($832).

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) As of FY2026

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

How a 1-bedroom at $832/mo compares to Missouri salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).

Occupation MO Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $114,550 8.7% Affordable
Registered Nurses $79,770 12.5% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $77,410 12.9% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $73,210 13.6% Affordable
Electricians $70,950 14.1% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $60,720 16.4% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $58,730 17% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $50,540 19.8% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $48,250 20.7% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $41,850 23.9% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $37,990 26.3% Affordable
Janitors & Cleaners $34,080 29.3% Affordable
Retail Salespersons $31,250 31.9% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $29,310 34.1% Stretched
Teaching Assistants $29,060 34.4% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (Missouri) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

7-year Fair Market Rent history for Buchanan County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Buchanan (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 36.4% overall, from $610 to $832. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 8.6% (FY 2023).

$550$600$650$700$750$800$850 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $832
Buchanan County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑5.4% $774 $832 $1,077
FY 2025 ↑7.5% $710 $789 $1,035
FY 2024 ↑7.9% $653 $734 $964
FY 2023 ↑8.6% $598 $680 $895
FY 2022 ↑1.0% $547 $626 $824
FY 2021 ↑1.6% $539 $620 $817
FY 2020 $555 $610 $797
Total change (6yr): +36.4%
Annualized: +5.3%/yr
1 BR: $610 → $832

Part of the St. Joseph, MO-KS Metro Area

Buchanan County is a central county of the St. Joseph, MO-KS metropolitan statistical area, alongside 3 other metro-area counties.

Buchanan County ranks #4 of 4 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Andrew County ($832), DeKalb County ($832), Doniphan County ($832), Buchanan County (this county) ($832).

Andrew County
1 BR: $832/mo
DeKalb County
1 BR: $832/mo
Doniphan County
1 BR: $832/mo
Buchanan County (this county)
1 BR: $832/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Buchanan County, both outside Missouri 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 MO (FY2026).

Dubuque County
IA · 2 BR $1,077/mo
Pamlico County
NC · 2 BR $1,077/mo
Clearwater County
ID · 2 BR $1,077/mo
Doniphan County
KS · 2 BR $1,077/mo

Similar rent burden

Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside MO).

Sumter County
FL · 21.7% of income · 2 BR $1,328/mo
Anderson County
SC · 21.8% of income · 2 BR $1,173/mo
Raleigh County
WV · 21.8% of income · 2 BR $944/mo
Bristol County
MA · 21.8% of income · 2 BR $1,527/mo

Nearby Counties in Missouri

Largest counties by population in Missouri

Showing the 8 largest of 115 other counties in Missouri.

St. Louis County
1 BR: $995/mo Pop: 999,703
Jackson County
1 BR: $1,197/mo Pop: 715,526
St. Charles County
1 BR: $995/mo Pop: 406,262
Greene County
1 BR: $883/mo Pop: 299,188
St. Louis city
1 BR: $995/mo Pop: 298,018
Clay County
1 BR: $1,197/mo Pop: 253,085
Jefferson County
1 BR: $995/mo Pop: 226,984
Boone County
1 BR: $1,011/mo Pop: 184,043
View all counties in Missouri →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Buchanan County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Buchanan County is $832 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,077 and a studio is $774.
How does Buchanan County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Buchanan County is 13% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $832 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Buchanan County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Buchanan County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,077 ranks #1,384 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the middle half of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Buchanan County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $33,280 ($2,773/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Buchanan County.
Is rent going up or down in Buchanan County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Buchanan County increased by 5.4% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $789 to $832.
Which jobs can afford rent in Buchanan County? ▼
Based on Missouri BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, Registered Nurses, General and Operations Managers can afford a 1-bedroom at $832/mo. 12 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Buchanan County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Buchanan County went from $610 in FY 2020 to $832 in FY 2026, a total change of +36.4% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Buchanan County? ▼
In Buchanan County, the FY 2026 FMR of $832/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 Buchanan County? ▼
For Buchanan County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($832/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).

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.

All federal data sources used on this page
  • HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) - county-level fair-market rent estimates by bedroom count. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
  • HUD Income Limits - area median income for affordability calculations. huduser.gov/datasets/il
  • HUD Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) - rent burden and housing-cost distribution. huduser.gov/datasets/cp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - county and metro housing characteristics + median rent. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • BLS Consumer Price Index, Rent of Primary Residence - rent inflation by metro. bls.gov/cpi
  • IRS Migration Data (SOI) - interstate migration aggregates affecting county demand. irs.gov/statistics/migration
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics - state-level median wages by occupation, used for job affordability analysis. bls.gov/oes

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.