County FMR · HUD FY2026

Buena Vista County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Buena Vista County, IA - 20% below the US average.

$770
1-bedroom FMR
$1,010
2-bedroom FMR
+5.9%
YoY change
-20%
vs US avg

The verdict

Buena Vista is the 25th most expensive of 99 counties in Iowa by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,479 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 5.9% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.

#1,479
most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#25
most expensive of 99 in Iowa (2BR)
-2%
vs the state average
$30,800
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (8.4%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (32.5%).

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Buena Vista County, IA. Verify with HUD →

Buena Vista County, Iowa carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $770 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,010/mo and a studio is $765/mo. That's 20% below the national benchmark of $959 and 2% below the Iowa average of $788.

Rent increased5.9% from FY 2025 ($727), outpacing inflation. The 30% affordability floor is comparatively reachable here at $30,800/year.

Observed renter burden: 29.2% of the 2,078 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 Iowa. Population: 20,687. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+2.1%, Census ACS). That's in line with Iowa's statewide growth of +2.0% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area BUENA·VISTA·COUNTY·IA·IA

Buena Vista County, IA: $770/mo 1BR · #1479 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA IA
  • 1BR-FMR $770
  • 2BR-FMR $1,010
  • RANK-MID #1,479
  • YOY-SURGE +5.9%
  • VSUS-BELOW -20%
  • VS-ST-NEAR -2% IA
  • INC-ROOM 14%
  • POP-SMALL 21K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Polk County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $693–$847
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Polk ($339 1BR gap)

Read with: Section 8 housing guide

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $738 · US avg: $893
$765/mo
↑ 6.0% YoY +4% vs state -14% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $788 · US avg: $959
$770/mo
↑ 5.9% YoY -2% vs state -20% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $989 · US avg: $1,175
$1,010/mo
↑ 5.9% YoY +2% vs state -14% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,282 · US avg: $1,525
$1,240/mo
↑ 6.1% YoY -3% vs state -19% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,420 · US avg: $1,756
$1,337/mo
↑ 5.7% YoY -6% vs state -24% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $722
$765
+$43 (+6.0%)
1 Bedroom $727
$770
+$43 (+5.9%)
2 Bedroom $954
$1,010
+$56 (+5.9%)
3 Bedroom $1,169
$1,240
+$71 (+6.1%)
4 Bedroom $1,265
$1,337
+$72 (+5.7%)

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio
13.8%
Affordable
Need $30,600/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
13.9%
Affordable
Need $30,800/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
18.2%
Affordable
Need $40,400/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
22.4%
Affordable
Need $49,600/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
24.1%
Affordable
Need $53,480/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%18.2%
Buena Vista County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $66,564 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Iowa rent burden →

Where Buena Vista sits among every US county

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

$1,010 higher than 47% 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 Buena Vista compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Iowa counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Buena Vista 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), Buena Vista County (this county) ($770).

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

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

With a below-average 1-bedroom at $770/mo, most of these Iowa occupations clear, or miss, the 30% affordability line.

Occupation IA Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $109,850 8.4% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $80,620 11.5% Affordable
Registered Nurses $76,960 12% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $74,290 12.4% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $73,900 12.5% Affordable
Electricians $62,880 14.7% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $55,540 16.6% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $55,080 16.8% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $53,280 17.3% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $44,990 20.5% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $41,380 22.3% Affordable
Janitors & Cleaners $36,130 25.6% Affordable
Retail Salespersons $30,030 30.8% Stretched
Teaching Assistants $28,500 32.4% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $28,400 32.5% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (Iowa) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

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

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Buena Vista (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 43.4% overall, from $537 to $770. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 10.4% (FY 2024).

$500$600$700$800 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $770
Buena Vista County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑5.9% $765 $770 $1,010
FY 2025 ↑4.9% $722 $727 $954
FY 2024 ↑10.4% $688 $693 $910
FY 2023 ↑6.1% $595 $628 $814
FY 2022 ↑5.5% $546 $592 $755
FY 2021 ↑4.5% $472 $561 $715
FY 2020 $448 $537 $687
Total change (6yr): +43.4%
Annualized: +6.2%/yr
1 BR: $537 → $770

Part of the Storm Lake, IA Micro Area

Buena Vista County is a central county of the Storm Lake, IA micropolitan statistical area.

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Buena Vista County, both outside Iowa 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 IA (FY2026).

Mecosta County
MI · 2 BR $1,010/mo
Trinity County
TX · 2 BR $1,010/mo
Wheeler County
OR · 2 BR $1,010/mo
Lancaster County
SC · 2 BR $1,011/mo

Similar rent burden

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

Doddridge County
WV · 18.2% of income · 2 BR $928/mo
Wasatch County
UT · 18.2% of income · 2 BR $1,747/mo
Pender County
NC · 18.2% of income · 2 BR $1,166/mo
Holt County
MO · 18.2% of income · 2 BR $888/mo

Nearby Counties in Iowa

Largest counties by population in Iowa

Showing the 8 largest of 98 other counties in Iowa.

Polk County
1 BR: $1,109/mo Pop: 493,378
Linn County
1 BR: $816/mo Pop: 229,308
Scott County
1 BR: $928/mo Pop: 174,315
Johnson County
1 BR: $961/mo Pop: 153,360
Black Hawk County
1 BR: $801/mo Pop: 131,041
Woodbury County
1 BR: $925/mo Pop: 105,526
Dallas County
1 BR: $1,109/mo Pop: 100,367
Dubuque County
1 BR: $841/mo Pop: 98,812
View all counties in Iowa →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Buena Vista County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Buena Vista County is $770 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,010 and a studio is $765.
How does Buena Vista County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Buena Vista County is 20% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $770 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Buena Vista County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Buena Vista County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,010 ranks #1,479 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 Buena Vista County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $30,800 ($2,567/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Buena Vista County.
Is rent going up or down in Buena Vista County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Buena Vista County increased by 5.9% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $727 to $770.
Which jobs can afford rent in Buena Vista County? ▼
Based on Iowa BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $770/mo. 12 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Buena Vista County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Buena Vista County went from $537 in FY 2020 to $770 in FY 2026, a total change of +43.4% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Buena Vista County? ▼
In Buena Vista County, the FY 2026 FMR of $770/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 Buena Vista County? ▼
For Buena Vista County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($770/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.