County FMR · HUD FY2026
Butler County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Butler County, MO - 29% below the US average.
- $682
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $895
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +8.6%
- YoY change
- -29%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Butler is the 55th most expensive of 116 counties in Missouri by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #410 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 8.6% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.
- #410
- most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #55
- most expensive of 116 in Missouri (2BR)
- -12%
- vs the state average
- $27,280
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (7.1%), while Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary spend the most (28.2%); 15 of 15 common occupations here can afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding the 30% threshold.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Butler County, MO. Verify with HUD →
Butler County, Missouri carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $682 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $895/mo and a studio is $660/mo. That's 29% below the national benchmark of $959 and 12% below the Missouri average of $777.
Rent increased8.6% from FY 2025 ($628), outpacing inflation. The 30% affordability floor is comparatively reachable here at $27,280/year.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Missouri. Population: 42,280. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-1.3%, Census ACS). That's slower than Missouri's statewide growth of +1.3% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Butler 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, Butler County's 2-bedroom of $895 ranks #410 most affordable of 3,145 US counties, in the lower-rent quarter of HUD counties.
This is a below-average rent market: 1-bedroom FMR is 29% under the US average of $959 and 12% below Missouri's $777. HUD's 1-bedroom figure shifted from $628 (FY 2025) to $682 (FY 2026), a +8.6% move that still leaves this county below the US mid-point.
A 1-bedroom at $682 needs $27,280/year under the 30% rule against a county median of $49,213, and the median household clears that line with room to spare. A 2-bedroom at $895 is the next step up.
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $615 | $660 | +$45 (+7.3%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $628 | $682 | +$54 (+8.6%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $824 | $895 | +$71 (+8.6%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,128 | $1,194 | +$66 (+5.9%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,150 | $1,199 | +$49 (+4.3%) |
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 Butler 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.
Where Butler sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$895 higher than 13% 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 Butler compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Missouri counties
- Jackson
Jackson County
$1,197 1BR FMR / mo
- Clay
Clay County
$1,197 1BR FMR / mo
- St. Louis
St. Louis County
$995 1BR FMR / mo
- St. Charles
St. Charles County
$995 1BR FMR / mo
- St. Louis city
St. Louis city
$995 1BR FMR / mo
- Greene
Greene County
$883 1BR FMR / mo
- Butler
Butler County
$682 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Butler 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), Butler County (this county) ($682).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
With a below-average 1-bedroom at $682/mo, most of these Missouri occupations clear, or miss, the 30% affordability line.
| Occupation | MO Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $114,550 | 7.1% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | 10.3% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $77,410 | 10.6% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $73,210 | 11.2% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $70,950 | 11.5% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $60,720 | 13.5% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $58,730 | 13.9% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $50,540 | 16.2% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $48,250 | 17% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $41,850 | 19.6% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $37,990 | 21.5% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $34,080 | 24% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $31,250 | 26.2% | Affordable |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $29,310 | 27.9% | Affordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $29,060 | 28.2% | Affordable |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Butler County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Butler (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 35.3% overall, from $504 to $682. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 8.6% (FY 2026).
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑8.6% | $660 | $682 | $895 |
| FY 2025 ↑3.5% | $615 | $628 | $824 |
| FY 2024 ↑7.1% | $602 | $607 | $798 |
| FY 2023 ↑7.0% | $549 | $567 | $746 |
| FY 2022 ↑4.3% | $498 | $530 | $698 |
| FY 2021 ↑0.8% | $442 | $508 | $670 |
| FY 2020 | $433 | $504 | $664 |
Part of the Poplar Bluff, MO Micro Area
Butler County is a central county of the Poplar Bluff, MO micropolitan statistical area.
Nearby Counties in Missouri
Largest counties by population in Missouri
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Butler County? ▼
How does Butler County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Where does Butler County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Butler County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Butler County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Butler County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Butler County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Butler County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Butler County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Butler'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 $682 implies about $27,280/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 Butler 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.