County FMR · HUD FY2026
Caldwell County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Caldwell County, TX - 63% above the US average.
- $1,562
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,852
- 2-bedroom FMR
- -5.3%
- YoY change
- +63%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Caldwell is the 11th most expensive of 254 counties in Texas by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #189 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has fallen 5.3% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.
- #189
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #11
- most expensive of 254 in Texas (2BR)
- +67%
- vs the state average
- $62,480
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (14.4%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (69.4%); only 5 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 Caldwell County, TX. Verify with HUD →
HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Caldwell County, Texas at $1,562 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,852/mo and a studio is $1,474/mo. This is 63% higher than the national average of $959 and 67% above the Texas average of $935.
Rent decreased5.3% from FY 2025 ($1,650), declining against the trend. Clearing the 30% rule here takes $62,480/year, a high bar relative to most US counties.
Observed renter burden: 38.4% of the 4,223 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.
Market slack: The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 5.2%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
Local labor market: The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 3.9% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Texas. Population: 46,141. Population grew 14.0% over the past five years (Census ACS) - among the faster-growing counties nationally, a trend that typically adds upward pressure on rents. That's faster than Texas's statewide growth of +6.3% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area CALDWELL·COUNTY·TX·TX
Caldwell County, TX: $1,562/mo 1BR · #189 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA TX
- 1BR-FMR $1,562
- 2BR-FMR $1,852
- RANK-UPPER #189
- YOY-DOWN -5.3%
- VSUS-HIGH +63%
- VS-ST-HIGH +67% TX
- INC-MID 27%
- POP-SMALL 46K
- PHOTO-NEAR Harris County
- VOUCH-90-110 $1,406–$1,718
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Harris ($239 1BR gap)
Read with: Understanding rent burden
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,549 | $1,474 | $-75 (-4.8%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $1,650 | $1,562 | $-88 (-5.3%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,949 | $1,852 | $-97 (-5.0%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $2,484 | $2,347 | $-137 (-5.5%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $2,882 | $2,760 | $-122 (-4.2%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Caldwell 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 Caldwell sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,852 Top 6% higher than 94% 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 Caldwell 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
- Caldwell
Caldwell County
$1,562 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
What this shows Caldwell is highlighted. Nearby Texas counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Dallas County ($1,648), Collin County ($1,648), Caldwell County (this county) ($1,562), Travis County ($1,562), Tarrant County ($1,473), Harris County ($1,323), Bexar County ($1,177).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
Against a high local FMR of $1,562/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using Texas BLS wages?
| Occupation | TX Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $130,500 | 14.4% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $100,290 | 18.7% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $90,010 | 20.8% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $80,000 | 23.4% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $76,350 | 24.6% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $61,380 | 30.5% | Stretched |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $59,700 | 31.4% | Stretched |
| Electricians | $56,920 | 32.9% | Stretched |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $53,070 | 35.3% | Stretched |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $43,920 | 42.7% | Stretched |
| Customer Service Representatives | $39,100 | 47.9% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $31,230 | 60% | Unaffordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $30,130 | 62.2% | Unaffordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $27,630 | 67.8% | Unaffordable |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $27,000 | 69.4% | Unaffordable |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Caldwell County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Caldwell (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 37.7% overall, from $1,134 to $1,562. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +18.0% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↓5.3% | $1,474 | $1,562 | $1,852 |
| FY 2025 ↑0.9% | $1,549 | $1,650 | $1,949 |
| FY 2024 ↑18.0% | $1,519 | $1,635 | $1,924 |
| FY 2023 ↑12.1% | $1,253 | $1,386 | $1,626 |
| FY 2022 ↑2.0% | $1,092 | $1,236 | $1,451 |
| FY 2021 ↑6.9% | $1,059 | $1,212 | $1,434 |
| FY 2020 | $988 | $1,134 | $1,356 |
Part of the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX Metro Area
Caldwell County is a outlying county of the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX metropolitan statistical area, alongside 4 other metro-area counties.
Caldwell County ranks #5 of 5 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Travis County ($1,562), Williamson County ($1,562), Hays County ($1,562), Bastrop County ($1,562), Caldwell County (this county) ($1,562).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Caldwell County, both outside Texas 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 TX (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside TX).
Nearby Counties in Texas
Largest counties by population in Texas
Showing the 8 largest of 253 other counties in Texas.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Caldwell County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Caldwell County is $1,562 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,852 and a studio is $1,474.
How does Caldwell County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Caldwell County is 63% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,562 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Caldwell County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Caldwell County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,852 ranks #189 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the highest-rent tenth of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Caldwell County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $62,480 ($5,207/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Caldwell County.
Is rent going up or down in Caldwell County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Caldwell County decreased by 5.3% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,650 to $1,562.
Which jobs can afford rent in Caldwell County?
Based on Texas BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $1,562/mo. 5 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Caldwell County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Caldwell County went from $1,134 in FY 2020 to $1,562 in FY 2026, a total change of +37.7% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Caldwell County?
In Caldwell County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,562/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 Caldwell County?
For Caldwell County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,562/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Caldwell County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 5.2%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
What is the unemployment rate in Caldwell County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 3.9% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Caldwell's FY2026 Fair Market Rent as HUD's affordability benchmark, not a single market quote.
- Budget to roughly 30% of income: the FY2026 1-bedroom FMR of $1,562 implies about $62,480/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Texas counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Harris
- See where Caldwell ranks nationally on rent. National rankings
Fair Market Rent is HUD's 40th-percentile policy benchmark used to set Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. Actual asking rents can run higher or lower, and HUD updates FMRs once a year. This site is informational and not financial or relocation advice.
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.