County FMR · HUD FY2026
Caledonia County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Caledonia County, VT - 3% above the US average.
- $992
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,159
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +9.1%
- YoY change
- +3%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Caledonia is the 2nd cheapest of 14 counties in Vermont by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,101 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 9.1% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.
- #1,101
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #2
- cheapest of 14 in Vermont (2BR)
- -18%
- vs the state average
- $39,680
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (9.1%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (34.5%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Caledonia County, VT. Verify with HUD →
The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Caledonia County, Vermont is $992 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $1,159/mo and a studio is $986/mo. This is 3% higher than the national average of $959 and 18% below the Vermont average of $1,203.
Rent increased9.1% from FY 2025 ($909), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $39,680/year for a 1-bedroom.
Observed renter burden: 45.0% of the 2,811 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 4.4%, 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 2.7% over the past 12 months, a tight labor market that typically supports steadier rent demand.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Vermont. Population: 1,671. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+0.0%, Census ACS). That's slower than Vermont's statewide growth of +3.2% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area CALEDONIA·COUNTY·VT·VT
Caledonia County, VT: $992/mo 1BR · #1101 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA VT
- 1BR-FMR $992
- 2BR-FMR $1,159
- RANK-MID #1,101
- YOY-SURGE +9.1%
- VSUS-NEAR +3%
- VS-ST-LOW -18% VT
- INC-ROOM 18%
- POP-SMALL 2K
- PHOTO-NEAR Washington County
- VOUCH-90-110 $893–$1,091
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Washington ($137 1BR gap)
Read with: How Fair Market Rent works
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $905 | $986 | +$81 (+9.0%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $909 | $992 | +$83 (+9.1%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,092 | $1,159 | +$67 (+6.1%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,471 | $1,610 | +$139 (+9.4%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,561 | $1,732 | +$171 (+11.0%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Caledonia 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 Caledonia sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,159 Top 35% higher than 65% 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 Caledonia compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Vermont counties
- Grand Isle
Grand Isle County
$1,651 1BR FMR / mo
- Franklin
Franklin County
$1,651 1BR FMR / mo
- Orange
Orange County
$1,167 1BR FMR / mo
- Bennington
Bennington County
$1,142 1BR FMR / mo
- Washington
Washington County
$1,129 1BR FMR / mo
- Addison
Addison County
$1,124 1BR FMR / mo
- Caledonia
Caledonia County
$992 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Caledonia is highlighted. Nearby Vermont counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Grand Isle County ($1,651), Franklin County ($1,651), Orange County ($1,167), Bennington County ($1,142), Washington County ($1,129), Addison County ($1,124), Caledonia County (this county) ($992).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $992/mo compares to Vermont salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | VT Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $130,720 | 9.1% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $93,290 | 12.8% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $85,150 | 14% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $76,990 | 15.5% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $63,690 | 18.7% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $63,000 | 18.9% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $61,270 | 19.4% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $59,670 | 19.9% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $56,360 | 21.1% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $46,190 | 25.8% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $46,050 | 25.9% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $38,630 | 30.8% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $37,120 | 32.1% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $36,810 | 32.3% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $34,540 | 34.5% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Caledonia County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Caledonia (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 30.2% overall, from $762 to $992. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 9.7% (FY 2023).
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑9.1% | $986 | $992 | $1,159 |
| FY 2025 ↓1.4% | $905 | $909 | $1,092 |
| FY 2024 ↑9.1% | $899 | $922 | $1,068 |
| FY 2023 ↑9.7% | $810 | $845 | $954 |
| FY 2022 ↑4.2% | $741 | $770 | $877 |
| FY 2021 ↓3.0% | $708 | $739 | $842 |
| FY 2020 | $724 | $762 | $876 |
Where Caledonia County Ranks in Vermont
Caledonia County is not part of any federally-designated metropolitan or micropolitan statistical area -- an independent rental market not administratively tied to a larger urban core. By 2-bedroom FMR, it ranks #2 of 14 counties in Vermont. Nearest by rank: Essex County ($1,007), Caledonia County (this county) ($1,159), Orleans County ($1,184), Bennington County ($1,297), Lamoille County ($1,345), Rutland County ($1,345).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Caledonia County, both outside Vermont 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 VT (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside VT).
Nearby Counties in Vermont
Largest counties by population in Vermont
Showing the 8 largest of 13 other counties in Vermont.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Caledonia County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Caledonia County is $992 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,159 and a studio is $986.
How does Caledonia County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Caledonia County is 3% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $992 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Caledonia County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Caledonia County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,159 ranks #1,101 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 Caledonia County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $39,680 ($3,307/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Caledonia County.
Is rent going up or down in Caledonia County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Caledonia County increased by 9.1% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $909 to $992.
Which jobs can afford rent in Caledonia County?
Based on Vermont BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $992/mo. 11 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Caledonia County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Caledonia County went from $762 in FY 2020 to $992 in FY 2026, a total change of +30.2% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Caledonia County?
In Caledonia County, the FY 2026 FMR of $992/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 Caledonia County?
For Caledonia County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($992/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Caledonia County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 4.4%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
What is the unemployment rate in Caledonia County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 2.7% over the past 12 months, a tight labor market that typically supports steadier rent demand.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Caledonia'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 $992 implies about $39,680/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Vermont counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Washington
- See where Caledonia 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.