County FMR · HUD FY2026
Carbon County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Carbon County, WY - 11% below the US average.
- $854
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $980
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +13.7%
- YoY change
- -11%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Carbon is the 12th cheapest of 23 counties in Wyoming by 2-bedroom FMR; rent here has climbed 13.7% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.
- #12
- cheapest of 23 in Wyoming (2BR)
- +4%
- vs the state average
- $34,160
- income to afford it (30% rule)
- +13.7%
- YoY, FY2025→2026
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (9.1%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (36.3%); 13 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 Carbon County, WY. Verify with HUD →
The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Carbon County, Wyoming is $854 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $980/mo and a studio is $775/mo. This is 11% lower than the national average of $959 and 4% above the Wyoming average of $824.
Rent increased13.7% from FY 2025 ($751), outpacing inflation. To afford rent here, a household needs at least $34,160/year based on the 30% affordability rule.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Wyoming. Population: 14,609. Population declined 6.0% 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 Wyoming's statewide growth of -0.4% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Carbon County
The Carbon County FMR area applies to all ZIP codes inside the county boundary, and Wyoming's housing authorities use it as the baseline for Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. See how FMR is calculated for the full 40th-percentile methodology and payment-standard rules.
Compared to the rest of the country, a 1-bedroom here is 11% below the US average of $959 and 4% higher than the Wyoming state average of $824. Year-over-year, the 1-bedroom FMR moved from$751 in FY 2025 to $854 in FY 2026 - a change of +13.7%, which outpaces typical consumer inflation.
At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $854, affording it under the 30%-of-income rule takes $34,160 per year (about $2,847/month) in household income, and a 2-bedroom at $980 pushes that threshold even higher. With a population of 14,609 and a county median household income of $66,721, the arithmetic here directly shapes which wage earners can rent without being cost-burdened.
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $746 | $775 | +$29 (+3.9%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $751 | $854 | +$103 (+13.7%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $982 | $980 | $-2 (-0.2%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,376 | $1,293 | $-83 (-6.0%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,615 | $1,454 | $-161 (-10.0%) |
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 Carbon 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.
Carbon County 2-bedroom rent burden
Where Carbon sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$980 higher than 42% 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 Carbon compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Wyoming counties
- Laramie
Laramie County
$917 1BR FMR / mo
- Campbell
Campbell County
$896 1BR FMR / mo
- Carbon
Carbon County
$854 1BR FMR / mo
- Sweetwater
Sweetwater County
$854 1BR FMR / mo
- Natrona
Natrona County
$852 1BR FMR / mo
- Albany
Albany County
$786 1BR FMR / mo
- Fremont
Fremont County
$753 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Carbon is highlighted. Nearby Wyoming counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Laramie County ($917), Campbell County ($896), Carbon County (this county) ($854), Sweetwater County ($854), Natrona County ($852), Albany County ($786), Fremont County ($753).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $854/mo compares to Wyoming salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | WY Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $112,590 | 9.1% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $94,900 | 10.8% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $81,790 | 12.5% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $77,400 | 13.2% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $73,450 | 14% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $65,180 | 15.7% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $61,560 | 16.6% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $60,270 | 17% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $49,980 | 20.5% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $46,490 | 22% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $39,360 | 26% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $35,580 | 28.8% | Affordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $34,410 | 29.8% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $31,450 | 32.6% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $28,200 | 36.3% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Carbon County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Carbon (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 18.4% overall, from $721 to $854. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 13.7% (FY 2026), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑13.7% | $775 | $854 | $980 |
| FY 2025 ↓7.1% | $746 | $751 | $982 |
| FY 2024 ↑13.3% | $803 | $808 | $1,038 |
| FY 2023 ↓7.5% | $708 | $713 | $913 |
| FY 2022 ↑2.8% | $715 | $771 | $878 |
| FY 2021 ↑4.0% | $692 | $750 | $888 |
| FY 2020 | $653 | $721 | $874 |
Where Carbon County Ranks in Wyoming
Carbon 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 #12 of 23 counties in Wyoming. Nearest by rank: Lincoln County ($963), Park County ($963), Platte County ($963), Uinta County ($963), Washakie County ($963), Carbon County (this county) ($980), Sublette County ($995), Sweetwater County ($996), Campbell County ($1,019), Converse County ($1,026), Weston County ($1,059).
Nearby Counties in Wyoming
Largest counties by population in Wyoming
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Carbon County? ▼
How does Carbon County rent compare to the national average? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Carbon County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Carbon County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Carbon County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Carbon County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Carbon County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Carbon County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Carbon'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 $854 implies about $34,160/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 Carbon 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.