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; nationally it ranks #1,322 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 13.7% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.
- #1,322
- most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #12
- cheapest of 23 in Wyoming (2BR)
- +4%
- vs the state average
- $34,160
- 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 (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. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $34,160/year for a 1-bedroom.
Observed renter burden: 24.7% of the 1,367 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 23.0%, a loose rental market that typically gives renters more negotiating leverage than the FMR schedule alone implies.
Local labor market: The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 3.8% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
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.
FMR filing desk
Area CARBON·COUNTY·WY·WY
Carbon County, WY: $854/mo 1BR · #1322 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA WY
- 1BR-FMR $854
- 2BR-FMR $980
- RANK-MID #1,322
- YOY-SURGE +13.7%
- VSUS-BELOW -11%
- VS-ST-NEAR +4% WY
- INC-ROOM 15%
- POP-SMALL 15K
- PHOTO-NEAR Laramie County
- VOUCH-90-110 $769–$939
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Laramie ($63 1BR gap)
Read with: How Fair Market Rent works
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%) |
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.
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).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Carbon County, both outside Wyoming 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 WY (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside WY).
Nearby Counties in Wyoming
Largest counties by population in Wyoming
Showing the 8 largest of 22 other counties in Wyoming.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Carbon County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Carbon County is $854 per month. A 2-bedroom is $980 and a studio is $775.
How does Carbon County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Carbon County is 11% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $854 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Carbon County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Carbon County's 2-bedroom FMR of $980 ranks #1,322 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 Carbon County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $34,160 ($2,847/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Carbon County.
Is rent going up or down in Carbon County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Carbon County increased by 13.7% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $751 to $854.
Which jobs can afford rent in Carbon County?
Based on Wyoming BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $854/mo. 13 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Carbon County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Carbon County went from $721 in FY 2020 to $854 in FY 2026, a total change of +18.4% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Carbon County?
In Carbon County, the FY 2026 FMR of $854/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 Carbon County?
For Carbon County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($854/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Carbon County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 23.0%, a loose rental market that typically gives renters more negotiating leverage than the FMR schedule alone implies.
What is the unemployment rate in Carbon County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 3.8% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Carbon'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 $854 implies about $34,160/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Wyoming counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Laramie
- See where Carbon 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.