County FMR · HUD FY2026
Carroll County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Carroll County, MD - 58% above the US average.
- $1,511
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,857
- 2-bedroom FMR
- -5.8%
- YoY change
- +58%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Carroll is the 9th most expensive of 24 counties in Maryland by 2-bedroom FMR; rent here has fallen 5.8% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.
- #9
- most expensive of 24 in Maryland (2BR)
- +8%
- vs the state average
- $60,440
- income to afford it (30% rule)
- -5.8%
- YoY, FY2025→2026
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (13.1%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (58.1%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Carroll County, MD. Verify with HUD →
The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Carroll County, Maryland is $1,511 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $1,857/mo and a studio is $1,362/mo. This is 58% higher than the national average of $959 and 8% above the Maryland average of $1,404.
Rent decreased5.8% from FY 2025 ($1,604), declining against the trend. To afford rent here, a household needs at least $60,440/year based on the 30% affordability rule.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Maryland. Population: 173,225. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+4.1%, Census ACS). That's in line with Maryland's statewide growth of +2.8% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Carroll County
The Carroll County FMR area applies to all ZIP codes inside the county boundary, and Maryland'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 58% above the US average of $959 and 8% higher than the Maryland state average of $1,404. Year-over-year, the 1-bedroom FMR moved from$1,604 in FY 2025 to $1,511 in FY 2026 - a change of -5.8%, which is unusual and suggests softening demand or revised HUD sampling.
At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $1,511, affording it under the 30%-of-income rule takes $60,440 per year (about $5,037/month) in household income, and a 2-bedroom at $1,857 pushes that threshold even higher. With a population of 173,225 and a county median household income of $115,876, 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 | $1,407 | $1,362 | $-45 (-3.2%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $1,604 | $1,511 | $-93 (-5.8%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,965 | $1,857 | $-108 (-5.5%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $2,529 | $2,358 | $-171 (-6.8%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $2,826 | $2,611 | $-215 (-7.6%) |
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 Carroll 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.
Carroll County 2-bedroom rent burden
Where Carroll sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,857 Top 5% higher than 95% 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 Carroll compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Maryland counties
- Montgomery
Montgomery County
$2,015 1BR FMR / mo
- Prince George's
Prince George's County
$2,015 1BR FMR / mo
- Carroll
Carroll County
$1,511 1BR FMR / mo
- Baltimore
Baltimore County
$1,511 1BR FMR / mo
- Anne Arundel
Anne Arundel County
$1,511 1BR FMR / mo
- Baltimore city
Baltimore city
$1,511 1BR FMR / mo
- Howard
Howard County
$1,511 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Carroll is highlighted. Nearby Maryland counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Montgomery County ($2,015), Prince George's County ($2,015), Carroll County (this county) ($1,511), Baltimore County ($1,511), Anne Arundel County ($1,511), Baltimore city ($1,511), Howard County ($1,511).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $1,511/mo compares to Maryland salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | MD Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $137,890 | 13.1% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $105,320 | 17.2% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $96,830 | 18.7% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $84,890 | 21.4% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $77,440 | 23.4% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $74,720 | 24.3% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $65,650 | 27.6% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $63,560 | 28.5% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $57,180 | 31.7% | Stretched |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $43,100 | 42.1% | Stretched |
| Customer Service Representatives | $40,310 | 45% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $36,090 | 50.2% | Unaffordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $35,700 | 50.8% | Unaffordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $34,310 | 52.8% | Unaffordable |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $31,200 | 58.1% | Unaffordable |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Carroll County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Carroll (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 36.7% overall, from $1,105 to $1,511. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 26.2% (FY 2024), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↓5.8% | $1,362 | $1,511 | $1,857 |
| FY 2025 ↑1.4% | $1,407 | $1,604 | $1,965 |
| FY 2024 ↑26.2% | $1,379 | $1,582 | $1,943 |
| FY 2023 ↑11.6% | $1,082 | $1,254 | $1,548 |
| FY 2022 ↑0.8% | $953 | $1,124 | $1,395 |
| FY 2021 ↑0.9% | $917 | $1,115 | $1,384 |
| FY 2020 | $897 | $1,105 | $1,376 |
Part of the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD Metro Area
Carroll County is a outlying county of the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metropolitan statistical area, alongside 6 other metro-area counties.
Carroll County ranks #7 of 7 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Baltimore County ($1,511), Anne Arundel County ($1,511), Baltimore city ($1,511), Howard County ($1,511), Harford County ($1,511), Queen Anne's County ($1,511), Carroll County (this county) ($1,511).
Nearby Counties in Maryland
Largest counties by population in Maryland
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Carroll County? ▼
How does Carroll County rent compare to the national average? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Carroll County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Carroll County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Carroll County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Carroll County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Carroll County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Carroll County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Carroll'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 $1,511 implies about $60,440/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 Carroll 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.