County FMR · HUD FY2026
Catron County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Catron County, NM - 11% below the US average.
- $853
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,040
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +11.6%
- YoY change
- -11%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Catron is the 17th cheapest of 33 counties in New Mexico by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,510 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 11.6% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.
- #1,510
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #17
- cheapest of 33 in New Mexico (2BR)
- -8%
- vs the state average
- $34,120
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (8.5%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (35.7%); nearby New Mexico counties range as much as 57% apart in 1-bedroom FMR, so the county line itself can matter for renters comparing options.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Catron County, NM. Verify with HUD →
HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Catron County, New Mexico at $853 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,040/mo and a studio is $773/mo. This is 11% lower than the national average of $959 and 8% below the New Mexico average of $927.
Rent increased11.6% from FY 2025 ($764), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $34,120/year for a 1-bedroom.
Observed renter burden: 20.3% of the 202 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 1.5%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
Local labor market: The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 6.1% over the past 12 months, well above the national norm, a headwind for household budgets that can also soften local rent growth.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in New Mexico. Population: 3,635. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+4.1%, Census ACS). That's faster than New Mexico's statewide growth of +1.1% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area CATRON·COUNTY·NM·NM
Catron County, NM: $853/mo 1BR · #1510 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA NM
- 1BR-FMR $853
- 2BR-FMR $1,040
- RANK-MID #1,510
- YOY-SURGE +11.6%
- VSUS-BELOW -11%
- VS-ST-NEAR -8% NM
- INC-MID 22%
- POP-SMALL 4K
- PHOTO-NEAR Bernalillo County
- VOUCH-90-110 $768–$938
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Bernalillo ($332 1BR gap)
Read with: How Fair Market Rent works
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $678 | $773 | +$95 (+14.0%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $764 | $853 | +$89 (+11.6%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $933 | $1,040 | +$107 (+11.5%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,273 | $1,424 | +$151 (+11.9%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,549 | $1,677 | +$128 (+8.3%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Catron 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 Catron sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,040 higher than 52% 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 Catron compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other New Mexico counties
- Santa Fe
Santa Fe County
$1,390 1BR FMR / mo
- Bernalillo
Bernalillo County
$1,185 1BR FMR / mo
- Sandoval
Sandoval County
$1,185 1BR FMR / mo
- Valencia
Valencia County
$1,185 1BR FMR / mo
- Dona Ana
Dona Ana County
$951 1BR FMR / mo
- San Juan
San Juan County
$885 1BR FMR / mo
- Catron
Catron County
$853 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Catron is highlighted. Nearby New Mexico counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Santa Fe County ($1,390), Bernalillo County ($1,185), Sandoval County ($1,185), Valencia County ($1,185), Dona Ana County ($951), San Juan County ($885), Catron County (this county) ($853).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $853/mo compares to New Mexico salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | NM Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $120,820 | 8.5% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $100,200 | 10.2% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $88,260 | 11.6% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $77,420 | 13.2% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $65,510 | 15.6% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $63,340 | 16.2% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $56,890 | 18% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $56,620 | 18.1% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $48,360 | 21.2% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $44,970 | 22.8% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $38,060 | 26.9% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $33,640 | 30.4% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $31,360 | 32.6% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $30,350 | 33.7% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $28,650 | 35.7% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Catron County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Catron (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 51.5% overall, from $563 to $853. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 11.6% (FY 2026).
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑11.6% | $773 | $853 | $1,040 |
| FY 2025 ↑8.1% | $678 | $764 | $933 |
| FY 2024 ↑11.0% | $627 | $707 | $877 |
| FY 2023 ↑10.0% | $582 | $637 | $795 |
| FY 2022 ↓0.7% | $550 | $579 | $726 |
| FY 2021 ↑3.6% | $574 | $583 | $734 |
| FY 2020 | $559 | $563 | $714 |
Where Catron County Ranks in New Mexico
Catron 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 #17 of 33 counties in New Mexico. Nearest by rank: Union County ($973), Roosevelt County ($975), Cibola County ($993), Lincoln County ($999), Sierra County ($1,004), San Miguel County ($1,008), Catron County (this county) ($1,040), Harding County ($1,040), Dona Ana County ($1,042), Grant County ($1,048), Chaves County ($1,071), San Juan County ($1,085), McKinley County ($1,090).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Catron County, both outside New Mexico 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 NM (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside NM).
Nearby Counties in New Mexico
Largest counties by population in New Mexico
Showing the 8 largest of 32 other counties in New Mexico.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Catron County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Catron County is $853 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,040 and a studio is $773.
How does Catron County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Catron County is 11% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $853 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Catron County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Catron County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,040 ranks #1,510 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 Catron County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $34,120 ($2,843/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Catron County.
Is rent going up or down in Catron County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Catron County increased by 11.6% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $764 to $853.
Which jobs can afford rent in Catron County?
Based on New Mexico BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $853/mo. 11 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Catron County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Catron County went from $563 in FY 2020 to $853 in FY 2026, a total change of +51.5% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Catron County?
In Catron County, the FY 2026 FMR of $853/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 Catron County?
For Catron County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($853/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Catron County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 1.5%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
What is the unemployment rate in Catron County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 6.1% over the past 12 months, well above the national norm, a headwind for household budgets that can also soften local rent growth.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Catron'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 $853 implies about $34,120/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- New Mexico counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Bernalillo
- See where Catron 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.