County FMR · HUD FY2026
Chaffee County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Chaffee County, CO - 16% above the US average.
- $1,117
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,466
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +12.4%
- YoY change
- +16%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Chaffee is the 25th most expensive of 64 counties in Colorado by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #503 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 12.4% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.
- #503
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #25
- most expensive of 64 in Colorado (2BR)
- -4%
- vs the state average
- $44,680
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (10%), while Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary spend the most (42.7%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Chaffee County, CO. Verify with HUD →
The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Chaffee County, Colorado is $1,117 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $1,466/mo and a studio is $1,110/mo. This is 16% higher than the national average of $959 and 4% below the Colorado average of $1,161.
Rent increased12.4% from FY 2025 ($994), outpacing inflation. A household needs about $44,680/year to stay under the 30% rent-to-income line.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Colorado. Population: 19,564. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+3.7%, Census ACS). That's in line with Colorado's statewide growth of +5.1% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Chaffee County
HUD publishes one FMR schedule per FMR area (often the county). Local housing authorities use it as the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher payment-standard baseline. See how FMR is calculated.
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Chaffee County's 2-bedroom of $1,466 ranks #503 most expensive of 3,145 US counties, in the upper-rent quarter of HUD counties.
Rents run meaningfully above the national benchmark: 1-bedroom FMR is 16% higher than the US average of $959 (4% below Colorado's $1,161). From FY 2025 to FY 2026 the 1-bedroom schedule moved $994 → $1,117 (+12.4%), widening an already-expensive gap versus national norms.
At $1,117/mo for a 1-bedroom, the 30% rule wants $44,680/year: still within reach of the county median income of $70,909, though a 2-bedroom at $1,466 raises the bar.
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $987 | $1,110 | +$123 (+12.5%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $994 | $1,117 | +$123 (+12.4%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,304 | $1,466 | +$162 (+12.4%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,827 | $2,039 | +$212 (+11.6%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $2,180 | $2,298 | +$118 (+5.4%) |
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 Chaffee 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 Chaffee sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,466 Top 16% higher than 84% 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 Chaffee compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Colorado counties
- Denver
Denver County
$1,754 1BR FMR / mo
- Arapahoe
Arapahoe County
$1,754 1BR FMR / mo
- Jefferson
Jefferson County
$1,754 1BR FMR / mo
- Adams
Adams County
$1,754 1BR FMR / mo
- Douglas
Douglas County
$1,754 1BR FMR / mo
- El Paso
El Paso County
$1,464 1BR FMR / mo
- Chaffee
Chaffee County
$1,117 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Chaffee is highlighted. Nearby Colorado counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Denver County ($1,754), Arapahoe County ($1,754), Jefferson County ($1,754), Adams County ($1,754), Douglas County ($1,754), El Paso County ($1,464), Chaffee County (this county) ($1,117).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
Against a high local FMR of $1,117/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using Colorado BLS wages?
| Occupation | CO Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $134,540 | 10% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $130,340 | 10.3% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $96,520 | 13.9% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $96,100 | 13.9% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $90,030 | 14.9% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $73,380 | 18.3% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $62,090 | 21.6% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $61,550 | 21.8% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $60,260 | 22.2% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $48,070 | 27.9% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $46,020 | 29.1% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $37,270 | 36% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $36,960 | 36.3% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $35,440 | 37.8% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $31,390 | 42.7% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Chaffee County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Chaffee (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 54.7% overall, from $722 to $1,117. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 18.0% (FY 2022), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑12.4% | $1,110 | $1,117 | $1,466 |
| FY 2025 ↓8.5% | $987 | $994 | $1,304 |
| FY 2024 ↑4.3% | $1,079 | $1,086 | $1,427 |
| FY 2023 ↑10.4% | $861 | $1,041 | $1,176 |
| FY 2022 ↑18.0% | $714 | $943 | $1,074 |
| FY 2021 ↑10.7% | $601 | $799 | $911 |
| FY 2020 | $536 | $722 | $822 |
Where Chaffee County Ranks in Colorado
Chaffee 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 #40 of 64 counties in Colorado. Nearest by rank: Fremont County ($1,244), Mesa County ($1,249), Pueblo County ($1,269), Crowley County ($1,289), Gunnison County ($1,334), Archuleta County ($1,337), Lake County ($1,343), Mineral County ($1,343), Chaffee County (this county) ($1,466), Grand County ($1,475), Teller County ($1,493), Ouray County ($1,526), Weld County ($1,563), La Plata County ($1,589), Garfield County ($1,605), San Miguel County ($1,645), Larimer County ($1,732).
Nearby Counties in Colorado
Largest counties by population in Colorado
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Chaffee County? ▼
How does Chaffee County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Where does Chaffee County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Chaffee County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Chaffee County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Chaffee County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Chaffee County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Chaffee County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Chaffee County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Chaffee'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 $1,117 implies about $44,680/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 Chaffee 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.