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.
Observed renter burden: 46.7% of the 2,488 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 4.9%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
Local labor market: The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 3.4% over the past 12 months, a tight labor market that typically supports steadier rent demand.
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.
FMR filing desk
Area CHAFFEE·COUNTY·CO·CO
Chaffee County, CO: $1,117/mo 1BR · #503 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA CO
- 1BR-FMR $1,117
- 2BR-FMR $1,466
- RANK-MID #503
- YOY-SURGE +12.4%
- VSUS-ABOVE +16%
- VS-ST-NEAR -4% CO
- INC-ROOM 19%
- POP-SMALL 20K
- PHOTO-NEAR El Paso County
- VOUCH-90-110 $1,005–$1,229
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: El Paso ($347 1BR gap)
Read with: Understanding rent burden
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%) |
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).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Chaffee County, both outside Colorado 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 CO (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside CO).
Nearby Counties in Colorado
Largest counties by population in Colorado
Showing the 8 largest of 63 other counties in Colorado.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Chaffee County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Chaffee County is $1,117 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,466 and a studio is $1,110.
How does Chaffee County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Chaffee County is 16% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,117 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Chaffee County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Chaffee County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,466 ranks #503 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the upper-rent quarter of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Chaffee County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $44,680 ($3,723/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Chaffee County.
Is rent going up or down in Chaffee County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Chaffee County increased by 12.4% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $994 to $1,117.
Which jobs can afford rent in Chaffee County?
Based on Colorado BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $1,117/mo. 11 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Chaffee County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Chaffee County went from $722 in FY 2020 to $1,117 in FY 2026, a total change of +54.7% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Chaffee County?
In Chaffee County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,117/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 Chaffee County?
For Chaffee County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,117/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Chaffee County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 4.9%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
What is the unemployment rate in Chaffee County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 3.4% over the past 12 months, a tight labor market that typically supports steadier rent demand.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Chaffee'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 $1,117 implies about $44,680/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Colorado counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs El Paso
- See where Chaffee 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.