County FMR · HUD FY2026
Charles County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Charles County, MD - 110% above the US average.
- $2,015
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $2,246
- 2-bedroom FMR
- -2.0%
- YoY change
- +110%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Charles is the 4th most expensive of 24 counties in Maryland by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #94 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties.
- #94
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #4
- most expensive of 24 in Maryland (2BR)
- +44%
- vs the state average
- $80,600
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (17.5%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (77.5%); only 4 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 Charles County, MD. Verify with HUD →
Charles County, Maryland carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $2,015 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $2,246/mo and a studio is $1,953/mo. That's 110% above the national benchmark of $959 and 44% above the Maryland average of $1,404.
Rent decreased2.0% from FY 2025 ($2,056), declining against the trend. Clearing the 30% rule here takes $80,600/year, a high bar relative to most US counties.
Observed renter burden: 40.5% of the 11,299 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 4.6%, 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 4.7% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Maryland. Population: 167,035. Population grew 7.0% over the past five years (Census ACS) - among the faster-growing counties nationally, a trend that typically adds upward pressure on rents. That's faster than Maryland's statewide growth of +2.8% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area CHARLES·COUNTY·MD·MD
Charles County, MD: $2,015/mo 1BR · #94 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA MD
- 1BR-FMR $2,015
- 2BR-FMR $2,246
- RANK-UPPER #94
- YOY-FLAT -2.0%
- VSUS-HIGH +110%
- VS-ST-HIGH +44% MD
- INC-MID 20%
- POP-MID 167K
- PHOTO-FINISH Montgomery County
- VOUCH-90-110 $1,814–$2,217
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Montgomery ($0 1BR gap)
Read with: Understanding rent burden
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $2,012 | $1,953 | $-59 (-2.9%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $2,056 | $2,015 | $-41 (-2.0%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $2,314 | $2,246 | $-68 (-2.9%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $2,893 | $2,835 | $-58 (-2.0%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $3,413 | $3,332 | $-81 (-2.4%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Charles 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 Charles sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$2,246 Top 3% higher than 97% 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 Charles compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Maryland counties
- Charles
Charles County
$2,015 1BR FMR / mo
- Montgomery
Montgomery County
$2,015 1BR FMR / mo
- Prince George's
Prince George's County
$2,015 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 Charles is highlighted. Nearby Maryland counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Charles County (this county) ($2,015), Montgomery County ($2,015), Prince George's County ($2,015), Baltimore County ($1,511), Anne Arundel County ($1,511), Baltimore city ($1,511), Howard County ($1,511).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
Against a high local FMR of $2,015/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using Maryland BLS wages?
| Occupation | MD Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $137,890 | 17.5% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $105,320 | 23% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $96,830 | 25% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $84,890 | 28.5% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $77,440 | 31.2% | Stretched |
| Elementary School Teachers | $74,720 | 32.4% | Stretched |
| Electricians | $65,650 | 36.8% | Stretched |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $63,560 | 38% | Stretched |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $57,180 | 42.3% | Stretched |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $43,100 | 56.1% | Unaffordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $40,310 | 60% | Unaffordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $36,090 | 67% | Unaffordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $35,700 | 67.7% | Unaffordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $34,310 | 70.5% | Unaffordable |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $31,200 | 77.5% | Unaffordable |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Charles County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Charles (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 34.3% overall, from $1,500 to $2,015. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +14.0% in FY 2025, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↓2.0% | $1,953 | $2,015 | $2,246 |
| FY 2025 ↑14.0% | $2,012 | $2,056 | $2,314 |
| FY 2024 ↑11.6% | $1,772 | $1,803 | $2,045 |
| FY 2023 ↑3.1% | $1,589 | $1,615 | $1,838 |
| FY 2022 ↑1.2% | $1,539 | $1,567 | $1,785 |
| FY 2021 ↑3.2% | $1,513 | $1,548 | $1,765 |
| FY 2020 | $1,457 | $1,500 | $1,707 |
Part of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metro Area
Charles County is a outlying county of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metropolitan statistical area, alongside 22 other metro-area counties.
Charles County ranks #19 of 23 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Fairfax County ($2,015), Montgomery County ($2,015), Prince George's County ($2,015), District of Columbia ($2,015), Prince William County ($2,015), Loudoun County ($2,015), Frederick County ($2,015), Arlington County ($2,015), Stafford County ($2,015), Alexandria city ($2,015), Spotsylvania County ($2,015), Fauquier County ($2,015), Manassas city ($2,015), Fredericksburg city ($2,015), Fairfax city ($2,015), Manassas Park city ($2,015), Clarke County ($2,015), Falls Church city ($2,015), Charles County (this county) ($2,015), Rappahannock County ($1,254), Culpeper County ($1,170), Warren County ($1,002), Jefferson County ($953).
Show all 23 counties in this metro area
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Charles County, both outside Maryland 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 MD (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside MD).
Nearby Counties in Maryland
Largest counties by population in Maryland
Showing the 8 largest of 23 other counties in Maryland.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Charles County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Charles County is $2,015 per month. A 2-bedroom is $2,246 and a studio is $1,953.
How does Charles County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Charles County is 110% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $2,015 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Charles County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Charles County's 2-bedroom FMR of $2,246 ranks #94 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the highest-rent tenth of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Charles County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $80,600 ($6,717/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Charles County.
Is rent going up or down in Charles County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Charles County decreased by 2.0% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $2,056 to $2,015.
Which jobs can afford rent in Charles County?
Based on Maryland BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $2,015/mo. 4 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Charles County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Charles County went from $1,500 in FY 2020 to $2,015 in FY 2026, a total change of +34.3% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Charles County?
In Charles County, the FY 2026 FMR of $2,015/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 Charles County?
For Charles County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($2,015/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Charles County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 4.6%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
What is the unemployment rate in Charles County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 4.7% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Charles'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 $2,015 implies about $80,600/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Maryland counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Montgomery
- See where Charles 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.