County FMR · HUD FY2026
Cherry County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Cherry County, NE - 19% below the US average.
- $780
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,024
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +2.0%
- YoY change
- -19%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Cherry is the 19th most expensive of 93 counties in Nebraska by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,542 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties.
- #1,542
- most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #19
- most expensive of 93 in Nebraska (2BR)
- -1%
- vs the state average
- $31,200
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (8%), while Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary spend the most (33.6%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Cherry County, NE. Verify with HUD →
The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Cherry County, Nebraska is $780 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $1,024/mo and a studio is $710/mo. This is 19% lower than the national average of $959 and 1% below the Nebraska average of $791.
Rent increased2.0% from FY 2025 ($765), roughly tracking inflation. The 30% affordability floor is comparatively reachable here at $31,200/year.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Nebraska. Population: 5,473. Population declined 5.6% over the past five years (Census ACS), a trend that can ease rental-market pressure over time even as FMR reflects recent rent levels. That's slower than Nebraska's statewide growth of +3.2% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Cherry 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, Cherry County's 2-bedroom of $1,024 ranks #1,542 most affordable of 3,145 US counties, in the middle half of HUD counties.
This is a below-average rent market: 1-bedroom FMR is 19% under the US average of $959 and 1% below Nebraska's $791. HUD's 1-bedroom figure shifted from $765 (FY 2025) to $780 (FY 2026), a +2.0% move that keeps the below-average posture intact.
A 1-bedroom at $780 needs $31,200/year under the 30% rule against a county median of $63,750, and the median household clears that line with room to spare. A 2-bedroom at $1,024 is the next step up.
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $622 | $710 | +$88 (+14.1%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $765 | $780 | +$15 (+2.0%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $907 | $1,024 | +$117 (+12.9%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,096 | $1,228 | +$132 (+12.0%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,204 | $1,368 | +$164 (+13.6%) |
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 Cherry 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.
Cherry County 2-bedroom rent burden
Where Cherry sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,024 higher than 49% 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 Cherry compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Nebraska counties
- Douglas
Douglas County
$1,148 1BR FMR / mo
- Sarpy
Sarpy County
$1,148 1BR FMR / mo
- Hall
Hall County
$978 1BR FMR / mo
- Lancaster
Lancaster County
$926 1BR FMR / mo
- Buffalo
Buffalo County
$863 1BR FMR / mo
- Dodge
Dodge County
$861 1BR FMR / mo
- Cherry
Cherry County
$780 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Cherry is highlighted. Nearby Nebraska counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Douglas County ($1,148), Sarpy County ($1,148), Hall County ($978), Lancaster County ($926), Buffalo County ($863), Dodge County ($861), Cherry County (this county) ($780).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
With a below-average 1-bedroom at $780/mo, most of these Nebraska occupations clear, or miss, the 30% affordability line.
| Occupation | NE Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $116,420 | 8% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $82,570 | 11.3% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $81,020 | 11.6% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $72,160 | 13% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $69,980 | 13.4% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $61,700 | 15.2% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $61,410 | 15.2% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $60,020 | 15.6% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $57,940 | 16.2% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $41,400 | 22.6% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $40,790 | 22.9% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $35,820 | 26.1% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $30,350 | 30.8% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $29,420 | 31.8% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $27,840 | 33.6% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Cherry County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Cherry (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 39.5% overall, from $559 to $780. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +15.8% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑2.0% | $710 | $780 | $1,024 |
| FY 2025 ↑5.2% | $622 | $765 | $907 |
| FY 2024 ↑15.8% | $591 | $727 | $872 |
| FY 2023 ↑6.3% | $562 | $628 | $826 |
| FY 2022 ↑0.7% | $521 | $591 | $778 |
| FY 2021 ↑5.0% | $484 | $587 | $734 |
| FY 2020 | $455 | $559 | $698 |
Where Cherry County Ranks in Nebraska
Cherry 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 #75 of 93 counties in Nebraska. Nearest by rank: Seward County ($967), McPherson County ($980), Johnson County ($982), Scotts Bluff County ($987), Madison County ($992), Kearney County ($993), Dawson County ($995), York County ($1,005), Cherry County (this county) ($1,024), Otoe County ($1,028), Buffalo County ($1,031), Dawes County ($1,031), Howard County ($1,049), Lincoln County ($1,052), Platte County ($1,061), Cheyenne County ($1,086), Saunders County ($1,089).
Nearby Counties in Nebraska
Largest counties by population in Nebraska
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Cherry County? ▼
How does Cherry County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Where does Cherry County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Cherry County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Cherry County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Cherry County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Cherry County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Cherry County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Cherry County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Cherry'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 $780 implies about $31,200/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 Cherry 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.