County FMR · HUD FY2026
Clarion County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Clarion County, PA - 21% below the US average.
- $762
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $973
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +3.3%
- YoY change
- -21%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Clarion is the 2nd cheapest of 67 counties in Pennsylvania by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #976 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties.
- #976
- most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #2
- cheapest of 67 in Pennsylvania (2BR)
- -23%
- vs the state average
- $30,480
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (7.4%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (32.1%); 13 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 Clarion County, PA. Verify with HUD →
Clarion County, Pennsylvania carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $762 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $973/mo and a studio is $757/mo. That's 21% below the national benchmark of $959 and 23% below the Pennsylvania average of $996.
Rent increased3.3% from FY 2025 ($738), outpacing inflation. The 30% affordability floor is comparatively reachable here at $30,480/year.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Pennsylvania. Population: 37,489. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-3.9%, Census ACS). That's slower than Pennsylvania's statewide growth of +1.5% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Clarion 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, Clarion County's 2-bedroom of $973 ranks #976 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 21% under the US average of $959 and 23% below Pennsylvania's $996. HUD's 1-bedroom figure shifted from $738 (FY 2025) to $762 (FY 2026), a +3.3% move that still leaves this county below the US mid-point.
A 1-bedroom at $762 needs $30,480/year under the 30% rule against a county median of $60,668, and the median household clears that line with room to spare. A 2-bedroom at $973 is the next step up.
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $733 | $757 | +$24 (+3.3%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $738 | $762 | +$24 (+3.3%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $915 | $973 | +$58 (+6.3%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,118 | $1,182 | +$64 (+5.7%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,537 | $1,632 | +$95 (+6.2%) |
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 Clarion 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 Clarion sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$973 higher than 31% 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 Clarion compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Pennsylvania counties
- Philadelphia
Philadelphia County
$1,520 1BR FMR / mo
- Montgomery
Montgomery County
$1,520 1BR FMR / mo
- Bucks
Bucks County
$1,520 1BR FMR / mo
- Delaware
Delaware County
$1,520 1BR FMR / mo
- Lancaster
Lancaster County
$1,220 1BR FMR / mo
- Allegheny
Allegheny County
$1,077 1BR FMR / mo
- Clarion
Clarion County
$762 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Clarion is highlighted. Nearby Pennsylvania counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Philadelphia County ($1,520), Montgomery County ($1,520), Bucks County ($1,520), Delaware County ($1,520), Lancaster County ($1,220), Allegheny County ($1,077), Clarion County (this county) ($762).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
With a below-average 1-bedroom at $762/mo, most of these Pennsylvania occupations clear, or miss, the 30% affordability line.
| Occupation | PA Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $123,740 | 7.4% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $100,400 | 9.1% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $87,610 | 10.4% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $86,350 | 10.6% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $77,330 | 11.8% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $74,160 | 12.3% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $65,400 | 14% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $60,950 | 15% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $58,540 | 15.6% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $43,080 | 21.2% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $37,560 | 24.3% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $35,670 | 25.6% | Affordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $30,550 | 29.9% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $30,410 | 30.1% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $28,490 | 32.1% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Clarion County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Clarion (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 25.3% overall, from $608 to $762. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 7.3% (FY 2023).
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑3.3% | $757 | $762 | $973 |
| FY 2025 ↑4.7% | $733 | $738 | $915 |
| FY 2024 ↑2.6% | $701 | $705 | $845 |
| FY 2023 ↑7.3% | $683 | $687 | $821 |
| FY 2022 ↑3.7% | $636 | $640 | $757 |
| FY 2021 ↑1.5% | $613 | $617 | $724 |
| FY 2020 | $604 | $608 | $714 |
Where Clarion County Ranks in Pennsylvania
Clarion 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 #2 of 67 counties in Pennsylvania. Nearest by rank: Bedford County ($973), Clarion County (this county) ($973), Crawford County ($973), Elk County ($973), Forest County ($973), Fulton County ($973), Huntingdon County ($973), Jefferson County ($973), Juniata County ($973), McKean County ($973).
Nearby Counties in Pennsylvania
Largest counties by population in Pennsylvania
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Clarion County? ▼
How does Clarion County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Where does Clarion County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Clarion County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Clarion County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Clarion County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Clarion County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Clarion County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Clarion County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Clarion'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 $762 implies about $30,480/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 Clarion 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.