County FMR · HUD FY2026
Clayton County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Clayton County, GA - 73% above the US average.
- $1,660
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,820
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +0.4%
- YoY change
- +73%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Clayton is the 20th most expensive of 159 counties in Georgia by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #220 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties.
- #220
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #20
- most expensive of 159 in Georgia (2BR)
- +62%
- vs the state average
- $66,400
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (15.5%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (75.7%); 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 Clayton County, GA. Verify with HUD →
HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Clayton County, Georgia at $1,660 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,820/mo and a studio is $1,585/mo. This is 73% higher than the national average of $959 and 62% above the Georgia average of $1,023.
Rent increased0.4% from FY 2025 ($1,653), roughly tracking inflation. Clearing the 30% rule here takes $66,400/year, a high bar relative to most US counties.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Georgia. Population: 296,312. Population grew 7.2% 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 Georgia's statewide growth of +5.1% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Clayton 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, Clayton County's 2-bedroom of $1,820 ranks #220 most expensive of 3,145 US counties, in the highest-rent tenth of HUD counties.
Clayton County sits in the expensive tier: 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent is 73% above the US average of $959, and 62% above the Georgia average of $1,023. Voucher payment standards and renter budgets both feel that premium. From FY 2025 to FY 2026 the 1-bedroom schedule moved $1,653 → $1,660 (+0.4%), roughly holding the premium in place.
At $1,660/mo for a 1-bedroom, the 30% rule wants $66,400/year: about 13% above this county's median household income of $58,507, so a typical local wage already stretches.
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,591 | $1,585 | $-6 (-0.4%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $1,653 | $1,660 | +$7 (+0.4%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,830 | $1,820 | $-10 (-0.5%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $2,205 | $2,182 | $-23 (-1.0%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $2,653 | $2,605 | $-48 (-1.8%) |
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 Clayton 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 Clayton sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,820 Top 7% higher than 93% 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 Clayton compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Georgia counties
- Clayton
Clayton County
$1,660 1BR FMR / mo
- Fulton
Fulton County
$1,660 1BR FMR / mo
- Gwinnett
Gwinnett County
$1,660 1BR FMR / mo
- Cobb
Cobb County
$1,660 1BR FMR / mo
- DeKalb
DeKalb County
$1,660 1BR FMR / mo
- Cherokee
Cherokee County
$1,660 1BR FMR / mo
- Chatham
Chatham County
$1,533 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Clayton is highlighted. Nearby Georgia counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Clayton County (this county) ($1,660), Fulton County ($1,660), Gwinnett County ($1,660), Cobb County ($1,660), DeKalb County ($1,660), Cherokee County ($1,660), Chatham County ($1,533).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
Against a high local FMR of $1,660/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using Georgia BLS wages?
| Occupation | GA Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $128,920 | 15.5% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $99,800 | 20% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $86,560 | 23% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $80,100 | 24.9% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $63,490 | 31.4% | Stretched |
| Electricians | $58,860 | 33.8% | Stretched |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $56,570 | 35.2% | Stretched |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $56,350 | 35.4% | Stretched |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $55,120 | 36.1% | Stretched |
| Customer Service Representatives | $39,030 | 51% | Unaffordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $38,390 | 51.9% | Unaffordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $33,130 | 60.1% | Unaffordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $29,770 | 66.9% | Unaffordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $27,860 | 71.5% | Unaffordable |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $26,310 | 75.7% | Unaffordable |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Clayton County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Clayton (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 62.0% overall, from $1,025 to $1,660. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 21.6% (FY 2023), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑0.4% | $1,585 | $1,660 | $1,820 |
| FY 2025 ↑0.6% | $1,591 | $1,653 | $1,830 |
| FY 2024 ↑19.5% | $1,599 | $1,643 | $1,844 |
| FY 2023 ↑21.6% | $1,345 | $1,375 | $1,553 |
| FY 2022 ↑8.8% | $1,111 | $1,131 | $1,289 |
| FY 2021 ↑1.5% | $1,016 | $1,040 | $1,185 |
| FY 2020 | $996 | $1,025 | $1,167 |
Part of the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA Metro Area
Clayton County is a central county of the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metropolitan statistical area, alongside 28 other metro-area counties.
Clayton County ranks #24 of 29 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Fulton County ($1,660), Gwinnett County ($1,660), Cobb County ($1,660), DeKalb County ($1,660), Cherokee County ($1,660), Forsyth County ($1,660), Henry County ($1,660), Paulding County ($1,660), Coweta County ($1,660), Douglas County ($1,660), Carroll County ($1,660), Fayette County ($1,660), Newton County ($1,660), Bartow County ($1,660), Walton County ($1,660), Rockdale County ($1,660), Barrow County ($1,660), Spalding County ($1,660), Pickens County ($1,660), Dawson County ($1,660), Pike County ($1,660), Jasper County ($1,660), Heard County ($1,660), Clayton County (this county) ($1,660), Morgan County ($1,315), Lumpkin County ($1,136), Butts County ($977), Haralson County ($844), Meriwether County ($763).
Show all 29 counties in this metro area
Nearby Counties in Georgia
Largest counties by population in Georgia
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Clayton County? ▼
How does Clayton County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Where does Clayton County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Clayton County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Clayton County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Clayton County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Clayton County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Clayton County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Clayton County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Clayton'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 $1,660 implies about $66,400/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 Clayton 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.