County FMR · HUD FY2026
Clearwater County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Clearwater County, MN - 18% below the US average.
- $785
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $973
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +10.4%
- YoY change
- -18%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Clearwater is the 6th cheapest of 87 counties in Minnesota by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #976 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 10.4% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.
- #976
- most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #6
- cheapest of 87 in Minnesota (2BR)
- -13%
- vs the state average
- $31,400
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (7.6%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (29.5%); 15 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 Clearwater County, MN. Verify with HUD →
Clearwater County, Minnesota carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $785 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $973/mo and a studio is $671/mo. That's 18% below the national benchmark of $959 and 13% below the Minnesota average of $899.
Rent increased10.4% from FY 2025 ($711), outpacing inflation. The 30% affordability floor is comparatively reachable here at $31,400/year.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Minnesota. Population: 8,541. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-2.6%, Census ACS). That's slower than Minnesota's statewide growth of +3.4% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Clearwater 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, Clearwater 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 18% under the US average of $959 and 13% below Minnesota's $899. HUD's 1-bedroom figure shifted from $711 (FY 2025) to $785 (FY 2026), a +10.4% move that still leaves this county below the US mid-point.
A 1-bedroom at $785 needs $31,400/year under the 30% rule against a county median of $64,934, 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 | $640 | $671 | +$31 (+4.8%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $711 | $785 | +$74 (+10.4%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $933 | $973 | +$40 (+4.3%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,177 | $1,179 | +$2 (+0.2%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,567 | $1,632 | +$65 (+4.1%) |
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 Clearwater 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.
Clearwater County 2-bedroom rent burden
Where Clearwater 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 Clearwater compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Minnesota counties
- Hennepin
Hennepin County
$1,405 1BR FMR / mo
- Ramsey
Ramsey County
$1,405 1BR FMR / mo
- Dakota
Dakota County
$1,405 1BR FMR / mo
- Anoka
Anoka County
$1,405 1BR FMR / mo
- Washington
Washington County
$1,405 1BR FMR / mo
- St. Louis
St. Louis County
$978 1BR FMR / mo
- Clearwater
Clearwater County
$785 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Clearwater is highlighted. Nearby Minnesota counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Hennepin County ($1,405), Ramsey County ($1,405), Dakota County ($1,405), Anoka County ($1,405), Washington County ($1,405), St. Louis County ($978), Clearwater County (this county) ($785).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
With a below-average 1-bedroom at $785/mo, most of these Minnesota occupations clear, or miss, the 30% affordability line.
| Occupation | MN Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $124,540 | 7.6% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $100,870 | 9.3% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $96,130 | 9.8% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $83,310 | 11.3% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $81,100 | 11.6% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $81,430 | 11.6% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $67,320 | 14% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $63,120 | 14.9% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $61,090 | 15.4% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $48,560 | 19.4% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $47,470 | 19.8% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $38,320 | 24.6% | Affordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $38,160 | 24.7% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $35,310 | 26.7% | Affordable |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $31,950 | 29.5% | Affordable |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Clearwater County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Clearwater (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 44.8% overall, from $542 to $785. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +12.7% in FY 2023, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑10.4% | $671 | $785 | $973 |
| FY 2025 ↓0.1% | $640 | $711 | $933 |
| FY 2024 ↑9.9% | $634 | $712 | $936 |
| FY 2023 ↑12.7% | $644 | $648 | $853 |
| FY 2022 ↑3.2% | $572 | $575 | $757 |
| FY 2021 ↑2.8% | $553 | $557 | $734 |
| FY 2020 | $539 | $542 | $714 |
Where Clearwater County Ranks in Minnesota
Clearwater 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 #6 of 87 counties in Minnesota. Nearest by rank: Aitkin County ($973), Big Stone County ($973), Brown County ($973), Cass County ($973), Chippewa County ($973), Clearwater County (this county) ($973), Cook County ($973), Cottonwood County ($973), Faribault County ($973), Grant County ($973), Jackson County ($973), Kanabec County ($973), Kandiyohi County ($973), Kittson County ($973).
Nearby Counties in Minnesota
Largest counties by population in Minnesota
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Clearwater County? ▼
How does Clearwater County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Where does Clearwater County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Clearwater County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Clearwater County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Clearwater County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Clearwater County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Clearwater County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Clearwater County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Clearwater'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 $785 implies about $31,400/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 Clearwater 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.