County FMR · HUD FY2026
Cleveland County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Cleveland County, NC - 20% below the US average.
- $763
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $925
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +7.6%
- YoY change
- -20%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Cleveland is the 5th cheapest of 100 counties in North Carolina by 2-bedroom FMR; rent here has climbed 7.6% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.
- #5
- cheapest of 100 in North Carolina (2BR)
- -22%
- vs the state average
- $30,520
- income to afford it (30% rule)
- +7.6%
- YoY, FY2025→2026
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (7%), while Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary spend the most (32.4%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Cleveland County, NC. Verify with HUD →
Cleveland County, North Carolina carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $763 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $925/mo and a studio is $758/mo. That's 20% below the national benchmark of $959 and 22% below the North Carolina average of $981.
Rent increased7.6% from FY 2025 ($709), outpacing inflation. To afford rent here, a household needs at least $30,520/year based on the 30% affordability rule.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in North Carolina. Population: 99,527. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+3.1%, Census ACS). That's in line with North Carolina's statewide growth of +4.2% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Cleveland County
The Cleveland County FMR area applies to all ZIP codes inside the county boundary, and North Carolina's housing authorities use it as the baseline for Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. See how FMR is calculated for the full 40th-percentile methodology and payment-standard rules.
Compared to the rest of the country, a 1-bedroom here is 20% below the US average of $959 and 22% lower than the North Carolina state average of $981. The 1-bedroom FMR went from$709 in FY 2025 to $763 in FY 2026 - a change of +7.6%, which outpaces typical consumer inflation.
At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $763, affording it under the 30%-of-income rule takes $30,520 per year (about $2,543/month) in household income, and a 2-bedroom at $925 pushes that threshold even higher. With a population of 99,527 and a county median household income of $55,769, the arithmetic here directly shapes which wage earners can rent without being cost-burdened.
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $705 | $758 | +$53 (+7.5%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $709 | $763 | +$54 (+7.6%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $930 | $925 | $-5 (-0.5%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,303 | $1,286 | $-17 (-1.3%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,397 | $1,322 | $-75 (-5.4%) |
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 Cleveland 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.
Cleveland County 2-bedroom rent burden
Where Cleveland sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$925 higher than 19% 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 Cleveland compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other North Carolina counties
- Wake
Wake County
$1,596 1BR FMR / mo
- Mecklenburg
Mecklenburg County
$1,538 1BR FMR / mo
- Durham
Durham County
$1,507 1BR FMR / mo
- Guilford
Guilford County
$1,213 1BR FMR / mo
- Cumberland
Cumberland County
$1,113 1BR FMR / mo
- Forsyth
Forsyth County
$1,082 1BR FMR / mo
- Cleveland
Cleveland County
$763 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Cleveland is highlighted. Nearby North Carolina counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Wake County ($1,596), Mecklenburg County ($1,538), Durham County ($1,507), Guilford County ($1,213), Cumberland County ($1,113), Forsyth County ($1,082), Cleveland County (this county) ($763).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $763/mo compares to North Carolina salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | NC Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $131,000 | 7% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $99,190 | 9.2% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $81,860 | 11.2% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $80,490 | 11.4% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $58,030 | 15.8% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $54,070 | 16.9% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $49,400 | 18.5% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $49,390 | 18.5% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $49,580 | 18.5% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $39,870 | 23% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $39,530 | 23.2% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $32,630 | 28.1% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $30,090 | 30.4% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $28,760 | 31.8% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $28,230 | 32.4% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Cleveland County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Cleveland (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 36.5% overall, from $559 to $763. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 11.9% (FY 2024).
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑7.6% | $758 | $763 | $925 |
| FY 2025 ↑8.1% | $705 | $709 | $930 |
| FY 2024 ↑11.9% | $652 | $656 | $856 |
| FY 2023 ↑6.5% | $582 | $586 | $771 |
| FY 2022 ↑0.9% | $504 | $550 | $724 |
| FY 2021 ↓2.5% | $494 | $545 | $693 |
| FY 2020 | $496 | $559 | $673 |
Part of the Shelby-Kings Mountain, NC Micro Area
Cleveland County is a central county of the Shelby-Kings Mountain, NC micropolitan statistical area.
Nearby Counties in North Carolina
Largest counties by population in North Carolina
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Cleveland County? ▼
How does Cleveland County rent compare to the national average? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Cleveland County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Cleveland County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Cleveland County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Cleveland County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Cleveland County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Cleveland County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Cleveland'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 $763 implies about $30,520/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 Cleveland 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.