County FMR · HUD FY2026

Columbia County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Columbia County, AR - 28% below the US average.

$688
1-bedroom FMR
$903
2-bedroom FMR
+6.5%
YoY change
-28%
vs US avg

The verdict

Columbia is the 31st most expensive of 75 counties in Arkansas by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #410 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 6.5% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.

#410
most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#31
most expensive of 75 in Arkansas (2BR)
-8%
vs the state average
$27,520
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (8.5%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (30.9%); 14 of 15 common occupations here can afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding the 30% threshold; nearby Arkansas counties range as much as 56% apart in 1-bedroom FMR, so the county line itself can matter for renters comparing options.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Columbia County, AR. Verify with HUD →

Columbia County, Arkansas carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $688 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $903/mo and a studio is $647/mo. That's 28% below the national benchmark of $959 and 8% below the Arkansas average of $751.

Rent increased6.5% from FY 2025 ($646), outpacing inflation. The 30% affordability floor is comparatively reachable here at $27,520/year.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Arkansas. Population: 22,707. Population declined 5.7% 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 Arkansas's statewide growth of +1.4% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area COLUMBIA·COUNTY·AR·AR

Columbia County, AR: $688/mo 1BR · #410 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA AR
  • 1BR-FMR $688
  • 2BR-FMR $903
  • RANK-MID #410
  • YOY-SURGE +6.5%
  • VSUS-LOW -28%
  • VS-ST-LOW -8% AR
  • INC-ROOM 17%
  • POP-SMALL 23K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Pulaski County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $619–$757
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Pulaski ($301 1BR gap)

Read with: Section 8 housing guide

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $700 · US avg: $893
$647/mo
↑ 0.8% YoY -8% vs state -28% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $751 · US avg: $959
$688/mo
↑ 6.5% YoY -8% vs state -28% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $944 · US avg: $1,175
$903/mo
↑ 6.5% YoY -4% vs state -23% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,239 · US avg: $1,525
$1,191/mo
↑ 6.3% YoY -4% vs state -22% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,406 · US avg: $1,756
$1,196/mo
↑ 6.4% YoY -15% vs state -32% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $642
$647
+$5 (+0.8%)
1 Bedroom $646
$688
+$42 (+6.5%)
2 Bedroom $848
$903
+$55 (+6.5%)
3 Bedroom $1,120
$1,191
+$71 (+6.3%)
4 Bedroom $1,124
$1,196
+$72 (+6.4%)

Rent Burden Analysis

How much of household income goes to rent in Columbia County. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.

Studio
16.4%
Affordable
Need $25,880/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
17.4%
Affordable
Need $27,520/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
22.9%
Affordable
Need $36,120/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
30.2%
Burdened
Need $47,640/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
30.3%
Burdened
Need $47,840/yr for 30% rule
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.

0%100%National avg22%22.9%
Columbia County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $47,363 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Arkansas rent burden →

Where Columbia sits among every US county

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties

$903 higher than 13% of 3,145 counties

$600–$800: 23 counties (1%). Below this entry. $800–$1,000: 1,406 counties (45%). This entry sits in this band. $1,000–$1,200: 723 counties (23%). Above this entry. $1,200–$1,400: 417 counties (13%). Above this entry. $1,400–$1,600: 181 counties (6%). Above this entry. $1,600–$1,800: 172 counties (5%). Above this entry. $1,800–$2,000: 108 counties (3%). Above this entry. $2,000–$2,200: 29 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,200–$2,400: 40 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,400–$2,600: 13 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,600–$2,800: 9 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,800–$3,000: 15 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,000–$3,200: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,200–$3,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,400–$3,600: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,600–$3,800: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,800–$4,000: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,000–$4,200: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,200–$4,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. This county $600 $4,400 every US county, bucketed by value

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 Columbia compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Arkansas counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Columbia is highlighted. Nearby Arkansas counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Benton County ($1,115), Washington County ($1,115), Pulaski County ($989), Faulkner County ($989), Saline County ($989), Sebastian County ($714), Columbia County (this county) ($688).

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) As of FY2026

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

With a below-average 1-bedroom at $688/mo, most of these Arkansas occupations clear, or miss, the 30% affordability line.

Occupation AR Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $96,820 8.5% Affordable
Registered Nurses $77,130 10.7% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $64,260 12.8% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $64,180 12.9% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $50,550 16.3% Affordable
Electricians $49,420 16.7% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $49,520 16.7% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $48,090 17.2% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $46,940 17.6% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $37,490 22% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $37,380 22.1% Affordable
Janitors & Cleaners $29,540 27.9% Affordable
Retail Salespersons $29,420 28.1% Affordable
Teaching Assistants $29,270 28.2% Affordable
Fast Food & Counter Workers $26,740 30.9% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (Arkansas) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

7-year Fair Market Rent history for Columbia County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Columbia (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 36.5% overall, from $504 to $688. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +13.3% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.

$450$500$550$600$650$700 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $688
Columbia County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑6.5% $647 $688 $903
FY 2025 ↑4.2% $642 $646 $848
FY 2024 ↑13.3% $615 $620 $814
FY 2023 ↑11.0% $543 $547 $720
FY 2022 ↓0.6% $490 $493 $649
FY 2021 ↓1.6% $493 $496 $654
FY 2020 $499 $504 $630
Total change (6yr): +36.5%
Annualized: +5.3%/yr
1 BR: $504 → $688

Part of the Magnolia, AR Micro Area

Columbia County is a central county of the Magnolia, AR micropolitan statistical area.

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Columbia County, both outside Arkansas so the link neighborhoods are not the same-state geography lattice above. Axes stay disjoint: burden peers exclude the FMR peer set.

Similar 2-bedroom FMR

Nearest HUD 2BR Fair Market Rents outside AR (FY2026).

Laclede County
MO · 2 BR $903/mo
Stevens County
KS · 2 BR $903/mo
Madison County
KY · 2 BR $904/mo
St. Francois County
MO · 2 BR $904/mo

Similar rent burden

Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside AR).

Floyd County
GA · 22.9% of income · 2 BR $1,192/mo
Travis County
TX · 22.9% of income · 2 BR $1,852/mo
Oglethorpe County
GA · 22.9% of income · 2 BR $1,331/mo
Eureka County
NV · 22.9% of income · 2 BR $1,393/mo

Nearby Counties in Arkansas

Largest counties by population in Arkansas

Showing the 8 largest of 74 other counties in Arkansas.

Pulaski County
1 BR: $989/mo Pop: 398,322
Benton County
1 BR: $1,115/mo Pop: 286,528
Washington County
1 BR: $1,115/mo Pop: 247,331
Sebastian County
1 BR: $714/mo Pop: 128,184
Faulkner County
1 BR: $989/mo Pop: 124,611
Saline County
1 BR: $989/mo Pop: 123,988
Craighead County
1 BR: $870/mo Pop: 111,038
Garland County
1 BR: $834/mo Pop: 100,021
View all counties in Arkansas →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Columbia County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Columbia County is $688 per month. A 2-bedroom is $903 and a studio is $647.
How does Columbia County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Columbia County is 28% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $688 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Columbia County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Columbia County's 2-bedroom FMR of $903 ranks #410 most affordable among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the lower-rent quarter of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Columbia County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $27,520 ($2,293/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Columbia County.
Is rent going up or down in Columbia County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Columbia County increased by 6.5% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $646 to $688.
Which jobs can afford rent in Columbia County? ▼
Based on Arkansas BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, Registered Nurses, General and Operations Managers can afford a 1-bedroom at $688/mo. 14 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Columbia County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Columbia County went from $504 in FY 2020 to $688 in FY 2026, a total change of +36.5% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Columbia County? ▼
In Columbia County, the FY 2026 FMR of $688/mo for a 1-bedroom sets the baseline that local housing authorities use for Section 8 payment standards.
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Columbia County? ▼
For Columbia County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($688/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).

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.

All federal data sources used on this page
  • HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) - county-level fair-market rent estimates by bedroom count. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
  • HUD Income Limits - area median income for affordability calculations. huduser.gov/datasets/il
  • HUD Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) - rent burden and housing-cost distribution. huduser.gov/datasets/cp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - county and metro housing characteristics + median rent. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • BLS Consumer Price Index, Rent of Primary Residence - rent inflation by metro. bls.gov/cpi
  • IRS Migration Data (SOI) - interstate migration aggregates affecting county demand. irs.gov/statistics/migration
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics - state-level median wages by occupation, used for job affordability analysis. bls.gov/oes

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.