County FMR · HUD FY2026
Cooke County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Cooke County, TX - 0% above the US average.
- $961
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,261
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +7.4%
- YoY change
- +0%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Cooke is the 50th most expensive of 254 counties in Texas by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #849 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 7.4% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.
- #849
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #50
- most expensive of 254 in Texas (2BR)
- +3%
- vs the state average
- $38,440
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (8.8%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (42.7%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Cooke County, TX. Verify with HUD →
Cooke County, Texas carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $961 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,261/mo and a studio is $955/mo. That's 0% above the national benchmark of $959 and 3% above the Texas average of $935.
Rent increased7.4% from FY 2025 ($895), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $38,440/year for a 1-bedroom.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Texas. Population: 41,860. Population grew 7.3% over the past five years (Census ACS) - among the faster-growing counties nationally, a trend that typically adds upward pressure on rents. That's in line with Texas's statewide growth of +6.3% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Cooke 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, Cooke County's 2-bedroom of $1,261 ranks #849 most expensive of 3,145 US counties, in the middle half of HUD counties.
Cooke County's 1-bedroom FMR tracks close to the national mid-point (0% above the US average of $959), while sitting 3% above the Texas average of $935. The 1-bedroom FMR went from$895 in FY 2025 to $961 in FY 2026, a change of +7.4%, which outpaces typical consumer inflation.
At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $961, the 30% rule points to $38,440/year (about $3,203/month) versus this county's median household income of $72,472. A 2-bedroom at $1,261 pushes the threshold higher.
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $889 | $955 | +$66 (+7.4%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $895 | $961 | +$66 (+7.4%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,174 | $1,261 | +$87 (+7.4%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,447 | $1,552 | +$105 (+7.3%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,753 | $1,719 | $-34 (-1.9%) |
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 Cooke 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 Cooke sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,261 Top 27% higher than 73% 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 Cooke compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Texas counties
- Dallas
Dallas County
$1,648 1BR FMR / mo
- Collin
Collin County
$1,648 1BR FMR / mo
- Travis
Travis County
$1,562 1BR FMR / mo
- Tarrant
Tarrant County
$1,473 1BR FMR / mo
- Harris
Harris County
$1,323 1BR FMR / mo
- Bexar
Bexar County
$1,177 1BR FMR / mo
- Cooke
Cooke County
$961 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Cooke is highlighted. Nearby Texas counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Dallas County ($1,648), Collin County ($1,648), Travis County ($1,562), Tarrant County ($1,473), Harris County ($1,323), Bexar County ($1,177), Cooke County (this county) ($961).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $961/mo compares to Texas salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | TX Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $130,500 | 8.8% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $100,290 | 11.5% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $90,010 | 12.8% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $80,000 | 14.4% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $76,350 | 15.1% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $61,380 | 18.8% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $59,700 | 19.3% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $56,920 | 20.3% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $53,070 | 21.7% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $43,920 | 26.3% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $39,100 | 29.5% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $31,230 | 36.9% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $30,130 | 38.3% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $27,630 | 41.7% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $27,000 | 42.7% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Cooke County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Cooke (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 41.1% overall, from $681 to $961. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +13.5% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑7.4% | $955 | $961 | $1,261 |
| FY 2025 ↓1.3% | $889 | $895 | $1,174 |
| FY 2024 ↑13.5% | $901 | $907 | $1,192 |
| FY 2023 ↑4.3% | $794 | $799 | $1,013 |
| FY 2022 ↑9.9% | $690 | $766 | $933 |
| FY 2021 ↑2.3% | $616 | $697 | $840 |
| FY 2020 | $613 | $681 | $827 |
Part of the Gainesville, TX Micro Area
Cooke County is a central county of the Gainesville, TX micropolitan statistical area.
Nearby Counties in Texas
Largest counties by population in Texas
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Cooke County? ▼
How does Cooke County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Where does Cooke County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Cooke County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Cooke County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Cooke County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Cooke County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Cooke County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Cooke County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Cooke'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 $961 implies about $38,440/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 Cooke 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.