County FMR · HUD FY2026
Coos County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Coos County, NH - 4% above the US average.
- $994
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,287
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +21.7%
- YoY change
- +4%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Coos is the 1st cheapest of 10 counties in New Hampshire by 2-bedroom FMR; rent here has climbed 21.7% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.
- #1
- cheapest of 10 in New Hampshire (2BR)
- -32%
- vs the state average
- $39,760
- income to afford it (30% rule)
- +21.7%
- YoY, FY2025→2026
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (9%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (39.3%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Coos County, NH. Verify with HUD →
Coos County, New Hampshire carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $994 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,287/mo and a studio is $988/mo. That's 4% above the national benchmark of $959 and 32% below the New Hampshire average of $1,460.
Rent increased21.7% from FY 2025 ($817), outpacing inflation. To afford rent here, a household needs at least $39,760/year based on the 30% affordability rule.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in New Hampshire. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-2.0%, Census ACS). That's slower than New Hampshire's statewide growth of +3.3% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Coos County
The Coos County FMR area applies to all ZIP codes inside the county boundary, and New Hampshire'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 4% above the US average of $959 and 32% lower than the New Hampshire state average of $1,460. The 1-bedroom FMR went from$817 in FY 2025 to $994 in FY 2026 - a change of +21.7%, which outpaces typical consumer inflation.
At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $994, affording it under the 30%-of-income rule takes $39,760 per year (about $3,313/month) in household income, and a 2-bedroom at $1,287 pushes that threshold even higher. Local wage data from BLS helps illustrate which occupations can realistically afford these rents.
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $812 | $988 | +$176 (+21.7%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $817 | $994 | +$177 (+21.7%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,072 | $1,287 | +$215 (+20.1%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,416 | $1,702 | +$286 (+20.2%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,421 | $1,708 | +$287 (+20.2%) |
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 Coos 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.
Coos County 2-bedroom rent burden
Where Coos sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,287 Top 25% higher than 75% 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 Coos compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other New Hampshire counties
- Rockingham
Rockingham County
$1,730 1BR FMR / mo
- Strafford
Strafford County
$1,677 1BR FMR / mo
- Hillsborough
Hillsborough County
$1,673 1BR FMR / mo
- Merrimack
Merrimack County
$1,504 1BR FMR / mo
- Grafton
Grafton County
$1,455 1BR FMR / mo
- Belknap
Belknap County
$1,425 1BR FMR / mo
- Coos
Coos County
$994 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Coos is highlighted. Nearby New Hampshire counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Rockingham County ($1,730), Strafford County ($1,677), Hillsborough County ($1,673), Merrimack County ($1,504), Grafton County ($1,455), Belknap County ($1,425), Coos County (this county) ($994).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $994/mo compares to New Hampshire salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | NH Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $132,420 | 9% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $107,060 | 11.1% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $96,830 | 12.3% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $82,830 | 14.4% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $67,620 | 17.6% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $64,430 | 18.5% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $61,990 | 19.2% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $60,640 | 19.7% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $58,620 | 20.3% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $46,960 | 25.4% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $45,300 | 26.3% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $37,860 | 31.5% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $37,220 | 32% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $35,440 | 33.7% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $30,320 | 39.3% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Coos County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Coos (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 50.6% overall, from $660 to $994. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +21.7% in FY 2026, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑21.7% | $988 | $994 | $1,287 |
| FY 2025 ↑9.2% | $812 | $817 | $1,072 |
| FY 2024 ↓4.0% | $654 | $748 | $960 |
| FY 2023 ↑5.3% | $647 | $779 | $950 |
| FY 2022 ↑8.0% | $591 | $740 | $862 |
| FY 2021 ↑3.8% | $531 | $685 | $792 |
| FY 2020 | $549 | $660 | $769 |
Where Coos County Ranks in New Hampshire
Coos 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 #1 of 10 counties in New Hampshire. Nearest by rank: Coos County (this county) ($1,287), Carroll County ($1,709), Sullivan County ($1,747), Belknap County ($1,800).
Nearby Counties in New Hampshire
Largest counties by population in New Hampshire
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Coos County? ▼
How does Coos County rent compare to the national average? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Coos County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Coos County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Coos County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Coos County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Coos County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Coos County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Coos'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 $994 implies about $39,760/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 Coos 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.