County FMR · HUD FY2026

Copper River Census Area Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Copper River Census Area, AK - 3% below the US average.

$930
1-bedroom FMR
$1,130
2-bedroom FMR
+12.2%
YoY change
-3%
vs US avg

The verdict

Copper River is the 4th cheapest of 30 counties in Alaska by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,195 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 12.2% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.

#1,195
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#4
cheapest of 30 in Alaska (2BR)
-22%
vs the state average
$37,200
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (9.3%), while Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary spend the most (36.5%); nearby Alaska counties range as much as 72% apart in 1-bedroom FMR, so the county line itself can matter for renters comparing options.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Copper River Census Area, AK. Verify with HUD →

HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Copper River Census Area, Alaska at $930 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,130/mo and a studio is $810/mo. This is 3% lower than the national average of $959 and 22% below the Alaska average of $1,194.

Rent increased12.2% from FY 2025 ($829), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $37,200/year for a 1-bedroom.

Observed renter burden: 16.5% of the 370 renter households counted by ACS paid at least 30% of income in gross rent. This ACS 2023 household measure is distinct from HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent benchmark above.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Alaska. Population: 2,614.

FMR filing desk

Area COPPER·RIVER·CENSUS·AREA·AK·AK

Copper River Census Area, AK: $930/mo 1BR · #1195 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA AK
  • 1BR-FMR $930
  • 2BR-FMR $1,130
  • RANK-MID #1,195
  • YOY-SURGE +12.2%
  • VSUS-NEAR -3%
  • VS-ST-LOW -22% AK
  • INC-ROOM 15%
  • POP-SMALL 3K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Anchorage Municipa
  • VOUCH-90-110 $837–$1,023
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Anchorage Municipality ($313 1BR gap)

Read with: How Fair Market Rent works

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $1,061 · US avg: $893
$810/mo
↑ 6.9% YoY -24% vs state -9% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $1,194 · US avg: $959
$930/mo
↑ 12.2% YoY -22% vs state -3% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,467 · US avg: $1,175
$1,130/mo
↑ 6.3% YoY -23% vs state -4% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,941 · US avg: $1,525
$1,572/mo
↑ 10.6% YoY -19% vs state +3% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $2,304 · US avg: $1,756
$1,896/mo
↑ 13.1% YoY -18% vs state +8% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $758
$810
+$52 (+6.9%)
1 Bedroom $829
$930
+$101 (+12.2%)
2 Bedroom $1,063
$1,130
+$67 (+6.3%)
3 Bedroom $1,421
$1,572
+$151 (+10.6%)
4 Bedroom $1,676
$1,896
+$220 (+13.1%)

Rent Burden Analysis

How much of household income goes to rent in Copper River Census Area. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.

Studio
13%
Affordable
Need $32,400/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
14.9%
Affordable
Need $37,200/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
18.1%
Affordable
Need $45,200/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
25.1%
Affordable
Need $62,880/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
30.3%
Burdened
Need $75,840/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%18.1%
Copper River Census Area 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $75,053 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Alaska rent burden →

Where Copper River sits among every US county

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

$1,130 Top 38% higher than 62% of 3,145 counties

$600–$800: 23 counties (1%). Below this entry. $800–$1,000: 1,406 counties (45%). Below this entry. $1,000–$1,200: 723 counties (23%). This entry sits in this band. $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 Copper River compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Alaska counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Copper River is highlighted. Nearby Alaska counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Bethel Census Area ($1,719), Juneau City and Borough ($1,340), Fairbanks North Star Borough ($1,277), Anchorage Municipality ($1,243), Matanuska-Susitna Borough ($1,049), Kenai Peninsula Borough ($1,000), Copper River Census Area (this county) ($930).

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

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

How a 1-bedroom at $930/mo compares to Alaska salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).

Occupation AK Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $119,600 9.3% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $120,470 9.3% Affordable
Registered Nurses $110,690 10.1% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $100,300 11.1% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $81,950 13.6% Affordable
Electricians $81,860 13.6% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $76,290 14.6% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $64,890 17.2% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $61,120 18.3% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $50,440 22.1% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $44,760 24.9% Affordable
Janitors & Cleaners $39,040 28.6% Affordable
Retail Salespersons $36,940 30.2% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $34,430 32.4% Stretched
Teaching Assistants $30,560 36.5% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (Alaska) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

7-year Fair Market Rent history for Copper River Census Area. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Copper River (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has fallen 14.7% overall, from $1,090 to $930. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 12.2% (FY 2026), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.

$800$900$1,000$1,100$1,200 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $930
Copper River Census Area 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑12.2% $810 $930 $1,130
FY 2025 ↓8.5% $758 $829 $1,063
FY 2024 ↑1.9% $832 $906 $1,181
FY 2023 ↓9.9% $781 $889 $1,168
FY 2022 ↑0.4% $764 $987 $1,150
FY 2021 ↓9.8% $740 $983 $1,121
FY 2020 $809 $1,090 $1,241
Total change (6yr): -14.7%
Annualized: -2.6%/yr
1 BR: $1,090 → $930

Where Copper River Census Area Ranks in Alaska

Copper River Census Area 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 #4 of 30 counties in Alaska. Nearest by rank: Kusilvak Census Area ($973), Lake and Peninsula Borough ($1,030), Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area ($1,126), Copper River Census Area (this county) ($1,130), Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area ($1,153), Denali Borough ($1,187), Wrangell City and Borough ($1,217), Bristol Bay Borough ($1,243), Dillingham Census Area ($1,247).

Kusilvak Census Area
2 BR: $973/mo
Lake and Peninsula Borough
2 BR: $1,030/mo
Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area
2 BR: $1,126/mo
Copper River Census Area (this county)
2 BR: $1,130/mo
Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area
2 BR: $1,153/mo
Denali Borough
2 BR: $1,187/mo
Wrangell City and Borough
2 BR: $1,217/mo
Bristol Bay Borough
2 BR: $1,243/mo
Dillingham Census Area
2 BR: $1,247/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Copper River Census Area, both outside Alaska 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 AK (FY2026).

Dodge County
NE · 2 BR $1,130/mo
Dougherty County
GA · 2 BR $1,129/mo
Santa Cruz County
AZ · 2 BR $1,129/mo
Stevens County
WA · 2 BR $1,131/mo

Similar rent burden

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

Marion County
IL · 18.1% of income · 2 BR $916/mo
Marathon County
WI · 18.1% of income · 2 BR $1,147/mo
Osage County
KS · 18.1% of income · 2 BR $1,057/mo
Cowley County
KS · 18.1% of income · 2 BR $877/mo

Nearby Counties in Alaska

Largest counties by population in Alaska

Showing the 8 largest of 29 other counties in Alaska.

Anchorage Municipality
1 BR: $1,243/mo Pop: 290,674
Matanuska-Susitna Borough
1 BR: $1,049/mo Pop: 108,661
Fairbanks North Star Borough
1 BR: $1,277/mo Pop: 96,299
Kenai Peninsula Borough
1 BR: $1,000/mo Pop: 59,235
Juneau City and Borough
1 BR: $1,340/mo Pop: 32,108
Bethel Census Area
1 BR: $1,719/mo Pop: 18,538
Ketchikan Gateway Borough
1 BR: $1,238/mo Pop: 13,910
Kodiak Island Borough
1 BR: $1,581/mo Pop: 13,065
View all counties in Alaska →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Copper River Census Area? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Copper River Census Area is $930 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,130 and a studio is $810.
How does Copper River Census Area rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Copper River Census Area is 3% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $930 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Copper River Census Area rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Copper River Census Area's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,130 ranks #1,195 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the middle half of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Copper River Census Area? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $37,200 ($3,100/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Copper River Census Area.
Is rent going up or down in Copper River Census Area? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Copper River Census Area increased by 12.2% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $829 to $930.
Which jobs can afford rent in Copper River Census Area? ▼
Based on Alaska BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $930/mo. 12 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Copper River Census Area over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Copper River Census Area went from $1,090 in FY 2020 to $930 in FY 2026, a total change of -14.7% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Copper River Census Area? ▼
In Copper River Census Area, the FY 2026 FMR of $930/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 Copper River Census Area? ▼
For Copper River Census Area, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($930/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.