County FMR · HUD FY2026
Cotton County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Cotton County, OK - 24% below the US average.
- $733
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $962
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +3.1%
- YoY change
- -24%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Cotton is the 28th most expensive of 77 counties in Oklahoma by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #944 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties.
- #944
- most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #28
- most expensive of 77 in Oklahoma (2BR)
- -7%
- vs the state average
- $29,320
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (8.2%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (37.3%); 13 of 15 common occupations here can afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding the 30% threshold.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Cotton County, OK. Verify with HUD →
Cotton County, Oklahoma carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $733 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $962/mo and a studio is $728/mo. That's 24% below the national benchmark of $959 and 7% below the Oklahoma average of $791.
Rent increased3.1% from FY 2025 ($711), outpacing inflation. The 30% affordability floor is comparatively reachable here at $29,320/year.
Observed renter burden: 31.3% of the 419 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.
Market slack: The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 5.6%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
Local labor market: The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 3.5% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Oklahoma. Population: 5,537. Population declined 7.7% 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 Oklahoma's statewide growth of +2.0% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area COTTON·COUNTY·OK·OK
Cotton County, OK: $733/mo 1BR · #944 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA OK
- 1BR-FMR $733
- 2BR-FMR $962
- RANK-MID #944
- YOY-UP +3.1%
- VSUS-BELOW -24%
- VS-ST-NEAR -7% OK
- INC-ROOM 15%
- POP-SMALL 6K
- PHOTO-NEAR Oklahoma County
- VOUCH-90-110 $660–$806
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Oklahoma ($284 1BR gap)
Read with: Section 8 housing guide
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $706 | $728 | +$22 (+3.1%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $711 | $733 | +$22 (+3.1%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $910 | $962 | +$52 (+5.7%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,096 | $1,153 | +$57 (+5.2%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,206 | $1,614 | +$408 (+33.8%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Cotton 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 Cotton sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$962 higher than 30% 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 Cotton compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Oklahoma counties
- Oklahoma
Oklahoma County
$1,017 1BR FMR / mo
- Cleveland
Cleveland County
$1,017 1BR FMR / mo
- Canadian
Canadian County
$1,017 1BR FMR / mo
- Tulsa
Tulsa County
$987 1BR FMR / mo
- Rogers
Rogers County
$987 1BR FMR / mo
- Comanche
Comanche County
$784 1BR FMR / mo
- Cotton
Cotton County
$733 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Cotton is highlighted. Nearby Oklahoma counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Oklahoma County ($1,017), Cleveland County ($1,017), Canadian County ($1,017), Tulsa County ($987), Rogers County ($987), Comanche County ($784), Cotton County (this county) ($733).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
With a below-average 1-bedroom at $733/mo, most of these Oklahoma occupations clear, or miss, the 30% affordability line.
| Occupation | OK Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $107,420 | 8.2% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $81,160 | 10.8% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $80,620 | 10.9% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $76,820 | 11.5% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $60,050 | 14.6% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $57,360 | 15.3% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $51,920 | 16.9% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $50,200 | 17.5% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $47,470 | 18.5% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $38,200 | 23% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $37,570 | 23.4% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $30,590 | 28.8% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $29,580 | 29.7% | Affordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $26,830 | 32.8% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $23,590 | 37.3% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Cotton County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Cotton (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 21.6% overall, from $603 to $733. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +12.7% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑3.1% | $728 | $733 | $962 |
| FY 2025 ↑2.4% | $706 | $711 | $910 |
| FY 2024 ↑12.7% | $690 | $694 | $891 |
| FY 2023 ↑7.9% | $612 | $616 | $797 |
| FY 2022 ↑1.6% | $567 | $571 | $740 |
| FY 2021 ↓6.8% | $548 | $562 | $728 |
| FY 2020 | $511 | $603 | $686 |
Part of the Lawton, OK Metro Area
Cotton County is a outlying county of the Lawton, OK metropolitan statistical area, alongside 1 other metro-area county.
Cotton County ranks #2 of 2 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Comanche County ($784), Cotton County (this county) ($733).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Cotton County, both outside Oklahoma 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 OK (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside OK).
Nearby Counties in Oklahoma
Largest counties by population in Oklahoma
Showing the 8 largest of 76 other counties in Oklahoma.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Cotton County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Cotton County is $733 per month. A 2-bedroom is $962 and a studio is $728.
How does Cotton County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Cotton County is 24% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $733 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Cotton County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Cotton County's 2-bedroom FMR of $962 ranks #944 most affordable among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the middle half of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Cotton County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $29,320 ($2,443/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Cotton County.
Is rent going up or down in Cotton County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Cotton County increased by 3.1% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $711 to $733.
Which jobs can afford rent in Cotton County?
Based on Oklahoma BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, Registered Nurses, General and Operations Managers can afford a 1-bedroom at $733/mo. 13 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Cotton County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Cotton County went from $603 in FY 2020 to $733 in FY 2026, a total change of +21.6% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Cotton County?
In Cotton County, the FY 2026 FMR of $733/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 Cotton County?
For Cotton County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($733/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Cotton County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 5.6%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
What is the unemployment rate in Cotton County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 3.5% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Cotton's FY2026 Fair Market Rent as HUD's affordability benchmark, not a single market quote.
- Budget to roughly 30% of income: the FY2026 1-bedroom FMR of $733 implies about $29,320/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Oklahoma counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Oklahoma
- See where Cotton ranks nationally on rent. National rankings
Fair Market Rent is HUD's 40th-percentile policy benchmark used to set Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. Actual asking rents can run higher or lower, and HUD updates FMRs once a year. This site is informational and not financial or relocation advice.
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.