County FMR · HUD FY2026
Cumberland County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Cumberland County, ME - 46% above the US average.
- $1,397
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,833
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +5.0%
- YoY change
- +46%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Cumberland is the 1st most expensive of 16 counties in Maine by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #189 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 5.0% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.
- #189
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #1
- most expensive of 16 in Maine (2BR)
- +21%
- vs the state average
- $55,880
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (14.7%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (48.8%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Cumberland County, ME. Verify with HUD →
The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Cumberland County, Maine is $1,397 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $1,833/mo and a studio is $1,264/mo. This is 46% higher than the national average of $959 and 21% above the Maine average of $1,153.
Rent increased5.0% from FY 2025 ($1,330), outpacing inflation. A household needs about $55,880/year to stay under the 30% rent-to-income line.
Observed renter burden: 44.6% of the 38,518 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 Maine. Population: 1,178. Population grew 5.2% over the past five years (Census ACS) - among the faster-growing counties nationally, a trend that typically adds upward pressure on rents. That's faster than Maine's statewide growth of +3.3% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area CUMBERLAND·COUNTY·ME·ME
Cumberland County, ME: $1,397/mo 1BR · #189 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA ME
- 1BR-FMR $1,397
- 2BR-FMR $1,833
- RANK-UPPER #189
- YOY-SURGE +5.0%
- VSUS-HIGH +46%
- VS-ST-HIGH +21% ME
- INC-ROOM 18%
- POP-SMALL 1K
- PHOTO-NEAR Androscoggin Count
- VOUCH-90-110 $1,257–$1,537
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Androscoggin ($179 1BR gap)
Read with: Understanding rent burden
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,197 | $1,264 | +$67 (+5.6%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $1,330 | $1,397 | +$67 (+5.0%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,745 | $1,833 | +$88 (+5.0%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $2,191 | $2,380 | +$189 (+8.6%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $2,667 | $3,038 | +$371 (+13.9%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Cumberland 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 Cumberland sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,833 Top 6% higher than 94% 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 Cumberland compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Maine counties
- York
York County
$1,412 1BR FMR / mo
- Cumberland
Cumberland County
$1,397 1BR FMR / mo
- Knox
Knox County
$1,270 1BR FMR / mo
- Androscoggin
Androscoggin County
$1,218 1BR FMR / mo
- Waldo
Waldo County
$1,163 1BR FMR / mo
- Kennebec
Kennebec County
$1,090 1BR FMR / mo
- Somerset
Somerset County
$1,083 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Cumberland is highlighted. Nearby Maine counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: York County ($1,412), Cumberland County (this county) ($1,397), Knox County ($1,270), Androscoggin County ($1,218), Waldo County ($1,163), Kennebec County ($1,090), Somerset County ($1,083).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
Against a high local FMR of $1,397/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using Maine BLS wages?
| Occupation | ME Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $113,800 | 14.7% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $96,740 | 17.3% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | 20.2% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $77,680 | 21.6% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $67,820 | 24.7% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $65,330 | 25.7% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $62,300 | 26.9% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $58,510 | 28.7% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $51,930 | 32.3% | Stretched |
| Customer Service Representatives | $45,240 | 37.1% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $43,870 | 38.2% | Stretched |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $40,950 | 40.9% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $38,560 | 43.5% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $36,460 | 46% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $34,360 | 48.8% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Cumberland County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Cumberland (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 71.4% overall, from $815 to $1,397. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +15.3% in FY 2023, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑5.0% | $1,264 | $1,397 | $1,833 |
| FY 2025 ↑14.5% | $1,197 | $1,330 | $1,745 |
| FY 2024 ↑3.5% | $1,035 | $1,162 | $1,527 |
| FY 2023 ↑15.3% | $1,003 | $1,123 | $1,478 |
| FY 2022 ↑4.7% | $906 | $974 | $1,281 |
| FY 2021 ↑14.1% | $875 | $930 | $1,210 |
| FY 2020 | $776 | $815 | $1,051 |
Part of the Portland-South Portland, ME Metro Area
Cumberland County is a central county of the Portland-South Portland, ME metropolitan statistical area, alongside 2 other metro-area counties.
Cumberland County ranks #2 of 3 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: York County ($1,412), Cumberland County (this county) ($1,397), Sagadahoc County ($1,264).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Cumberland County, both outside Maine 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 ME (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside ME).
Nearby Counties in Maine
Largest counties by population in Maine
Showing the 8 largest of 15 other counties in Maine.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Cumberland County? ▼
How does Cumberland County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Where does Cumberland County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Cumberland County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Cumberland County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Cumberland County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Cumberland County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Cumberland County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Cumberland County? ▼
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.