County FMR · HUD FY2026
Dawson County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Dawson County, TX - 14% below the US average.
- $823
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,080
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +14.6%
- YoY change
- -14%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Dawson is the 114th most expensive of 254 counties in Texas by 2-bedroom FMR; rent here has climbed 14.6% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.
- #114
- most expensive of 254 in Texas (2BR)
- -12%
- vs the state average
- $32,920
- income to afford it (30% rule)
- +14.6%
- YoY, FY2025→2026
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (7.6%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (36.6%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Dawson County, TX. Verify with HUD →
Dawson County, Texas carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $823 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,080/mo and a studio is $818/mo. That's 14% below the national benchmark of $959 and 12% below the Texas average of $935.
Rent increased14.6% from FY 2025 ($718), outpacing inflation. To afford rent here, a household needs at least $32,920/year based on the 30% affordability rule.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Texas. Population: 12,342. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-5.0%, Census ACS). That's slower than Texas's statewide growth of +6.3% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Dawson County
The Dawson County FMR area applies to all ZIP codes inside the county boundary, and Texas'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 14% below the US average of $959 and 12% lower than the Texas state average of $935. The 1-bedroom FMR went from$718 in FY 2025 to $823 in FY 2026 - a change of +14.6%, which outpaces typical consumer inflation.
At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $823, affording it under the 30%-of-income rule takes $32,920 per year (about $2,743/month) in household income, and a 2-bedroom at $1,080 pushes that threshold even higher. With a population of 12,342 and a county median household income of $55,789, the arithmetic here directly shapes which wage earners can rent without being cost-burdened.
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $713 | $818 | +$105 (+14.7%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $718 | $823 | +$105 (+14.6%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $942 | $1,080 | +$138 (+14.6%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,135 | $1,295 | +$160 (+14.1%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,249 | $1,589 | +$340 (+27.2%) |
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 Dawson 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.
Dawson County 2-bedroom rent burden
Where Dawson sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,080 higher than 56% 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 Dawson 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
- Dawson
Dawson County
$823 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Dawson 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), Dawson County (this county) ($823).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $823/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 | 7.6% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $100,290 | 9.8% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $90,010 | 11% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $80,000 | 12.3% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $76,350 | 12.9% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $61,380 | 16.1% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $59,700 | 16.5% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $56,920 | 17.4% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $53,070 | 18.6% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $43,920 | 22.5% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $39,100 | 25.3% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $31,230 | 31.6% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $30,130 | 32.8% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $27,630 | 35.7% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $27,000 | 36.6% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Dawson County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Dawson (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 31.3% overall, from $627 to $823. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +14.6% in FY 2026, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑14.6% | $818 | $823 | $1,080 |
| FY 2025 ↑1.4% | $713 | $718 | $942 |
| FY 2024 ↑0.3% | $707 | $708 | $908 |
| FY 2023 ↑6.3% | $623 | $706 | $826 |
| FY 2022 ↑3.1% | $560 | $664 | $757 |
| FY 2021 ↑2.7% | $538 | $644 | $734 |
| FY 2020 | $529 | $627 | $714 |
Where Dawson County Ranks in Texas
Dawson 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 #141 of 254 counties in Texas. Nearest by rank: Val Verde County ($1,064), Grimes County ($1,067), Lampasas County ($1,067), Nacogdoches County ($1,067), Palo Pinto County ($1,068), Runnels County ($1,069), Deaf Smith County ($1,070), Brown County ($1,080), Dawson County (this county) ($1,080), Reeves County ($1,083), Parmer County ($1,087), Frio County ($1,088), Mitchell County ($1,091), Austin County ($1,095), Llano County ($1,097), Atascosa County ($1,098), Wharton County ($1,100).
Nearby Counties in Texas
Largest counties by population in Texas
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Dawson County? ▼
How does Dawson County rent compare to the national average? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Dawson County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Dawson County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Dawson County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Dawson County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Dawson County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Dawson County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Dawson'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 $823 implies about $32,920/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 Dawson 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.