County FMR · HUD FY2026

De Baca County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for De Baca County, NM - 17% below the US average.

$798
1-bedroom FMR
$973
2-bedroom FMR
+12.2%
YoY change
-17%
vs US avg

The verdict

De Baca is the 2nd cheapest of 33 counties in New Mexico by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #976 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 12.2% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.

#976
most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#2
cheapest of 33 in New Mexico (2BR)
-14%
vs the state average
$31,920
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (7.9%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (33.4%); nearby New Mexico counties range as much as 57% apart in 1-bedroom FMR, so the county line itself can matter for renters comparing options.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for De Baca County, NM. Verify with HUD →

De Baca County, New Mexico carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $798 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $973/mo and a studio is $723/mo. That's 17% below the national benchmark of $959 and 14% below the New Mexico average of $927.

Rent increased12.2% from FY 2025 ($711), outpacing inflation. The 30% affordability floor is comparatively reachable here at $31,920/year.

Observed renter burden: 29.8% of the 225 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 New Mexico. Population: 1,695.

FMR filing desk

Area DE·BACA·COUNTY·NM·NM

De Baca County, NM: $798/mo 1BR · #976 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA NM
  • 1BR-FMR $798
  • 2BR-FMR $973
  • RANK-MID #976
  • YOY-SURGE +12.2%
  • VSUS-BELOW -17%
  • VS-ST-LOW -14% NM
  • INC-MID 23%
  • POP-SMALL 2K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Bernalillo County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $718–$878
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Bernalillo ($387 1BR gap)

Read with: Section 8 housing guide

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $828 · US avg: $893
$723/mo
↑ 6.6% YoY -13% vs state -19% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $927 · US avg: $959
$798/mo
↑ 12.2% YoY -14% vs state -17% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,129 · US avg: $1,175
$973/mo
↑ 4.3% YoY -14% vs state -17% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,496 · US avg: $1,525
$1,167/mo
↓ 4.9% YoY -22% vs state -23% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,758 · US avg: $1,756
$1,569/mo
↑ 1.3% YoY -11% vs state -11% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $678
$723
+$45 (+6.6%)
1 Bedroom $711
$798
+$87 (+12.2%)
2 Bedroom $933
$973
+$40 (+4.3%)
3 Bedroom $1,227
$1,167
$-60 (-4.9%)
4 Bedroom $1,549
$1,569
+$20 (+1.3%)

Rent Burden Analysis

How much of household income goes to rent in De Baca County. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.

Studio
21.3%
Affordable
Need $28,920/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
23.5%
Affordable
Need $31,920/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
28.6%
Affordable
Need $38,920/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
34.3%
Burdened
Need $46,680/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
46.1%
Burdened
Need $62,760/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%28.6%
De Baca County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $40,804 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View New Mexico rent burden →

Where De Baca sits among every US county

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

$973 higher than 31% of 3,145 counties

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

1-bedroom FMR vs other New Mexico counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows De Baca is highlighted. Nearby New Mexico counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Santa Fe County ($1,390), Bernalillo County ($1,185), Sandoval County ($1,185), Valencia County ($1,185), Dona Ana County ($951), San Juan County ($885), De Baca County (this county) ($798).

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

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

With a below-average 1-bedroom at $798/mo, most of these New Mexico occupations clear, or miss, the 30% affordability line.

Occupation NM Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $120,820 7.9% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $100,200 9.6% Affordable
Registered Nurses $88,260 10.8% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $77,420 12.4% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $65,510 14.6% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $63,340 15.1% Affordable
Electricians $56,890 16.8% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $56,620 16.9% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $48,360 19.8% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $44,970 21.3% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $38,060 25.2% Affordable
Janitors & Cleaners $33,640 28.5% Affordable
Retail Salespersons $31,360 30.5% Stretched
Teaching Assistants $30,350 31.6% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $28,650 33.4% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (New Mexico) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

7-year Fair Market Rent history for De Baca County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for De Baca (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 28.7% overall, from $620 to $798. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +12.2% in FY 2026, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.

$550$600$650$700$750$800$850 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $798
De Baca County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑12.2% $723 $798 $973
FY 2025 ↑6.6% $678 $711 $933
FY 2024 ↑4.7% $627 $667 $877
FY 2023 ↑6.5% $582 $637 $795
FY 2022 ↓9.9% $588 $598 $752
FY 2021 ↑7.1% $653 $664 $835
FY 2020 $616 $620 $786
Total change (6yr): +28.7%
Annualized: +4.3%/yr
1 BR: $620 → $798

Where De Baca County Ranks in New Mexico

De Baca 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 #2 of 33 counties in New Mexico. Nearest by rank: Colfax County ($973), De Baca County (this county) ($973), Guadalupe County ($973), Hidalgo County ($973), Luna County ($973), Mora County ($973), Otero County ($973), Quay County ($973).

Colfax County
2 BR: $973/mo
De Baca County (this county)
2 BR: $973/mo
Guadalupe County
2 BR: $973/mo
Hidalgo County
2 BR: $973/mo
Luna County
2 BR: $973/mo
Mora County
2 BR: $973/mo
Otero County
2 BR: $973/mo
Quay County
2 BR: $973/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for De Baca County, both outside New Mexico 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 NM (FY2026).

Mahoning County
OH · 2 BR $973/mo
Trumbull County
OH · 2 BR $973/mo
Richland County
OH · 2 BR $973/mo
Columbiana County
OH · 2 BR $973/mo

Similar rent burden

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

Carter County
MT · 28.6% of income · 2 BR $1,244/mo
Bienville Parish
LA · 28.6% of income · 2 BR $834/mo
Liberty County
GA · 28.6% of income · 2 BR $1,406/mo
Webster County
GA · 28.6% of income · 2 BR $973/mo

Nearby Counties in New Mexico

Largest counties by population in New Mexico

Showing the 8 largest of 32 other counties in New Mexico.

Bernalillo County
1 BR: $1,185/mo Pop: 674,692
Dona Ana County
1 BR: $951/mo Pop: 219,870
Santa Fe County
1 BR: $1,390/mo Pop: 154,481
Sandoval County
1 BR: $1,185/mo Pop: 149,460
San Juan County
1 BR: $885/mo Pop: 121,798
Valencia County
1 BR: $1,185/mo Pop: 76,613
Lea County
1 BR: $1,068/mo Pop: 73,103
McKinley County
1 BR: $894/mo Pop: 72,073
View all counties in New Mexico →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in De Baca County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in De Baca County is $798 per month. A 2-bedroom is $973 and a studio is $723.
How does De Baca County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in De Baca County is 17% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $798 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does De Baca County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, De Baca County's 2-bedroom FMR of $973 ranks #976 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 De Baca County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $31,920 ($2,660/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in De Baca County.
Is rent going up or down in De Baca County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in De Baca County increased by 12.2% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $711 to $798.
Which jobs can afford rent in De Baca County? ▼
Based on New Mexico BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $798/mo. 12 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in De Baca County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in De Baca County went from $620 in FY 2020 to $798 in FY 2026, a total change of +28.7% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in De Baca County? ▼
In De Baca County, the FY 2026 FMR of $798/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 De Baca County? ▼
For De Baca County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($798/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.