County FMR · HUD FY2026
Decatur County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Decatur County, IN - 15% below the US average.
- $816
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,071
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +0.9%
- YoY change
- -15%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Decatur is the 39th most expensive of 92 counties in Indiana by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,415 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties.
- #1,415
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #39
- most expensive of 92 in Indiana (2BR)
- -7%
- vs the state average
- $32,640
- income to afford it (30% rule)
General and Operations Managers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (9%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (34.6%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Decatur County, IN. Verify with HUD →
The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Decatur County, Indiana is $816 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $1,071/mo and a studio is $768/mo. This is 15% lower than the national average of $959 and 7% below the Indiana average of $882.
Rent increased0.9% from FY 2025 ($809), roughly tracking inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $32,640/year for a 1-bedroom.
Observed renter burden: 28.9% of the 2,609 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 1.4%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
Local labor market: The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 3.2% over the past 12 months, a tight labor market that typically supports steadier rent demand.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Indiana. Population: 26,432. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-0.5%, Census ACS). That's slower than Indiana's statewide growth of +2.6% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area DECATUR·COUNTY·IN·IN
Decatur County, IN: $816/mo 1BR · #1415 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA IN
- 1BR-FMR $816
- 2BR-FMR $1,071
- RANK-MID #1,415
- YOY-FLAT +0.9%
- VSUS-BELOW -15%
- VS-ST-NEAR -7% IN
- INC-ROOM 13%
- POP-SMALL 26K
- PHOTO-NEAR Marion County
- VOUCH-90-110 $734–$898
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Marion ($451 1BR gap)
Read with: How Fair Market Rent works
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $746 | $768 | +$22 (+2.9%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $809 | $816 | +$7 (+0.9%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,061 | $1,071 | +$10 (+0.9%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,278 | $1,284 | +$6 (+0.5%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,407 | $1,418 | +$11 (+0.8%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Decatur 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 Decatur sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,071 higher than 55% 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 Decatur compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Indiana counties
- Marion
Marion County
$1,267 1BR FMR / mo
- Hamilton
Hamilton County
$1,267 1BR FMR / mo
- St. Joseph
St. Joseph County
$1,105 1BR FMR / mo
- Lake
Lake County
$1,082 1BR FMR / mo
- Elkhart
Elkhart County
$992 1BR FMR / mo
- Allen
Allen County
$916 1BR FMR / mo
- Decatur
Decatur County
$816 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Decatur is highlighted. Nearby Indiana counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Marion County ($1,267), Hamilton County ($1,267), St. Joseph County ($1,105), Lake County ($1,082), Elkhart County ($992), Allen County ($916), Decatur County (this county) ($816).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $816/mo compares to Indiana salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | IN Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| General & Operations Managers | $108,410 | 9% | Affordable |
| Software Developers | $103,570 | 9.5% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $80,740 | 12.1% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $77,410 | 12.6% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $71,540 | 13.7% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $65,480 | 15% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $60,090 | 16.3% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $58,370 | 16.8% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $50,690 | 19.3% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $41,600 | 23.5% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $40,020 | 24.5% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $35,240 | 27.8% | Affordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $30,460 | 32.1% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $30,300 | 32.3% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $28,290 | 34.6% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Decatur County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Decatur (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 29.3% overall, from $631 to $816. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +12.4% in FY 2023, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑0.9% | $768 | $816 | $1,071 |
| FY 2025 ↑7.7% | $746 | $809 | $1,061 |
| FY 2024 ↑2.6% | $686 | $751 | $987 |
| FY 2023 ↑12.4% | $671 | $732 | $963 |
| FY 2022 ↑0.3% | $598 | $651 | $857 |
| FY 2021 ↑2.9% | $598 | $649 | $855 |
| FY 2020 | $580 | $631 | $828 |
Part of the Greensburg, IN Micro Area
Decatur County is a central county of the Greensburg, IN micropolitan statistical area.
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Decatur County, both outside Indiana 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 IN (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside IN).
Nearby Counties in Indiana
Largest counties by population in Indiana
Showing the 8 largest of 91 other counties in Indiana.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Decatur County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Decatur County is $816 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,071 and a studio is $768.
How does Decatur County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Decatur County is 15% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $816 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Decatur County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Decatur County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,071 ranks #1,415 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 Decatur County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $32,640 ($2,720/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Decatur County.
Is rent going up or down in Decatur County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Decatur County increased by 0.9% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $809 to $816.
Which jobs can afford rent in Decatur County?
Based on Indiana BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like General and Operations Managers, Software Developers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $816/mo. 12 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Decatur County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Decatur County went from $631 in FY 2020 to $816 in FY 2026, a total change of +29.3% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Decatur County?
In Decatur County, the FY 2026 FMR of $816/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 Decatur County?
For Decatur County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($816/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Decatur County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 1.4%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
What is the unemployment rate in Decatur County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 3.2% over the past 12 months, a tight labor market that typically supports steadier rent demand.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Decatur'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 $816 implies about $32,640/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Indiana counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Marion
- See where Decatur 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.