County FMR · HUD FY2026
Denali Borough Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Denali Borough, AK - 3% below the US average.
- $935
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,187
- 2-bedroom FMR
- -4.1%
- YoY change
- -3%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Denali is the 6th cheapest of 30 counties in Alaska by 2-bedroom FMR.
- #6
- cheapest of 30 in Alaska (2BR)
- -22%
- vs the state average
- $37,400
- income to afford it (30% rule)
- -4.1%
- YoY, FY2025→2026
General and Operations Managers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (9.3%), while Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary spend the most (36.7%); nearby Alaska counties range as much as 72% apart in 1-bedroom FMR, so the county line itself can matter for renters comparing options.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Denali Borough, AK. Verify with HUD →
HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Denali Borough, Alaska at $935 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,187/mo and a studio is $851/mo. This is 3% lower than the national average of $959 and 22% below the Alaska average of $1,194.
Rent decreased4.1% from FY 2025 ($975), declining against the trend. To afford rent here, a household needs at least $37,400/year based on the 30% affordability rule.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Alaska. Population: 2,101. Population declined 9.1% 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 Alaska's statewide growth of -0.6% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Denali Borough
The Denali Borough FMR area applies to all ZIP codes inside the county boundary, and Alaska'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.
Denali Borough's 1-bedroom rent runs 3% below the US average of $959 and 22% lower than the Alaska state average of $1,194. Over the past year, 1-bedroom rent here shifted from$975 in FY 2025 to $935 in FY 2026 - a change of -4.1%, which is unusual and suggests softening demand or revised HUD sampling.
At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $935, affording it under the 30%-of-income rule takes $37,400 per year (about $3,117/month) in household income, and a 2-bedroom at $1,187 pushes that threshold even higher. With a population of 2,101 and a county median household income of $88,935, 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 | $896 | $851 | $-45 (-5.0%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $975 | $935 | $-40 (-4.1%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,271 | $1,187 | $-84 (-6.6%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,663 | $1,651 | $-12 (-0.7%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,944 | $1,955 | +$11 (+0.6%) |
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 Denali Borough. 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.
Denali Borough 2-bedroom rent burden
Where Denali sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,187 Top 33% higher than 67% 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 Denali compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Alaska counties
- Bethel
Bethel Census Area
$1,719 1BR FMR / mo
- Juneau City and
Juneau City and Borough
$1,340 1BR FMR / mo
- Fairbanks North Star
Fairbanks North Star Borough
$1,277 1BR FMR / mo
- Anchorage Municipality
Anchorage Municipality
$1,243 1BR FMR / mo
- Matanuska-Susitna
Matanuska-Susitna Borough
$1,049 1BR FMR / mo
- Kenai Peninsula
Kenai Peninsula Borough
$1,000 1BR FMR / mo
- Denali
Denali Borough
$935 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Denali is highlighted. Nearby Alaska counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Bethel Census Area ($1,719), Juneau City and Borough ($1,340), Fairbanks North Star Borough ($1,277), Anchorage Municipality ($1,243), Matanuska-Susitna Borough ($1,049), Kenai Peninsula Borough ($1,000), Denali Borough (this county) ($935).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $935/mo compares to Alaska salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | AK Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| General & Operations Managers | $120,470 | 9.3% | Affordable |
| Software Developers | $119,600 | 9.4% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $110,690 | 10.1% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $100,300 | 11.2% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $81,950 | 13.7% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $81,860 | 13.7% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $76,290 | 14.7% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $64,890 | 17.3% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $61,120 | 18.4% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $50,440 | 22.2% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $44,760 | 25.1% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $39,040 | 28.7% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $36,940 | 30.4% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $34,430 | 32.6% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $30,560 | 36.7% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Denali Borough. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Denali (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has fallen 21.0% overall, from $1,184 to $935. Rent fell in 6 of the last 6 tracked years, including a 10.0% drop in FY 2025 - an unusual multi-year softening rather than the steady increases seen in most US counties.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↓4.1% | $851 | $935 | $1,187 |
| FY 2025 ↓10.0% | $896 | $975 | $1,271 |
| FY 2024 ↓2.1% | $995 | $1,083 | $1,412 |
| FY 2023 ↓0.4% | $1,021 | $1,106 | $1,456 |
| FY 2022 ↓0.1% | $1,016 | $1,110 | $1,461 |
| FY 2021 ↓6.2% | $1,020 | $1,111 | $1,453 |
| FY 2020 | $1,081 | $1,184 | $1,539 |
Where Denali Borough Ranks in Alaska
Denali Borough 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 #6 of 30 counties in Alaska. Nearest by rank: Kusilvak Census Area ($973), Lake and Peninsula Borough ($1,030), Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area ($1,126), Copper River Census Area ($1,130), Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area ($1,153), Denali Borough (this county) ($1,187), Wrangell City and Borough ($1,217), Bristol Bay Borough ($1,243), Dillingham Census Area ($1,247), Kenai Peninsula Borough ($1,312), Southeast Fairbanks Census Area ($1,313).
Nearby Counties in Alaska
Largest counties by population in Alaska
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Denali Borough? ▼
How does Denali Borough rent compare to the national average? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Denali Borough? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Denali Borough? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Denali Borough? ▼
How much has rent changed in Denali Borough over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Denali Borough? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Denali Borough? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Denali'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 $935 implies about $37,400/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 Denali 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.