County FMR · HUD FY2026

Dukes County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Dukes County, MA - 70% above the US average.

$1,633
1-bedroom FMR
$2,143
2-bedroom FMR
-4.7%
YoY change
+70%
vs US avg

The verdict

Dukes is the 7th cheapest of 14 counties in Massachusetts by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #94 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties.

#94
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#7
cheapest of 14 in Massachusetts (2BR)
-9%
vs the state average
$65,320
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (13%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (55.9%); nearby Massachusetts counties range as much as 79% apart in 1-bedroom FMR, so the county line itself can matter for renters comparing options.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Dukes County, MA. Verify with HUD →

HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Dukes County, Massachusetts at $1,633 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $2,143/mo and a studio is $1,623/mo. This is 70% higher than the national average of $959 and 9% below the Massachusetts average of $1,796.

Rent decreased4.7% from FY 2025 ($1,713), declining against the trend. Clearing the 30% rule here takes $65,320/year, a high bar relative to most US counties.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Massachusetts. Population: 667. Population grew 19.9% 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 Massachusetts's statewide growth of +2.4% over the same period.

What these rents mean for Dukes County

HUD publishes one FMR schedule per FMR area (often the county). Local housing authorities use it as the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher payment-standard baseline. See how FMR is calculated.

According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Dukes County's 2-bedroom of $2,143 ranks #94 most expensive of 3,145 US counties, in the highest-rent tenth of HUD counties.

Dukes County sits in the expensive tier: 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent is 70% above the US average of $959, and 9% below the Massachusetts average of $1,796. Voucher payment standards and renter budgets both feel that premium. From FY 2025 to FY 2026 the 1-bedroom schedule moved $1,713 → $1,633 (-4.7%), a rare easing in a high-rent county.

At $1,633/mo for a 1-bedroom, the 30% rule wants $65,320/year: still within reach of the county median income of $102,348, though a 2-bedroom at $2,143 raises the bar.

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $1,696 · US avg: $893
$1,623/mo
↓ 4.6% YoY -4% vs state +82% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $1,796 · US avg: $959
$1,633/mo
↓ 4.7% YoY -9% vs state +70% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $2,261 · US avg: $1,175
$2,143/mo
↓ 3.6% YoY -5% vs state +82% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $2,823 · US avg: $1,525
$2,980/mo
↓ 4.3% YoY +6% vs state +95% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $3,188 · US avg: $1,756
$3,164/mo
↓ 4.1% YoY -1% vs state +80% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $1,701
$1,623
$-78 (-4.6%)
1 Bedroom $1,713
$1,633
$-80 (-4.7%)
2 Bedroom $2,222
$2,143
$-79 (-3.6%)
3 Bedroom $3,114
$2,980
$-134 (-4.3%)
4 Bedroom $3,300
$3,164
$-136 (-4.1%)

Affordability Snapshot

Based on the standard that rent should not exceed 30% of gross income:

Required annual income for 1 BR
$65,320
$5,443/month gross
Required annual income for 2 BR
$85,720
$7,143/month gross

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio
19%
Affordable
Need $64,920/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
19.1%
Affordable
Need $65,320/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
25.1%
Affordable
Need $85,720/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
34.9%
Burdened
Need $119,200/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
37.1%
Burdened
Need $126,560/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%25.1%
Dukes County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $102,348 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Massachusetts rent burden →

Where Dukes sits among every US county

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

$2,143 Top 3% higher than 97% of 3,145 counties

$600–$800: 23 counties (1%). Below this entry. $800–$1,000: 1,406 counties (45%). Below this entry. $1,000–$1,200: 723 counties (23%). Below this entry. $1,200–$1,400: 417 counties (13%). Below this entry. $1,400–$1,600: 181 counties (6%). Below this entry. $1,600–$1,800: 172 counties (5%). Below this entry. $1,800–$2,000: 108 counties (3%). Below this entry. $2,000–$2,200: 29 counties (1%). This entry sits in this band. $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 Dukes compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Massachusetts counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Dukes is highlighted. Nearby Massachusetts counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Suffolk County ($2,476), Middlesex County ($2,476), Essex County ($2,476), Barnstable County ($1,846), Dukes County (this county) ($1,633), Hampshire County ($1,580), Hampden County ($1,382).

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

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

Against a high local FMR of $1,633/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using Massachusetts BLS wages?

Occupation MA Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $150,520 13% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $123,850 15.8% Affordable
Registered Nurses $101,970 19.2% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $96,580 20.3% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $83,260 23.5% Affordable
Electricians $82,120 23.9% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $78,610 24.9% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $74,990 26.1% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $60,630 32.3% Stretched
Customer Service Representatives $48,060 40.8% Stretched
Pharmacy Technicians $44,640 43.9% Stretched
Janitors & Cleaners $44,570 44% Stretched
Teaching Assistants $37,920 51.7% Unaffordable
Retail Salespersons $36,320 54% Unaffordable
Fast Food & Counter Workers $35,060 55.9% Unaffordable
Salaries: BLS OES (Massachusetts) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

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

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Dukes (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 7.6% overall, from $1,518 to $1,633. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 14.2% (FY 2021), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.

$1,400$1,600$1,800$2,000$2,200 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $1,633
Dukes County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↓4.7% $1,623 $1,633 $2,143
FY 2025 ↓9.2% $1,701 $1,713 $2,222
FY 2024 ↓8.4% $1,690 $1,886 $2,156
FY 2023 ↑6.0% $1,778 $2,058 $2,325
FY 2022 ↑12.1% $1,824 $1,942 $2,213
FY 2021 ↑14.2% $1,599 $1,733 $1,976
FY 2020 $1,126 $1,518 $1,728
Total change (6yr): +7.6%
Annualized: +1.2%/yr
1 BR: $1,518 → $1,633

Part of the Vineyard Haven, MA Micro Area

Dukes County is a central county of the Vineyard Haven, MA micropolitan statistical area.

Nearby Counties in Massachusetts

Largest counties by population in Massachusetts

Suffolk County
1 BR: $2,476/mo Pop: 663,972
Barnstable County
1 BR: $1,846/mo Pop: 49,232
Hampshire County
1 BR: $1,580/mo Pop: 35,472
Hampden County
1 BR: $1,382/mo Pop: 28,510
Middlesex County
1 BR: $2,476/mo Pop: 23,961
Essex County
1 BR: $2,476/mo Pop: 17,277
Plymouth County
1 BR: $1,761/mo Pop: 17,008
Nantucket County
1 BR: $2,425/mo Pop: 14,299
View all counties in Massachusetts →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Dukes County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Dukes County is $1,633 per month. A 2-bedroom is $2,143 and a studio is $1,623.
How does Dukes County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Dukes County is 70% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,633 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Dukes County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Dukes County's 2-bedroom FMR of $2,143 ranks #94 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the highest-rent tenth of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Dukes County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $65,320 ($5,443/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Dukes County.
Is rent going up or down in Dukes County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Dukes County decreased by 4.7% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,713 to $1,633.
Which jobs can afford rent in Dukes County? ▼
Based on Massachusetts BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $1,633/mo. 8 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Dukes County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Dukes County went from $1,518 in FY 2020 to $1,633 in FY 2026, a total change of +7.6% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Dukes County? ▼
In Dukes County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,633/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 Dukes County? ▼
For Dukes County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,633/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).

What this means for renters

Treat Dukes'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 $1,633 implies about $65,320/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 Dukes 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.

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.