County FMR · HUD FY2026
Elbert County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Elbert County, GA - 13% below the US average.
- $836
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,074
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +17.3%
- YoY change
- -13%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Elbert is the 80th cheapest of 159 counties in Georgia by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,384 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 17.3% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.
- #1,384
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #80
- cheapest of 159 in Georgia (2BR)
- -18%
- vs the state average
- $33,440
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (7.8%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (38.1%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Elbert County, GA. Verify with HUD →
HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Elbert County, Georgia at $836 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,074/mo and a studio is $831/mo. This is 13% lower than the national average of $959 and 18% below the Georgia average of $1,023.
Rent increased17.3% from FY 2025 ($713), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $33,440/year for a 1-bedroom.
Observed renter burden: 33.6% of the 2,590 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 2.1%, 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 3.4% over the past 12 months, a tight labor market that typically supports steadier rent demand.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Georgia. Population: 19,570. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+2.7%, Census ACS). That's slower than Georgia's statewide growth of +5.1% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area ELBERT·COUNTY·GA·GA
Elbert County, GA: $836/mo 1BR · #1384 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA GA
- 1BR-FMR $836
- 2BR-FMR $1,074
- RANK-MID #1,384
- YOY-SURGE +17.3%
- VSUS-BELOW -13%
- VS-ST-LOW -18% GA
- INC-MID 20%
- POP-SMALL 20K
- PHOTO-NEAR Fulton County
- VOUCH-90-110 $752–$920
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Fulton ($824 1BR gap)
Read with: How Fair Market Rent works
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $709 | $831 | +$122 (+17.2%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $713 | $836 | +$123 (+17.3%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $936 | $1,074 | +$138 (+14.7%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,168 | $1,288 | +$120 (+10.3%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,241 | $1,422 | +$181 (+14.6%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Elbert 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 Elbert sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,074 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 Elbert compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Georgia counties
- Fulton
Fulton County
$1,660 1BR FMR / mo
- Gwinnett
Gwinnett County
$1,660 1BR FMR / mo
- Cobb
Cobb County
$1,660 1BR FMR / mo
- DeKalb
DeKalb County
$1,660 1BR FMR / mo
- Clayton
Clayton County
$1,660 1BR FMR / mo
- Chatham
Chatham County
$1,533 1BR FMR / mo
- Elbert
Elbert County
$836 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Elbert is highlighted. Nearby Georgia counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Fulton County ($1,660), Gwinnett County ($1,660), Cobb County ($1,660), DeKalb County ($1,660), Clayton County ($1,660), Chatham County ($1,533), Elbert County (this county) ($836).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $836/mo compares to Georgia salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | GA Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $128,920 | 7.8% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $99,800 | 10.1% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $86,560 | 11.6% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $80,100 | 12.5% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $63,490 | 15.8% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $58,860 | 17% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $56,570 | 17.7% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $56,350 | 17.8% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $55,120 | 18.2% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $39,030 | 25.7% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $38,390 | 26.1% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $33,130 | 30.3% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $29,770 | 33.7% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $27,860 | 36% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $26,310 | 38.1% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Elbert County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Elbert (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 56.8% overall, from $533 to $836. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 17.3% (FY 2026), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑17.3% | $831 | $836 | $1,074 |
| FY 2025 ↑3.5% | $709 | $713 | $936 |
| FY 2024 ↑15.2% | $684 | $689 | $905 |
| FY 2023 ↑11.2% | $594 | $598 | $787 |
| FY 2022 ↑9.3% | $535 | $538 | $708 |
| FY 2021 ↓7.7% | $488 | $492 | $648 |
| FY 2020 | $530 | $533 | $651 |
Where Elbert County Ranks in Georgia
Elbert 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 #80 of 159 counties in Georgia. Nearest by rank: Wayne County ($1,021), Randolph County ($1,028), Ware County ($1,031), Charlton County ($1,036), Gilmer County ($1,036), Hart County ($1,042), Pierce County ($1,042), Baldwin County ($1,073), Elbert County (this county) ($1,074), Butts County ($1,075), Chattahoochee County ($1,088), Harris County ($1,088), Marion County ($1,088), Muscogee County ($1,088), Sumter County ($1,088), Irwin County ($1,089), Haralson County ($1,107).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Elbert County, both outside Georgia 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 GA (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside GA).
Nearby Counties in Georgia
Largest counties by population in Georgia
Showing the 8 largest of 158 other counties in Georgia.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Elbert County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Elbert County is $836 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,074 and a studio is $831.
How does Elbert County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Elbert County is 13% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $836 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Elbert County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Elbert County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,074 ranks #1,384 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 Elbert County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $33,440 ($2,787/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Elbert County.
Is rent going up or down in Elbert County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Elbert County increased by 17.3% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $713 to $836.
Which jobs can afford rent in Elbert County?
Based on Georgia BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $836/mo. 11 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Elbert County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Elbert County went from $533 in FY 2020 to $836 in FY 2026, a total change of +56.8% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Elbert County?
In Elbert County, the FY 2026 FMR of $836/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 Elbert County?
For Elbert County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($836/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Elbert County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 2.1%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
What is the unemployment rate in Elbert County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 3.4% over the past 12 months, a tight labor market that typically supports steadier rent demand.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Elbert'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 $836 implies about $33,440/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Georgia counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Fulton
- See where Elbert 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.