County FMR · HUD FY2026
Elk County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Elk County, KS - 30% below the US average.
- $668
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $877
- 2-bedroom FMR
- -6.4%
- YoY change
- -30%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Elk is the 17th cheapest of 105 counties in Kansas by 2-bedroom FMR; rent here has fallen 6.4% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.
- #17
- cheapest of 105 in Kansas (2BR)
- -11%
- vs the state average
- $26,720
- income to afford it (30% rule)
- -6.4%
- YoY, FY2025→2026
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (7.5%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (29.7%); 15 of 15 common occupations here can afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding the 30% threshold.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Elk County, KS. Verify with HUD →
The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Elk County, Kansas is $668 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $877/mo and a studio is $643/mo. This is 30% lower than the national average of $959 and 11% below the Kansas average of $753.
Rent decreased6.4% from FY 2025 ($714), declining against the trend. To afford rent here, a household needs at least $26,720/year based on the 30% affordability rule.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Kansas. Population: 2,453. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-3.8%, Census ACS). That's slower than Kansas's statewide growth of +1.0% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Elk County
The Elk County FMR area applies to all ZIP codes inside the county boundary, and Kansas'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.
Compared to the rest of the country, a 1-bedroom here is 30% below the US average of $959 and 11% lower than the Kansas state average of $753. Year-over-year, the 1-bedroom FMR moved from$714 in FY 2025 to $668 in FY 2026 - a change of -6.4%, which is unusual and suggests softening demand or revised HUD sampling.
At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $668, affording it under the 30%-of-income rule takes $26,720 per year (about $2,227/month) in household income, and a 2-bedroom at $877 pushes that threshold even higher. With a population of 2,453 and a county median household income of $56,087, 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 | $625 | $643 | +$18 (+2.9%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $714 | $668 | $-46 (-6.4%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $872 | $877 | +$5 (+0.6%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,119 | $1,132 | +$13 (+1.2%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,251 | $1,276 | +$25 (+2.0%) |
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 Elk 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.
Elk County 2-bedroom rent burden
Where Elk sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$877 higher than 7% 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 Elk compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Kansas counties
- Johnson
Johnson County
$1,197 1BR FMR / mo
- Wyandotte
Wyandotte County
$1,197 1BR FMR / mo
- Leavenworth
Leavenworth County
$1,197 1BR FMR / mo
- Douglas
Douglas County
$1,006 1BR FMR / mo
- Sedgwick
Sedgwick County
$849 1BR FMR / mo
- Shawnee
Shawnee County
$820 1BR FMR / mo
- Elk
Elk County
$668 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Elk is highlighted. Nearby Kansas counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Johnson County ($1,197), Wyandotte County ($1,197), Leavenworth County ($1,197), Douglas County ($1,006), Sedgwick County ($849), Shawnee County ($820), Elk County (this county) ($668).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $668/mo compares to Kansas salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | KS Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $106,660 | 7.5% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $85,600 | 9.4% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $78,060 | 10.3% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $76,400 | 10.5% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $61,830 | 13% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $56,940 | 14.1% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $56,610 | 14.2% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $50,820 | 15.8% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $48,910 | 16.4% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $39,210 | 20.4% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $38,330 | 20.9% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $32,690 | 24.5% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $31,670 | 25.3% | Affordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $27,960 | 28.7% | Affordable |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $27,000 | 29.7% | Affordable |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Elk County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Elk (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 14.8% overall, from $582 to $668. Rent fell in 3 of the last 6 tracked years, including a 16.3% drop in FY 2024 - an unusual multi-year softening rather than the steady increases seen in most US counties.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↓6.4% | $643 | $668 | $877 |
| FY 2025 ↓1.7% | $625 | $714 | $872 |
| FY 2024 ↑16.3% | $633 | $726 | $882 |
| FY 2023 ↓1.4% | $584 | $624 | $788 |
| FY 2022 ↑5.9% | $566 | $633 | $742 |
| FY 2021 ↑2.7% | $543 | $598 | $718 |
| FY 2020 | $524 | $582 | $714 |
Where Elk County Ranks in Kansas
Elk 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 #17 of 105 counties in Kansas. Nearest by rank: Cherokee County ($877), Cheyenne County ($877), Clark County ($877), Cloud County ($877), Comanche County ($877), Cowley County ($877), Decatur County ($877), Edwards County ($877), Elk County (this county) ($877), Ellsworth County ($877), Gove County ($877), Graham County ($877), Grant County ($877), Gray County ($877), Greeley County ($877), Greenwood County ($877), Harper County ($877).
Nearby Counties in Kansas
Largest counties by population in Kansas
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Elk County? ▼
How does Elk County rent compare to the national average? ▼
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Which jobs can afford rent in Elk County? ▼
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How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Elk County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Elk County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Elk'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 $668 implies about $26,720/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 Elk 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.