County FMR · HUD FY2026

Ellis County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Ellis County, KS - 25% below the US average.

$717
1-bedroom FMR
$941
2-bedroom FMR
+2.9%
YoY change
-25%
vs US avg

The verdict

Ellis is the 31st most expensive of 105 counties in Kansas by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #787 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties.

#787
most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#31
most expensive of 105 in Kansas (2BR)
-5%
vs the state average
$28,680
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (8.1%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (31.9%); 13 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 Ellis County, KS. Verify with HUD →

The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Ellis County, Kansas is $717 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $941/mo and a studio is $649/mo. This is 25% lower than the national average of $959 and 5% below the Kansas average of $753.

Rent increased2.9% from FY 2025 ($697), outpacing inflation. The 30% affordability floor is comparatively reachable here at $28,680/year.

Observed renter burden: 49.8% of the 4,578 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.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Kansas. Population: 28,921. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+0.0%, Census ACS). That's in line with Kansas's statewide growth of +1.0% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area ELLIS·COUNTY·KS·KS

Ellis County, KS: $717/mo 1BR · #787 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA KS
  • 1BR-FMR $717
  • 2BR-FMR $941
  • RANK-MID #787
  • YOY-UP +2.9%
  • VSUS-LOW -25%
  • VS-ST-NEAR -5% KS
  • INC-ROOM 14%
  • POP-SMALL 29K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Johnson County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $645–$789
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Johnson ($480 1BR gap)

Read with: Section 8 housing guide

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $702 · US avg: $893
$649/mo
↑ 3.5% YoY -8% vs state -27% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $753 · US avg: $959
$717/mo
↑ 2.9% YoY -5% vs state -25% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $947 · US avg: $1,175
$941/mo
↑ 3.0% YoY -1% vs state -20% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,223 · US avg: $1,525
$1,288/mo
↑ 1.2% YoY +5% vs state -16% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,397 · US avg: $1,756
$1,579/mo
↑ 2.9% YoY +13% vs state -10% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $627
$649
+$22 (+3.5%)
1 Bedroom $697
$717
+$20 (+2.9%)
2 Bedroom $914
$941
+$27 (+3.0%)
3 Bedroom $1,273
$1,288
+$15 (+1.2%)
4 Bedroom $1,535
$1,579
+$44 (+2.9%)

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio
13%
Affordable
Need $25,960/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
14.4%
Affordable
Need $28,680/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
18.9%
Affordable
Need $37,640/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
25.8%
Affordable
Need $51,520/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
31.6%
Burdened
Need $63,160/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%18.9%
Ellis County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $59,889 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Kansas rent burden →

Where Ellis sits among every US county

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

$941 higher than 25% of 3,145 counties

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

1-bedroom FMR vs other Kansas counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Ellis 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), Ellis County (this county) ($717).

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

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

With a below-average 1-bedroom at $717/mo, most of these Kansas occupations clear, or miss, the 30% affordability line.

Occupation KS Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $106,660 8.1% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $85,600 10.1% Affordable
Registered Nurses $78,060 11% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $76,400 11.3% Affordable
Electricians $61,830 13.9% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $56,940 15.1% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $56,610 15.2% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $50,820 16.9% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $48,910 17.6% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $39,210 21.9% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $38,330 22.4% Affordable
Janitors & Cleaners $32,690 26.3% Affordable
Retail Salespersons $31,670 27.2% Affordable
Teaching Assistants $27,960 30.8% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $27,000 31.9% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (Kansas) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

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

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Ellis (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 30.4% overall, from $550 to $717. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +12.5% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.

$500$550$600$650$700$750 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $717
Ellis County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑2.9% $649 $717 $941
FY 2025 ↓3.3% $627 $697 $914
FY 2024 ↑12.5% $642 $721 $947
FY 2023 ↑9.8% $625 $641 $844
FY 2022 ↑3.9% $580 $584 $768
FY 2021 ↑2.2% $559 $562 $740
FY 2020 $532 $550 $725
Total change (6yr): +30.4%
Annualized: +4.5%/yr
1 BR: $550 → $717

Part of the Hays, KS Micro Area

Ellis County is a central county of the Hays, KS micropolitan statistical area.

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Ellis County, both outside Kansas 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 KS (FY2026).

Oconee County
SC · 2 BR $941/mo
Grainger County
TN · 2 BR $941/mo
Tama County
IA · 2 BR $941/mo
Cumberland County
TN · 2 BR $942/mo

Similar rent burden

Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside KS).

Lancaster County
NE · 18.9% of income · 2 BR $1,141/mo
Gibson County
TN · 18.9% of income · 2 BR $927/mo
Rockbridge County
VA · 18.9% of income · 2 BR $1,005/mo
Mille Lacs County
MN · 18.9% of income · 2 BR $1,123/mo

Nearby Counties in Kansas

Largest counties by population in Kansas

Showing the 8 largest of 104 other counties in Kansas.

Johnson County
1 BR: $1,197/mo Pop: 610,742
Sedgwick County
1 BR: $849/mo Pop: 522,700
Shawnee County
1 BR: $820/mo Pop: 178,625
Wyandotte County
1 BR: $1,197/mo Pop: 167,989
Douglas County
1 BR: $1,006/mo Pop: 119,094
Leavenworth County
1 BR: $1,197/mo Pop: 82,050
Riley County
1 BR: $875/mo Pop: 72,105
Butler County
1 BR: $849/mo Pop: 67,618
View all counties in Kansas →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Ellis County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Ellis County is $717 per month. A 2-bedroom is $941 and a studio is $649.
How does Ellis County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Ellis County is 25% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $717 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Ellis County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Ellis County's 2-bedroom FMR of $941 ranks #787 most affordable among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the lower-rent quarter of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Ellis County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $28,680 ($2,390/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Ellis County.
Is rent going up or down in Ellis County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Ellis County increased by 2.9% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $697 to $717.
Which jobs can afford rent in Ellis County? ▼
Based on Kansas BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $717/mo. 13 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Ellis County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Ellis County went from $550 in FY 2020 to $717 in FY 2026, a total change of +30.4% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Ellis County? ▼
In Ellis County, the FY 2026 FMR of $717/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 Ellis County? ▼
For Ellis County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($717/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).

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.