County FMR · HUD FY2026
Erie County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Erie County, PA - 1% below the US average.
- $945
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,212
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +9.8%
- YoY change
- -1%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Erie is the 31st most expensive of 67 counties in Pennsylvania by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #975 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 9.8% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.
- #975
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #31
- most expensive of 67 in Pennsylvania (2BR)
- -5%
- vs the state average
- $37,800
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (9.2%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (39.8%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Erie County, PA. Verify with HUD →
Erie County, Pennsylvania carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $945 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,212/mo and a studio is $836/mo. That's 1% below the national benchmark of $959 and 5% below the Pennsylvania average of $996.
Rent increased9.8% from FY 2025 ($861), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $37,800/year for a 1-bedroom.
Observed renter burden: 46.2% of the 34,865 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 7.3%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
Local labor market: The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 4.4% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Pennsylvania. Population: 270,495. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-2.3%, Census ACS). That's slower than Pennsylvania's statewide growth of +1.5% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area ERIE·COUNTY·PA·PA
Erie County, PA: $945/mo 1BR · #975 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA PA
- 1BR-FMR $945
- 2BR-FMR $1,212
- RANK-MID #975
- YOY-SURGE +9.8%
- VSUS-NEAR -1%
- VS-ST-NEAR -5% PA
- INC-ROOM 18%
- POP-MAJOR 270K
- PHOTO-NEAR Philadelphia Count
- VOUCH-90-110 $851–$1,040
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Philadelphia ($575 1BR gap)
Read with: How Fair Market Rent works
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $781 | $836 | +$55 (+7.0%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $861 | $945 | +$84 (+9.8%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,118 | $1,212 | +$94 (+8.4%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,392 | $1,499 | +$107 (+7.7%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,512 | $1,683 | +$171 (+11.3%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Erie 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 Erie sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,212 Top 31% higher than 69% 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 Erie compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Pennsylvania counties
- Philadelphia
Philadelphia County
$1,520 1BR FMR / mo
- Montgomery
Montgomery County
$1,520 1BR FMR / mo
- Bucks
Bucks County
$1,520 1BR FMR / mo
- Delaware
Delaware County
$1,520 1BR FMR / mo
- Lancaster
Lancaster County
$1,220 1BR FMR / mo
- Allegheny
Allegheny County
$1,077 1BR FMR / mo
- Erie
Erie County
$945 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Erie is highlighted. Nearby Pennsylvania counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Philadelphia County ($1,520), Montgomery County ($1,520), Bucks County ($1,520), Delaware County ($1,520), Lancaster County ($1,220), Allegheny County ($1,077), Erie County (this county) ($945).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $945/mo compares to Pennsylvania salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | PA Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $123,740 | 9.2% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $100,400 | 11.3% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $87,610 | 12.9% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $86,350 | 13.1% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $77,330 | 14.7% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $74,160 | 15.3% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $65,400 | 17.3% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $60,950 | 18.6% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $58,540 | 19.4% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $43,080 | 26.3% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $37,560 | 30.2% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $35,670 | 31.8% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $30,550 | 37.1% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $30,410 | 37.3% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $28,490 | 39.8% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Erie County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Erie (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 57.5% overall, from $600 to $945. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +13.7% in FY 2025, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑9.8% | $836 | $945 | $1,212 |
| FY 2025 ↑13.7% | $781 | $861 | $1,118 |
| FY 2024 ↑3.6% | $726 | $757 | $983 |
| FY 2023 ↑11.8% | $703 | $731 | $947 |
| FY 2022 ↑0.2% | $633 | $654 | $848 |
| FY 2021 ↑8.8% | $624 | $653 | $844 |
| FY 2020 | $580 | $600 | $775 |
Part of the Erie, PA Metro Area
Erie County is a central county of the Erie, PA metropolitan statistical area.
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Erie County, both outside Pennsylvania 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 PA (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside PA).
Nearby Counties in Pennsylvania
Largest counties by population in Pennsylvania
Showing the 8 largest of 66 other counties in Pennsylvania.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Erie County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Erie County is $945 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,212 and a studio is $836.
How does Erie County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Erie County is 1% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $945 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Erie County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Erie County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,212 ranks #975 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 Erie County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $37,800 ($3,150/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Erie County.
Is rent going up or down in Erie County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Erie County increased by 9.8% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $861 to $945.
Which jobs can afford rent in Erie County?
Based on Pennsylvania BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $945/mo. 10 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Erie County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Erie County went from $600 in FY 2020 to $945 in FY 2026, a total change of +57.5% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Erie County?
In Erie County, the FY 2026 FMR of $945/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 Erie County?
For Erie County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($945/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Erie County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 7.3%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
What is the unemployment rate in Erie County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 4.4% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Erie'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 $945 implies about $37,800/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Pennsylvania counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Philadelphia
- See where Erie 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.