County FMR · HUD FY2026
Esmeralda County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Esmeralda County, NV - 17% above the US average.
- $1,122
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,472
- 2-bedroom FMR
- -10.0%
- YoY change
- +17%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Esmeralda is the 7th most expensive of 17 counties in Nevada by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #503 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has fallen 10.0% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.
- #503
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #7
- most expensive of 17 in Nevada (2BR)
- -1%
- vs the state average
- $44,880
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (10.4%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (46.1%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Esmeralda County, NV. Verify with HUD →
HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Esmeralda County, Nevada at $1,122 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,472/mo and a studio is $1,072/mo. This is 17% higher than the national average of $959 and 1% below the Nevada average of $1,135.
Rent decreased10.0% from FY 2025 ($1,246), declining against the trend. A household needs about $44,880/year to stay under the 30% rent-to-income line.
Observed renter burden: 59.7% of the 258 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 1.1%, 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 6.4% over the past 12 months, well above the national norm, a headwind for household budgets that can also soften local rent growth.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Nevada. Population: 980.
FMR filing desk
Area ESMERALDA·COUNTY·NV·NV
Esmeralda County, NV: $1,122/mo 1BR · #503 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA NV
- 1BR-FMR $1,122
- 2BR-FMR $1,472
- RANK-MID #503
- YOY-DOWN -10.0%
- VSUS-ABOVE +17%
- VS-ST-NEAR -1% NV
- INC-NA Income n/a
- POP-SMALL 980
- PHOTO-NEAR Clark County
- VOUCH-90-110 $1,010–$1,234
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Clark ($356 1BR gap)
Read with: Understanding rent burden
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,191 | $1,072 | $-119 (-10.0%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $1,246 | $1,122 | $-124 (-10.0%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,635 | $1,472 | $-163 (-10.0%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $2,291 | $2,062 | $-229 (-10.0%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $2,746 | $2,472 | $-274 (-10.0%) |
Where Esmeralda sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,472 Top 16% higher than 84% 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 Esmeralda compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Nevada counties
- Washoe
Washoe County
$1,489 1BR FMR / mo
- Clark
Clark County
$1,478 1BR FMR / mo
- Carson City
Carson City
$1,212 1BR FMR / mo
- Elko
Elko County
$1,166 1BR FMR / mo
- Esmeralda
Esmeralda County
$1,122 1BR FMR / mo
- Lyon
Lyon County
$1,076 1BR FMR / mo
- Nye
Nye County
$1,000 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Esmeralda is highlighted. Nearby Nevada counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Washoe County ($1,489), Clark County ($1,478), Carson City ($1,212), Elko County ($1,166), Esmeralda County (this county) ($1,122), Lyon County ($1,076), Nye County ($1,000).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
Against a high local FMR of $1,122/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using Nevada BLS wages?
| Occupation | NV Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $129,030 | 10.4% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $101,990 | 13.2% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $94,990 | 14.2% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $78,670 | 17.1% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $78,220 | 17.2% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $64,950 | 20.7% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $62,420 | 21.6% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $62,090 | 21.7% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $60,900 | 22.1% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $46,670 | 28.8% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $38,950 | 34.6% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $36,480 | 36.9% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $33,430 | 40.3% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $30,450 | 44.2% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $29,180 | 46.1% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Esmeralda County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Esmeralda (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 107.0% overall, from $542 to $1,122. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 39.8% (FY 2024), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↓10.0% | $1,072 | $1,122 | $1,472 |
| FY 2025 ↑16.2% | $1,191 | $1,246 | $1,635 |
| FY 2024 ↑39.8% | $957 | $1,072 | $1,408 |
| FY 2023 ↑29.1% | $675 | $767 | $1,009 |
| FY 2022 ↑6.6% | $520 | $594 | $782 |
| FY 2021 ↑2.8% | $484 | $557 | $734 |
| FY 2020 | $465 | $542 | $714 |
Where Esmeralda County Ranks in Nevada
Esmeralda 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 #11 of 17 counties in Nevada. Nearest by rank: White Pine County ($1,315), Eureka County ($1,393), Mineral County ($1,393), Churchill County ($1,421), Esmeralda County (this county) ($1,472), Elko County ($1,530), Carson City ($1,546), Douglas County ($1,605), Clark County ($1,735).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Esmeralda County, both outside Nevada 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 NV (FY2026).
Nearby Counties in Nevada
Largest counties by population in Nevada
Showing the 8 largest of 16 other counties in Nevada.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Esmeralda County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Esmeralda County is $1,122 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,472 and a studio is $1,072.
How does Esmeralda County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Esmeralda County is 17% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,122 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Esmeralda County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Esmeralda County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,472 ranks #503 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the upper-rent quarter of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Esmeralda County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $44,880 ($3,740/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Esmeralda County.
Is rent going up or down in Esmeralda County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Esmeralda County decreased by 10.0% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,246 to $1,122.
Which jobs can afford rent in Esmeralda County?
Based on Nevada BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, Registered Nurses, General and Operations Managers can afford a 1-bedroom at $1,122/mo. 10 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Esmeralda County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Esmeralda County went from $542 in FY 2020 to $1,122 in FY 2026, a total change of +107.0% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Esmeralda County?
In Esmeralda County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,122/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 Esmeralda County?
For Esmeralda County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,122/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Esmeralda County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 1.1%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
What is the unemployment rate in Esmeralda County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 6.4% over the past 12 months, well above the national norm, a headwind for household budgets that can also soften local rent growth.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Esmeralda'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 $1,122 implies about $44,880/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Nevada counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Clark
- See where Esmeralda 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.