County FMR · HUD FY2026
Essex County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Essex County, NY - 6% below the US average.
- $903
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,185
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +6.5%
- YoY change
- -6%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Essex is the 22nd cheapest of 62 counties in New York by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,038 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 6.5% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.
- #1,038
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #22
- cheapest of 62 in New York (2BR)
- -31%
- vs the state average
- $36,120
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (6.7%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (30.7%); 14 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 Essex County, NY. Verify with HUD →
Essex County, New York carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $903 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,185/mo and a studio is $891/mo. That's 6% below the national benchmark of $959 and 31% below the New York average of $1,315.
Rent increased6.5% from FY 2025 ($848), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $36,120/year for a 1-bedroom.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in New York. Population: 37,314. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-1.8%, Census ACS). That's slower than New York's statewide growth of +1.3% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Essex County
HUD publishes one FMR schedule per FMR area (often the county). Local housing authorities use it as the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher payment-standard baseline. See how FMR is calculated.
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Essex County's 2-bedroom of $1,185 ranks #1,038 most expensive of 3,145 US counties, in the middle half of HUD counties.
Essex County's 1-bedroom FMR tracks close to the national mid-point (6% below the US average of $959), while sitting 31% below the New York average of $1,315. The 1-bedroom FMR went from$848 in FY 2025 to $903 in FY 2026, a change of +6.5%, which outpaces typical consumer inflation.
At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $903, the 30% rule points to $36,120/year (about $3,010/month) versus this county's median household income of $70,215. A 2-bedroom at $1,185 pushes the threshold higher.
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $828 | $891 | +$63 (+7.6%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $848 | $903 | +$55 (+6.5%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,085 | $1,185 | +$100 (+9.2%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,407 | $1,455 | +$48 (+3.4%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,602 | $1,645 | +$43 (+2.7%) |
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 Essex 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 Essex sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,185 Top 33% higher than 67% 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 Essex compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other New York counties
- Kings
Kings County
$2,655 1BR FMR / mo
- Queens
Queens County
$2,655 1BR FMR / mo
- New York
New York County
$2,655 1BR FMR / mo
- Bronx
Bronx County
$2,655 1BR FMR / mo
- Suffolk
Suffolk County
$2,379 1BR FMR / mo
- Nassau
Nassau County
$2,379 1BR FMR / mo
- Essex $903
Essex County
$903 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Essex is highlighted. Nearby New York counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Kings County ($2,655), Queens County ($2,655), New York County ($2,655), Bronx County ($2,655), Suffolk County ($2,379), Nassau County ($2,379), Essex County (this county) ($903).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $903/mo compares to New York salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | NY Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $161,260 | 6.7% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $129,990 | 8.3% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $105,600 | 10.3% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $101,780 | 10.6% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $93,050 | 11.6% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $82,480 | 13.1% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $77,460 | 14% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $66,390 | 16.3% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $60,520 | 17.9% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $47,840 | 22.7% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $40,840 | 26.5% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $39,920 | 27.1% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $37,020 | 29.3% | Affordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $36,600 | 29.6% | Affordable |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $35,270 | 30.7% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Essex County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Essex (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 27.2% overall, from $710 to $903. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 11.2% (FY 2023).
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑6.5% | $891 | $903 | $1,185 |
| FY 2025 ↑2.4% | $828 | $848 | $1,085 |
| FY 2024 ↑0.7% | $824 | $828 | $971 |
| FY 2023 ↑11.2% | $788 | $822 | $934 |
| FY 2022 ↑2.8% | $691 | $739 | $844 |
| FY 2021 ↑1.3% | $680 | $719 | $853 |
| FY 2020 | $663 | $710 | $863 |
Where Essex County Ranks in New York
Essex 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 #22 of 62 counties in New York. Nearest by rank: Broome County ($1,103), Tioga County ($1,103), Cayuga County ($1,124), Schuyler County ($1,148), Genesee County ($1,168), Seneca County ($1,169), Herkimer County ($1,172), Oneida County ($1,172), Essex County (this county) ($1,185), Cortland County ($1,198), Otsego County ($1,228), Clinton County ($1,246), Chemung County ($1,283), Sullivan County ($1,302), Erie County ($1,343), Niagara County ($1,343), Warren County ($1,348).
Nearby Counties in New York
Largest counties by population in New York
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Essex County? ▼
How does Essex County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Where does Essex County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Essex County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Essex County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Essex County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Essex County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Essex County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Essex County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Essex'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 $903 implies about $36,120/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 Essex 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.