County FMR · HUD FY2025

Fairfield County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2025 Fair Market Rent for Fairfield County, CT - 105% above the US average.

$1,880
1-bedroom FMR
$2,237
2-bedroom FMR
+3.0%
YoY change
+105%
vs US avg

The verdict

Fairfield is the 1st most expensive of 8 counties in Connecticut by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #63 most expensive of 3,144 HUD counties.

#63
most expensive of 3,144 US counties (2BR)
#1
most expensive of 8 in Connecticut (2BR)
+35%
vs the state average
$75,200
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (17.2%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (66.4%).

FY 2025 HUD Fair Market Rent for Fairfield County, CT. Verify with HUD →

HUD sets the FY 2025 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Fairfield County, Connecticut at $1,880 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $2,237/mo and a studio is $1,534/mo. This is 105% higher than the national average of $919 and 35% above the Connecticut average of $1,392.

Rent increased3.0% from FY 2024 ($1,825), outpacing inflation. Clearing the 30% rule here takes $75,200/year, a high bar relative to most US counties.

FY 2025 HUD Fair Market Rents in Connecticut. Population: 19,822.

FMR filing desk

Area FAIRFIELD·COUNTY·CT·CT

Fairfield County, CT: $1,880/mo 1BR · #63 of 3144 counties (2BR) · FY2025

  • FMR-AREA CT
  • 1BR-FMR $1,880
  • 2BR-FMR $2,237
  • RANK-UPPER #63
  • YOY-UP +3.0%
  • VSUS-HIGH +105%
  • VS-ST-HIGH +35% CT
  • INC-NA Income n/a
  • POP-SMALL 20K
  • PHOTO-CLEAR Peer pending
  • VOUCH-90-110 $1,692–$2,068
  • FY-2025 FY2025

Read with: Understanding rent burden

Fair Market Rents (2025)

Studio
State avg: $1,189 · US avg: $854
$1,534/mo
↑ 1.9% YoY +29% vs state +80% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $1,392 · US avg: $919
$1,880/mo
↑ 3.0% YoY +35% vs state +105% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,728 · US avg: $1,130
$2,237/mo
↑ 0.7% YoY +29% vs state +98% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $2,131 · US avg: $1,469
$2,842/mo
↑ 0.1% YoY +33% vs state +93% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $2,571 · US avg: $1,693
$3,081/mo
↑ 2.8% YoY +20% vs state +82% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2024 FY 2025 Change
Studio $1,505
$1,534
+$29 (+1.9%)
1 Bedroom $1,825
$1,880
+$55 (+3.0%)
2 Bedroom $2,221
$2,237
+$16 (+0.7%)
3 Bedroom $2,838
$2,842
+$4 (+0.1%)
4 Bedroom $2,997
$3,081
+$84 (+2.8%)

Where Fairfield sits among every US county

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,144 HUD counties

$2,237 Top 2% higher than 98% of 3,144 counties

$600–$800: 26 counties (1%). Below this entry. $800–$1,000: 1,683 counties (54%). Below this entry. $1,000–$1,200: 595 counties (19%). Below this entry. $1,200–$1,400: 339 counties (11%). Below this entry. $1,400–$1,600: 155 counties (5%). Below this entry. $1,600–$1,800: 120 counties (4%). Below this entry. $1,800–$2,000: 122 counties (4%). Below this entry. $2,000–$2,200: 36 counties (1%). Below this entry. $2,200–$2,400: 35 counties (1%). This entry sits in this band. $2,400–$2,600: 12 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,600–$2,800: 12 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,800–$3,000: 4 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,000–$3,200: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,200–$3,400: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,400–$3,600: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,600–$3,800: 0 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 · FY2025

How Fairfield compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Connecticut counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Fairfield is highlighted. Nearby Connecticut counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Fairfield County (this county) ($1,880), New Haven County ($1,569), Hartford County ($1,306).

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) As of FY2025

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

Against a high local FMR of $1,880/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using Connecticut BLS wages?

Occupation CT Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $130,870 17.2% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $130,230 17.3% Affordable
Registered Nurses $101,590 22.2% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $89,630 25.2% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $82,820 27.2% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $78,740 28.7% Affordable
Electricians $76,790 29.4% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $63,260 35.7% Stretched
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $58,700 38.4% Stretched
Customer Service Representatives $47,260 47.7% Stretched
Pharmacy Technicians $44,190 51.1% Unaffordable
Teaching Assistants $37,160 60.7% Unaffordable
Janitors & Cleaners $36,800 61.3% Unaffordable
Retail Salespersons $35,350 63.8% Unaffordable
Fast Food & Counter Workers $33,980 66.4% Unaffordable
Salaries: BLS OES (Connecticut) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2025)

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

Over the 5-year span HUD has tracked for Fairfield (FY 2020-2025), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 38.2% overall, from $1,360 to $1,880. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +14.9% in FY 2023, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.

$1,200$1,400$1,600$1,800$2,000 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025 $1,880
Fairfield County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2025
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2025 ↑3.0% $1,534 $1,880 $2,237
FY 2024 ↑12.5% $1,505 $1,825 $2,221
FY 2023 ↑14.9% $1,350 $1,622 $2,019
FY 2022 ↑4.6% $1,203 $1,412 $1,810
FY 2021 ↓0.7% $1,138 $1,350 $1,725
FY 2020 $1,140 $1,360 $1,749
Total change (5yr): +38.2%
Annualized: +6.7%/yr
1 BR: $1,360 → $1,880

Where Fairfield County Ranks in Connecticut

Fairfield 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 #8 of 8 counties in Connecticut. Nearest by rank: Middlesex County ($1,653), Tolland County ($1,653), New Haven County ($1,895), Fairfield County (this county) ($2,237).

Middlesex County
2 BR: $1,653/mo
Tolland County
2 BR: $1,653/mo
New Haven County
2 BR: $1,895/mo
Fairfield County (this county)
2 BR: $2,237/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Fairfield County, both outside Connecticut 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 CT (FY2025).

Sonoma County
CA · 2 BR $2,242/mo
Dukes County
MA · 2 BR $2,222/mo
Sacramento County
CA · 2 BR $2,206/mo
Placer County
CA · 2 BR $2,206/mo

Nearby Counties in Connecticut

Largest counties by population in Connecticut

Showing the 8 largest of 16 other counties in Connecticut.

Greater Bridgeport Planning Region
1 BR: -/mo Pop: 148,012
Western Connecticut Planning Region
1 BR: -/mo Pop: 20,498
Naugatuck Valley Planning Region
1 BR: -/mo Pop: 18,951
New Haven County
1 BR: $1,569/mo Pop: 18,709
Hartford County
1 BR: $1,306/mo Pop: 18,302
South Central Connecticut Planning Region
1 BR: -/mo Pop: 5,280
Windham County
1 BR: $1,220/mo Pop: 4,233
Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region
1 BR: -/mo Pop: 4,220
View all counties in Connecticut →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Fairfield County? ▼
The FY 2025 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Fairfield County is $1,880 per month. A 2-bedroom is $2,237 and a studio is $1,534.
How does Fairfield County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Fairfield County is 105% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,880 compared to $919 nationally.
Where does Fairfield County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2025 Fair Market Rent schedule, Fairfield County's 2-bedroom FMR of $2,237 ranks #63 most expensive among 3,144 HUD counties, placing it in the highest-rent tenth of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Fairfield County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $75,200 ($6,267/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Fairfield County.
Is rent going up or down in Fairfield County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Fairfield County increased by 3.0% from FY 2024 to FY 2025, going from $1,825 to $1,880.
Which jobs can afford rent in Fairfield County? ▼
Based on Connecticut BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $1,880/mo. 7 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Fairfield County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Fairfield County went from $1,360 in FY 2020 to $1,880 in FY 2025, a total change of +38.2% over 5 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Fairfield County? ▼
In Fairfield County, the FY 2025 FMR of $1,880/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 Fairfield County? ▼
For Fairfield County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,880/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2025).

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 2025.