County FMR · HUD FY2026

Franklin County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Franklin County, MA - 48% above the US average.

$1,422
1-bedroom FMR
$1,866
2-bedroom FMR
+19.4%
YoY change
+48%
vs US avg

The verdict

Franklin is the 5th cheapest of 14 counties in Massachusetts by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #157 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 19.4% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.

#157
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#5
cheapest of 14 in Massachusetts (2BR)
-21%
vs the state average
$56,880
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (11.3%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (48.7%); nearby Massachusetts counties range as much as 79% apart in 1-bedroom FMR, so the county line itself can matter for renters comparing options.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Franklin County, MA. Verify with HUD →

The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Franklin County, Massachusetts is $1,422 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $1,866/mo and a studio is $1,287/mo. This is 48% higher than the national average of $959 and 21% below the Massachusetts average of $1,796.

Rent increased19.4% from FY 2025 ($1,191), outpacing inflation. A household needs about $56,880/year to stay under the 30% rent-to-income line.

Observed renter burden: 52.0% of the 9,848 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 Massachusetts. Population: 1,809. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+0.0%, Census ACS). That's slower than Massachusetts's statewide growth of +2.4% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area FRANKLIN·COUNTY·MA·MA

Franklin County, MA: $1,422/mo 1BR · #157 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA MA
  • 1BR-FMR $1,422
  • 2BR-FMR $1,866
  • RANK-UPPER #157
  • YOY-SURGE +19.4%
  • VSUS-HIGH +48%
  • VS-ST-LOW -21% MA
  • INC-MID 24%
  • POP-SMALL 2K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Suffolk County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $1,280–$1,564
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Suffolk ($1,054 1BR gap)

Read with: Understanding rent burden

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $1,696 · US avg: $893
$1,287/mo
↑ 20.2% YoY -24% vs state +44% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $1,796 · US avg: $959
$1,422/mo
↑ 19.4% YoY -21% vs state +48% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $2,261 · US avg: $1,175
$1,866/mo
↑ 19.5% YoY -17% vs state +59% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $2,823 · US avg: $1,525
$2,237/mo
↑ 18.9% YoY -21% vs state +47% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $3,188 · US avg: $1,756
$2,471/mo
↑ 17.7% YoY -22% vs state +41% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $1,071
$1,287
+$216 (+20.2%)
1 Bedroom $1,191
$1,422
+$231 (+19.4%)
2 Bedroom $1,562
$1,866
+$304 (+19.5%)
3 Bedroom $1,882
$2,237
+$355 (+18.9%)
4 Bedroom $2,100
$2,471
+$371 (+17.7%)

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio
21.3%
Affordable
Need $51,480/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
23.5%
Affordable
Need $56,880/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
30.8%
Burdened
Need $74,640/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
37%
Burdened
Need $89,480/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
40.9%
Burdened
Need $98,840/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%30.8%
Franklin County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $72,584 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Massachusetts rent burden →

Where Franklin sits among every US county

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

$1,866 Top 5% higher than 95% of 3,145 counties

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

1-bedroom FMR vs other Massachusetts counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Franklin is highlighted. Nearby Massachusetts counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Suffolk County ($2,476), Middlesex County ($2,476), Essex County ($2,476), Barnstable County ($1,846), Hampshire County ($1,580), Franklin County (this county) ($1,422), Hampden County ($1,382).

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

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

Against a high local FMR of $1,422/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using Massachusetts BLS wages?

Occupation MA Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $150,520 11.3% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $123,850 13.8% Affordable
Registered Nurses $101,970 16.7% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $96,580 17.7% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $83,260 20.5% Affordable
Electricians $82,120 20.8% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $78,610 21.7% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $74,990 22.8% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $60,630 28.1% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $48,060 35.5% Stretched
Pharmacy Technicians $44,640 38.2% Stretched
Janitors & Cleaners $44,570 38.3% Stretched
Teaching Assistants $37,920 45% Stretched
Retail Salespersons $36,320 47% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $35,060 48.7% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (Massachusetts) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

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

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Franklin (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 65.5% overall, from $859 to $1,422. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +19.4% in FY 2026, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.

$800$1,000$1,200$1,400$1,600 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $1,422
Franklin County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑19.4% $1,287 $1,422 $1,866
FY 2025 ↑7.6% $1,071 $1,191 $1,562
FY 2024 ↑12.0% $986 $1,107 $1,454
FY 2023 ↑8.7% $856 $988 $1,280
FY 2022 ↓6.5% $798 $909 $1,160
FY 2021 ↑13.2% $886 $972 $1,245
FY 2020 $842 $859 $1,095
Total change (6yr): +65.5%
Annualized: +8.8%/yr
1 BR: $859 → $1,422

Part of the Greenfield, MA Micro Area

Franklin County is a central county of the Greenfield, MA micropolitan statistical area.

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Franklin County, both outside Massachusetts 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 MA (FY2026).

Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region
CT · 2 BR $1,866/mo
Atlantic County
NJ · 2 BR $1,867/mo
Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region
CT · 2 BR $1,865/mo
Capitol Planning Region
CT · 2 BR $1,865/mo

Similar rent burden

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

Anson County
NC · 30.9% of income · 2 BR $1,138/mo
Piscataquis County
ME · 30.8% of income · 2 BR $1,419/mo
McIntosh County
GA · 30.8% of income · 2 BR $1,293/mo
Newport News city
VA · 30.8% of income · 2 BR $1,713/mo

Nearby Counties in Massachusetts

Largest counties by population in Massachusetts

Showing the 8 largest of 13 other counties in Massachusetts.

Suffolk County
1 BR: $2,476/mo Pop: 663,972
Barnstable County
1 BR: $1,846/mo Pop: 49,232
Hampshire County
1 BR: $1,580/mo Pop: 35,472
Hampden County
1 BR: $1,382/mo Pop: 28,510
Middlesex County
1 BR: $2,476/mo Pop: 23,961
Essex County
1 BR: $2,476/mo Pop: 17,277
Plymouth County
1 BR: $1,761/mo Pop: 17,008
Nantucket County
1 BR: $2,425/mo Pop: 14,299
View all counties in Massachusetts →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Franklin County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Franklin County is $1,422 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,866 and a studio is $1,287.
How does Franklin County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Franklin County is 48% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,422 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Franklin County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Franklin County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,866 ranks #157 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the highest-rent tenth of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Franklin County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $56,880 ($4,740/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Franklin County.
Is rent going up or down in Franklin County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Franklin County increased by 19.4% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,191 to $1,422.
Which jobs can afford rent in Franklin County? ▼
Based on Massachusetts BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $1,422/mo. 9 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Franklin County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Franklin County went from $859 in FY 2020 to $1,422 in FY 2026, a total change of +65.5% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Franklin County? ▼
In Franklin County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,422/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 Franklin County? ▼
For Franklin County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,422/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.