County FMR · HUD FY2026
Franklin County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Franklin County, ME - 5% above the US average.
- $1,008
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,322
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +18.4%
- YoY change
- +5%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Franklin is the 5th cheapest of 16 counties in Maine by 2-bedroom FMR; rent here has climbed 18.4% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.
- #5
- cheapest of 16 in Maine (2BR)
- -13%
- vs the state average
- $40,320
- income to afford it (30% rule)
- +18.4%
- YoY, FY2025→2026
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (10.6%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (35.2%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Franklin County, ME. Verify with HUD →
Franklin County, Maine carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,008 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,322/mo and a studio is $911/mo. That's 5% above the national benchmark of $959 and 13% below the Maine average of $1,153.
Rent increased18.4% from FY 2025 ($851), outpacing inflation. To afford rent here, a household needs at least $40,320/year based on the 30% affordability rule.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Maine. Population: 486. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+0.4%, Census ACS). That's slower than Maine's statewide growth of +3.3% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Franklin County
The Franklin County FMR area applies to all ZIP codes inside the county boundary, and Maine's housing authorities use it as the baseline for Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. See how FMR is calculated for the full 40th-percentile methodology and payment-standard rules.
Compared to the rest of the country, a 1-bedroom here is 5% above the US average of $959 and 13% lower than the Maine state average of $1,153. The 1-bedroom FMR went from$851 in FY 2025 to $1,008 in FY 2026 - a change of +18.4%, which outpaces typical consumer inflation.
At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $1,008, affording it under the 30%-of-income rule takes $40,320 per year (about $3,360/month) in household income, and a 2-bedroom at $1,322 pushes that threshold even higher. With a population of 486 and a county median household income of $58,522, the arithmetic here directly shapes which wage earners can rent without being cost-burdened.
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $765 | $911 | +$146 (+19.1%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $851 | $1,008 | +$157 (+18.4%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,116 | $1,322 | +$206 (+18.5%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,474 | $1,750 | +$276 (+18.7%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,480 | $1,757 | +$277 (+18.7%) |
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 Franklin 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.
Franklin County 2-bedroom rent burden
Where Franklin sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,322 Top 23% higher than 77% 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 Franklin compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Maine counties
- York
York County
$1,412 1BR FMR / mo
- Knox
Knox County
$1,270 1BR FMR / mo
- Androscoggin
Androscoggin County
$1,218 1BR FMR / mo
- Waldo
Waldo County
$1,163 1BR FMR / mo
- Kennebec
Kennebec County
$1,090 1BR FMR / mo
- Somerset
Somerset County
$1,083 1BR FMR / mo
- Franklin
Franklin County
$1,008 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Franklin is highlighted. Nearby Maine counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: York County ($1,412), Knox County ($1,270), Androscoggin County ($1,218), Waldo County ($1,163), Kennebec County ($1,090), Somerset County ($1,083), Franklin County (this county) ($1,008).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $1,008/mo compares to Maine salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | ME Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $113,800 | 10.6% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $96,740 | 12.5% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | 14.6% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $77,680 | 15.6% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $67,820 | 17.8% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $65,330 | 18.5% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $62,300 | 19.4% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $58,510 | 20.7% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $51,930 | 23.3% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $45,240 | 26.7% | Affordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $43,870 | 27.6% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $40,950 | 29.5% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $38,560 | 31.4% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $36,460 | 33.2% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $34,360 | 35.2% | Stretched |
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 62.8% overall, from $619 to $1,008. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +18.4% in FY 2026, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑18.4% | $911 | $1,008 | $1,322 |
| FY 2025 ↑4.8% | $765 | $851 | $1,116 |
| FY 2024 ↑13.9% | $723 | $812 | $1,067 |
| FY 2023 ↑8.5% | $632 | $713 | $939 |
| FY 2022 ↑4.6% | $589 | $657 | $826 |
| FY 2021 ↑1.5% | $549 | $628 | $753 |
| FY 2020 | $583 | $619 | $714 |
Where Franklin County Ranks in Maine
Franklin 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 #5 of 16 counties in Maine. Nearest by rank: Aroostook County ($1,224), Washington County ($1,252), Somerset County ($1,266), Oxford County ($1,295), Franklin County (this county) ($1,322), Penobscot County ($1,392), Lincoln County ($1,403), Kennebec County ($1,416), Piscataquis County ($1,419).
Nearby Counties in Maine
Largest counties by population in Maine
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Franklin County? ▼
How does Franklin County rent compare to the national average? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Franklin County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Franklin County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Franklin County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Franklin County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Franklin County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Franklin County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Franklin'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 $1,008 implies about $40,320/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 Franklin 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.