County FMR · HUD FY2026
Gaines County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Gaines County, TX - 13% below the US average.
- $832
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $973
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +3.0%
- YoY change
- -13%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Gaines is the 22nd cheapest of 254 counties in Texas by 2-bedroom FMR.
- #22
- cheapest of 254 in Texas (2BR)
- -11%
- vs the state average
- $33,280
- income to afford it (30% rule)
- +3.0%
- YoY, FY2025→2026
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (7.7%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (37%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Gaines County, TX. Verify with HUD →
HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Gaines County, Texas at $832 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $973/mo and a studio is $756/mo. This is 13% lower than the national average of $959 and 11% below the Texas average of $935.
Rent increased3.0% from FY 2025 ($808), outpacing inflation. To afford rent here, a household needs at least $33,280/year based on the 30% affordability rule.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Texas. Population: 21,523. Population grew 7.8% over the past five years (Census ACS) - among the faster-growing counties nationally, a trend that typically adds upward pressure on rents. That's faster than Texas's statewide growth of +6.3% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Gaines County
The Gaines County FMR area applies to all ZIP codes inside the county boundary, and Texas'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.
Gaines County's 1-bedroom rent runs 13% below the US average of $959 and 11% lower than the Texas state average of $935. Over the past year, 1-bedroom rent here shifted from$808 in FY 2025 to $832 in FY 2026 - a change of +3.0%, which outpaces typical consumer inflation.
At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $832, affording it under the 30%-of-income rule takes $33,280 per year (about $2,773/month) in household income, and a 2-bedroom at $973 pushes that threshold even higher. With a population of 21,523 and a county median household income of $76,605, 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 | $732 | $756 | +$24 (+3.3%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $808 | $832 | +$24 (+3.0%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $933 | $973 | +$40 (+4.3%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,124 | $1,167 | +$43 (+3.8%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,395 | $1,432 | +$37 (+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 Gaines 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.
Gaines County 2-bedroom rent burden
Where Gaines sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$973 higher than 31% 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 Gaines compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Texas counties
- Dallas
Dallas County
$1,648 1BR FMR / mo
- Collin
Collin County
$1,648 1BR FMR / mo
- Travis
Travis County
$1,562 1BR FMR / mo
- Tarrant
Tarrant County
$1,473 1BR FMR / mo
- Harris
Harris County
$1,323 1BR FMR / mo
- Bexar
Bexar County
$1,177 1BR FMR / mo
- Gaines
Gaines County
$832 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Gaines is highlighted. Nearby Texas counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Dallas County ($1,648), Collin County ($1,648), Travis County ($1,562), Tarrant County ($1,473), Harris County ($1,323), Bexar County ($1,177), Gaines County (this county) ($832).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $832/mo compares to Texas salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | TX Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $130,500 | 7.7% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $100,290 | 10% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $90,010 | 11.1% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $80,000 | 12.5% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $76,350 | 13.1% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $61,380 | 16.3% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $59,700 | 16.7% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $56,920 | 17.5% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $53,070 | 18.8% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $43,920 | 22.7% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $39,100 | 25.5% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $31,230 | 32% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $30,130 | 33.1% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $27,630 | 36.1% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $27,000 | 37% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Gaines County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Gaines (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 46.0% overall, from $570 to $832. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +15.3% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑3.0% | $756 | $832 | $973 |
| FY 2025 ↑6.3% | $732 | $808 | $933 |
| FY 2024 ↑15.3% | $735 | $760 | $944 |
| FY 2023 ↑9.8% | $624 | $659 | $828 |
| FY 2022 ↑3.1% | $560 | $600 | $757 |
| FY 2021 ↑2.1% | $538 | $582 | $734 |
| FY 2020 | $529 | $570 | $714 |
Where Gaines County Ranks in Texas
Gaines 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 254 counties in Texas. Nearest by rank: Dimmit County ($973), Donley County ($973), Eastland County ($973), Falls County ($973), Fisher County ($973), Floyd County ($973), Foard County ($973), Freestone County ($973), Gaines County (this county) ($973), Garza County ($973), Gonzales County ($973), Hale County ($973), Hall County ($973), Hamilton County ($973), Hardeman County ($973), Haskell County ($973), Hemphill County ($973).
Nearby Counties in Texas
Largest counties by population in Texas
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Gaines County? ▼
How does Gaines County rent compare to the national average? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Gaines County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Gaines County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Gaines County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Gaines County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Gaines County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Gaines County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Gaines'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 $832 implies about $33,280/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 Gaines 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.