County FMR · HUD FY2026
Gilchrist County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Gilchrist County, FL - 30% above the US average.
- $1,246
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,493
- 2-bedroom FMR
- -4.7%
- YoY change
- +30%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Gilchrist is the 31st most expensive of 67 counties in Florida by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #472 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties.
- #472
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #31
- most expensive of 67 in Florida (2BR)
- -4%
- vs the state average
- $49,840
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (11.8%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (53.4%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Gilchrist County, FL. Verify with HUD →
Gilchrist County, Florida carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,246 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,493/mo and a studio is $1,154/mo. That's 30% above the national benchmark of $959 and 4% below the Florida average of $1,296.
Rent decreased4.7% from FY 2025 ($1,308), declining against the trend. A household needs about $49,840/year to stay under the 30% rent-to-income line.
Observed renter burden: 22.6% of the 1,126 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.
Market slack: The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 2.0%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
Local labor market: The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 4.9% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Florida. Population: 18,070. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+5.0%, Census ACS). That's slower than Florida's statewide growth of +6.5% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area GILCHRIST·COUNTY·FL·FL
Gilchrist County, FL: $1,246/mo 1BR · #472 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA FL
- 1BR-FMR $1,246
- 2BR-FMR $1,493
- RANK-MID #472
- YOY-DOWN -4.7%
- VSUS-HIGH +30%
- VS-ST-NEAR -4% FL
- INC-MID 24%
- POP-SMALL 18K
- PHOTO-NEAR Miami-Dade County
- VOUCH-90-110 $1,121–$1,371
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Miami-Dade ($749 1BR gap)
Read with: Understanding rent burden
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,176 | $1,154 | $-22 (-1.9%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $1,308 | $1,246 | $-62 (-4.7%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,583 | $1,493 | $-90 (-5.7%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $2,016 | $1,868 | $-148 (-7.3%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $2,099 | $1,977 | $-122 (-5.8%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Gilchrist 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 Gilchrist sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,493 Top 15% higher than 85% 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 Gilchrist compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Florida counties
- Miami-Dade
Miami-Dade County
$1,995 1BR FMR / mo
- Palm Beach
Palm Beach County
$1,901 1BR FMR / mo
- Broward
Broward County
$1,900 1BR FMR / mo
- Orange
Orange County
$1,731 1BR FMR / mo
- Hillsborough
Hillsborough County
$1,696 1BR FMR / mo
- Duval
Duval County
$1,382 1BR FMR / mo
- Gilchrist
Gilchrist County
$1,246 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Gilchrist is highlighted. Nearby Florida counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Miami-Dade County ($1,995), Palm Beach County ($1,901), Broward County ($1,900), Orange County ($1,731), Hillsborough County ($1,696), Duval County ($1,382), Gilchrist County (this county) ($1,246).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
Against a high local FMR of $1,246/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using Florida BLS wages?
| Occupation | FL Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $126,550 | 11.8% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $100,750 | 14.8% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $82,850 | 18% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $78,470 | 19.1% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $76,190 | 19.6% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $60,280 | 24.8% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $55,550 | 26.9% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $53,100 | 28.2% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $50,000 | 29.9% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $39,640 | 37.7% | Stretched |
| Customer Service Representatives | $38,890 | 38.4% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $31,950 | 46.8% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $31,540 | 47.4% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $30,230 | 49.5% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $27,990 | 53.4% | Unaffordable |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Gilchrist County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Gilchrist (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 56.7% overall, from $795 to $1,246. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 23.2% (FY 2024), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↓4.7% | $1,154 | $1,246 | $1,493 |
| FY 2025 ↑12.6% | $1,176 | $1,308 | $1,583 |
| FY 2024 ↑23.2% | $1,053 | $1,162 | $1,397 |
| FY 2023 ↑9.1% | $854 | $943 | $1,134 |
| FY 2022 ↓3.7% | $784 | $864 | $1,038 |
| FY 2021 ↑12.8% | $805 | $897 | $1,083 |
| FY 2020 | $721 | $795 | $971 |
Part of the Gainesville, FL Metro Area
Gilchrist County is a outlying county of the Gainesville, FL metropolitan statistical area, alongside 2 other metro-area counties.
Gilchrist County ranks #2 of 3 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Alachua County ($1,246), Gilchrist County (this county) ($1,246), Levy County ($831).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Gilchrist County, both outside Florida 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 FL (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside FL).
Nearby Counties in Florida
Largest counties by population in Florida
Showing the 8 largest of 66 other counties in Florida.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Gilchrist County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Gilchrist County is $1,246 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,493 and a studio is $1,154.
How does Gilchrist County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Gilchrist County is 30% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,246 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Gilchrist County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Gilchrist County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,493 ranks #472 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the upper-rent quarter of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Gilchrist County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $49,840 ($4,153/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Gilchrist County.
Is rent going up or down in Gilchrist County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Gilchrist County decreased by 4.7% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,308 to $1,246.
Which jobs can afford rent in Gilchrist County?
Based on Florida BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $1,246/mo. 9 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Gilchrist County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Gilchrist County went from $795 in FY 2020 to $1,246 in FY 2026, a total change of +56.7% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Gilchrist County?
In Gilchrist County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,246/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 Gilchrist County?
For Gilchrist County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,246/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Gilchrist County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 2.0%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
What is the unemployment rate in Gilchrist County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 4.9% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Gilchrist's FY2026 Fair Market Rent as HUD's affordability benchmark, not a single market quote.
- Budget to roughly 30% of income: the FY2026 1-bedroom FMR of $1,246 implies about $49,840/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Florida counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Miami-Dade
- See where Gilchrist ranks nationally on rent. National rankings
Fair Market Rent is HUD's 40th-percentile policy benchmark used to set Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. Actual asking rents can run higher or lower, and HUD updates FMRs once a year. This site is informational and not financial or relocation advice.
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.