County FMR · HUD FY2026
Gilmer County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Gilmer County, GA - 13% below the US average.
- $830
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,036
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +13.5%
- YoY change
- -13%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Gilmer is the 76th cheapest of 159 counties in Georgia by 2-bedroom FMR; rent here has climbed 13.5% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.
- #76
- cheapest of 159 in Georgia (2BR)
- -19%
- vs the state average
- $33,200
- income to afford it (30% rule)
- +13.5%
- 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 (37.9%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Gilmer County, GA. Verify with HUD →
HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Gilmer County, Georgia at $830 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,036/mo and a studio is $714/mo. This is 13% lower than the national average of $959 and 19% below the Georgia average of $1,023.
Rent increased13.5% from FY 2025 ($731), outpacing inflation. To afford rent here, a household needs at least $33,200/year based on the 30% affordability rule.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Georgia. Population: 31,519. Population grew 6.9% 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 Georgia's statewide growth of +5.1% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Gilmer County
The Gilmer County FMR area applies to all ZIP codes inside the county boundary, and Georgia'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.
Gilmer County's 1-bedroom rent runs 13% below the US average of $959 and 19% lower than the Georgia state average of $1,023. Over the past year, 1-bedroom rent here shifted from$731 in FY 2025 to $830 in FY 2026 - a change of +13.5%, which outpaces typical consumer inflation.
At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $830, affording it under the 30%-of-income rule takes $33,200 per year (about $2,767/month) in household income, and a 2-bedroom at $1,036 pushes that threshold even higher. With a population of 31,519 and a county median household income of $72,542, 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 | $658 | $714 | +$56 (+8.5%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $731 | $830 | +$99 (+13.5%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $959 | $1,036 | +$77 (+8.0%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,242 | $1,357 | +$115 (+9.3%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,610 | $1,738 | +$128 (+8.0%) |
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 Gilmer 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.
Gilmer County 2-bedroom rent burden
Where Gilmer sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,036 higher than 51% 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 Gilmer compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Georgia counties
- Fulton
Fulton County
$1,660 1BR FMR / mo
- Gwinnett
Gwinnett County
$1,660 1BR FMR / mo
- Cobb
Cobb County
$1,660 1BR FMR / mo
- DeKalb
DeKalb County
$1,660 1BR FMR / mo
- Clayton
Clayton County
$1,660 1BR FMR / mo
- Chatham
Chatham County
$1,533 1BR FMR / mo
- Gilmer
Gilmer County
$830 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Gilmer is highlighted. Nearby Georgia counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Fulton County ($1,660), Gwinnett County ($1,660), Cobb County ($1,660), DeKalb County ($1,660), Clayton County ($1,660), Chatham County ($1,533), Gilmer County (this county) ($830).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $830/mo compares to Georgia salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | GA Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $128,920 | 7.7% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $99,800 | 10% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $86,560 | 11.5% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $80,100 | 12.4% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $63,490 | 15.7% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $58,860 | 16.9% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $56,570 | 17.6% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $56,350 | 17.7% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $55,120 | 18.1% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $39,030 | 25.5% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $38,390 | 25.9% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $33,130 | 30.1% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $29,770 | 33.5% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $27,860 | 35.8% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $26,310 | 37.9% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Gilmer County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Gilmer (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 42.9% overall, from $581 to $830. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +13.5% in FY 2026, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑13.5% | $714 | $830 | $1,036 |
| FY 2025 ↑2.7% | $658 | $731 | $959 |
| FY 2024 ↑9.0% | $634 | $712 | $936 |
| FY 2023 ↑9.0% | $575 | $653 | $860 |
| FY 2022 ↑6.0% | $595 | $599 | $788 |
| FY 2021 ↓2.8% | $561 | $565 | $744 |
| FY 2020 | $578 | $581 | $745 |
Where Gilmer County Ranks in Georgia
Gilmer 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 #76 of 159 counties in Georgia. Nearest by rank: Gordon County ($1,011), Franklin County ($1,017), Habersham County ($1,018), Polk County ($1,018), Wayne County ($1,021), Randolph County ($1,028), Ware County ($1,031), Charlton County ($1,036), Gilmer County (this county) ($1,036), Hart County ($1,042), Pierce County ($1,042), Baldwin County ($1,073), Elbert County ($1,074), Butts County ($1,075), Chattahoochee County ($1,088), Harris County ($1,088), Marion County ($1,088).
Nearby Counties in Georgia
Largest counties by population in Georgia
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Gilmer County? ▼
How does Gilmer County rent compare to the national average? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Gilmer County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Gilmer County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Gilmer County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Gilmer County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Gilmer County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Gilmer County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Gilmer'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 $830 implies about $33,200/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 Gilmer 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.