County FMR · HUD FY2026
Grafton County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Grafton County, NH - 52% above the US average.
- $1,455
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,909
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +25.9%
- YoY change
- +52%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Grafton is the 5th cheapest of 10 counties in New Hampshire by 2-bedroom FMR; rent here has climbed 25.9% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.
- #5
- cheapest of 10 in New Hampshire (2BR)
- -0%
- vs the state average
- $58,200
- income to afford it (30% rule)
- +25.9%
- YoY, FY2025→2026
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (13.2%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (57.6%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Grafton County, NH. Verify with HUD →
Grafton County, New Hampshire carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,455 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,909/mo and a studio is $1,445/mo. That's 52% above the national benchmark of $959 and 0% below the New Hampshire average of $1,460.
Rent increased25.9% from FY 2025 ($1,156), outpacing inflation. To afford rent here, a household needs at least $58,200/year based on the 30% affordability rule.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in New Hampshire. Population: 1,919. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+2.2%, Census ACS). That's in line with New Hampshire's statewide growth of +3.3% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Grafton County
The Grafton County FMR area applies to all ZIP codes inside the county boundary, and New Hampshire'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 52% above the US average of $959 and 0% lower than the New Hampshire state average of $1,460. The 1-bedroom FMR went from$1,156 in FY 2025 to $1,455 in FY 2026 - a change of +25.9%, which outpaces typical consumer inflation.
At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $1,455, affording it under the 30%-of-income rule takes $58,200 per year (about $4,850/month) in household income, and a 2-bedroom at $1,909 pushes that threshold even higher. With a population of 1,919 and a county median household income of $84,021, 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 | $1,104 | $1,445 | +$341 (+30.9%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $1,156 | $1,455 | +$299 (+25.9%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,516 | $1,909 | +$393 (+25.9%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $2,019 | $2,590 | +$571 (+28.3%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $2,109 | $2,630 | +$521 (+24.7%) |
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 Grafton 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.
Grafton County 2-bedroom rent burden
Where Grafton sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,909 Top 5% higher than 95% 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 Grafton compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other New Hampshire counties
- Rockingham
Rockingham County
$1,730 1BR FMR / mo
- Strafford
Strafford County
$1,677 1BR FMR / mo
- Hillsborough
Hillsborough County
$1,673 1BR FMR / mo
- Merrimack
Merrimack County
$1,504 1BR FMR / mo
- Cheshire
Cheshire County
$1,468 1BR FMR / mo
- Grafton
Grafton County
$1,455 1BR FMR / mo
- Belknap
Belknap County
$1,425 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Grafton is highlighted. Nearby New Hampshire counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Rockingham County ($1,730), Strafford County ($1,677), Hillsborough County ($1,673), Merrimack County ($1,504), Cheshire County ($1,468), Grafton County (this county) ($1,455), Belknap County ($1,425).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $1,455/mo compares to New Hampshire salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | NH Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $132,420 | 13.2% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $107,060 | 16.3% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $96,830 | 18% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $82,830 | 21.1% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $67,620 | 25.8% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $64,430 | 27.1% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $61,990 | 28.2% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $60,640 | 28.8% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $58,620 | 29.8% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $46,960 | 37.2% | Stretched |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $45,300 | 38.5% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $37,860 | 46.1% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $37,220 | 46.9% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $35,440 | 49.3% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $30,320 | 57.6% | Unaffordable |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Grafton County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Grafton (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 89.7% overall, from $767 to $1,455. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 25.9% (FY 2026), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑25.9% | $1,445 | $1,455 | $1,909 |
| FY 2025 ↑15.5% | $1,104 | $1,156 | $1,516 |
| FY 2024 ↓1.9% | $891 | $1,001 | $1,315 |
| FY 2023 ↑14.2% | $898 | $1,020 | $1,343 |
| FY 2022 ↑7.1% | $772 | $893 | $1,162 |
| FY 2021 ↑8.7% | $715 | $834 | $1,083 |
| FY 2020 | $654 | $767 | $1,001 |
Part of the Lebanon-Claremont, NH-VT Micro Area
Grafton County is a central county of the Lebanon-Claremont, NH-VT micropolitan statistical area, alongside 3 other micro-area counties.
Grafton County ranks #1 of 4 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Grafton County (this county) ($1,455), Sullivan County ($1,332), Windsor County ($1,168), Orange County ($1,167).
Nearby Counties in New Hampshire
Largest counties by population in New Hampshire
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Grafton County? ▼
How does Grafton County rent compare to the national average? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Grafton County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Grafton County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Grafton County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Grafton County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Grafton County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Grafton County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Grafton'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 $1,455 implies about $58,200/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 Grafton 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.