County FMR · HUD FY2026
Gulf County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Gulf County, FL - 35% above the US average.
- $1,297
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,702
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +19.2%
- YoY change
- +35%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Gulf is the 22nd most expensive of 67 counties in Florida by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #314 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 19.2% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.
- #314
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #22
- most expensive of 67 in Florida (2BR)
- +0%
- vs the state average
- $51,880
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (12.3%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (55.6%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Gulf County, FL. Verify with HUD →
Gulf County, Florida carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,297 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,702/mo and a studio is $1,289/mo. That's 35% above the national benchmark of $959 and 0% above the Florida average of $1,296.
Rent increased19.2% from FY 2025 ($1,088), outpacing inflation. A household needs about $51,880/year to stay under the 30% rent-to-income line.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Florida. Population: 15,002. Population declined 8.0% over the past five years (Census ACS), a trend that can ease rental-market pressure over time even as FMR reflects recent rent levels. That's slower than Florida's statewide growth of +6.5% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Gulf County
HUD publishes one FMR schedule per FMR area (often the county). Local housing authorities use it as the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher payment-standard baseline. See how FMR is calculated.
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Gulf County's 2-bedroom of $1,702 ranks #314 most expensive of 3,145 US counties, in the highest-rent tenth of HUD counties.
Rents run meaningfully above the national benchmark: 1-bedroom FMR is 35% higher than the US average of $959 (0% above Florida's $1,296). From FY 2025 to FY 2026 the 1-bedroom schedule moved $1,088 → $1,297 (+19.2%), widening an already-expensive gap versus national norms.
At $1,297/mo for a 1-bedroom, the 30% rule wants $51,880/year: still within reach of the county median income of $67,361, though a 2-bedroom at $1,702 raises the bar.
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,081 | $1,289 | +$208 (+19.2%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $1,088 | $1,297 | +$209 (+19.2%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,427 | $1,702 | +$275 (+19.3%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,719 | $2,041 | +$322 (+18.7%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,892 | $2,253 | +$361 (+19.1%) |
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 Gulf 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 Gulf sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,702 Top 10% higher than 90% 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 Gulf 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
- Gulf
Gulf County
$1,297 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Gulf 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), Gulf County (this county) ($1,297).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
Against a high local FMR of $1,297/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 | 12.3% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $100,750 | 15.4% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $82,850 | 18.8% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $78,470 | 19.8% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $76,190 | 20.4% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $60,280 | 25.8% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $55,550 | 28% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $53,100 | 29.3% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $50,000 | 31.1% | Stretched |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $39,640 | 39.3% | Stretched |
| Customer Service Representatives | $38,890 | 40% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $31,950 | 48.7% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $31,540 | 49.3% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $30,230 | 51.5% | Unaffordable |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $27,990 | 55.6% | Unaffordable |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Gulf County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Gulf (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 101.4% overall, from $644 to $1,297. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +19.2% in FY 2026, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑19.2% | $1,289 | $1,297 | $1,702 |
| FY 2025 ↑6.4% | $1,081 | $1,088 | $1,427 |
| FY 2024 ↑11.9% | $1,016 | $1,023 | $1,344 |
| FY 2023 ↑17.2% | $908 | $914 | $1,203 |
| FY 2022 ↑2.1% | $775 | $780 | $1,026 |
| FY 2021 ↑18.6% | $759 | $764 | $1,007 |
| FY 2020 | $640 | $644 | $848 |
Where Gulf County Ranks in Florida
Gulf 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 #46 of 67 counties in Florida. Nearest by rank: Polk County ($1,497), Indian River County ($1,604), Clay County ($1,658), Duval County ($1,658), Nassau County ($1,658), St. Johns County ($1,658), Bay County ($1,682), Volusia County ($1,700), Gulf County (this county) ($1,702), Brevard County ($1,709), Martin County ($1,757), St. Lucie County ($1,757), Okaloosa County ($1,785), Flagler County ($1,806), Manatee County ($1,958), Sarasota County ($1,958), Lee County ($1,961).
Nearby Counties in Florida
Largest counties by population in Florida
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Gulf County? ▼
How does Gulf County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Where does Gulf County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Gulf County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Gulf County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Gulf County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Gulf County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Gulf County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Gulf County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Gulf'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 $1,297 implies about $51,880/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 Gulf 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.