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.

Observed renter burden: 50.7% of the 1,145 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.

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.

FMR filing desk

Area GULF·COUNTY·FL·FL

Gulf County, FL: $1,297/mo 1BR · #314 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA FL
  • 1BR-FMR $1,297
  • 2BR-FMR $1,702
  • RANK-UPPER #314
  • YOY-SURGE +19.2%
  • VSUS-HIGH +35%
  • VS-ST-NEAR +0% FL
  • INC-MID 23%
  • POP-SMALL 15K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Miami-Dade County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $1,167–$1,427
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Miami-Dade ($698 1BR gap)

Read with: Understanding rent burden

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $1,212 · US avg: $893
$1,289/mo
↑ 19.2% YoY +6% vs state +44% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $1,296 · US avg: $959
$1,297/mo
↑ 19.2% YoY +0% vs state +35% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,526 · US avg: $1,175
$1,702/mo
↑ 19.3% YoY +12% vs state +45% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,971 · US avg: $1,525
$2,041/mo
↑ 18.7% YoY +4% vs state +34% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $2,261 · US avg: $1,756
$2,253/mo
↑ 19.1% YoY -0% vs state +28% vs US

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%)

Rent Burden Analysis

How much of household income goes to rent in Gulf County. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.

Studio
23%
Affordable
Need $51,560/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
23.1%
Affordable
Need $51,880/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
30.3%
Burdened
Need $68,080/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
36.4%
Burdened
Need $81,640/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
40.1%
Burdened
Need $90,120/yr for 30% rule
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.

0%100%National avg22%30.3%
Gulf County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $67,361 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Florida rent burden →

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

$600–$800: 23 counties (1%). Below this entry. $800–$1,000: 1,406 counties (45%). Below this entry. $1,000–$1,200: 723 counties (23%). Below this entry. $1,200–$1,400: 417 counties (13%). Below this entry. $1,400–$1,600: 181 counties (6%). Below this entry. $1,600–$1,800: 172 counties (5%). This entry sits in this band. $1,800–$2,000: 108 counties (3%). Above this entry. $2,000–$2,200: 29 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,200–$2,400: 40 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,400–$2,600: 13 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,600–$2,800: 9 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,800–$3,000: 15 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,000–$3,200: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,200–$3,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,400–$3,600: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,600–$3,800: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,800–$4,000: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,000–$4,200: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,200–$4,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. This county $600 $4,400 every US county, bucketed by value

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

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).

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) As of FY2026

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
Salaries: BLS OES (Florida) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

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.

$600$800$1,000$1,200$1,400 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $1,297
Gulf County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
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
Total change (6yr): +101.4%
Annualized: +12.4%/yr
1 BR: $644 → $1,297

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).

Polk County
2 BR: $1,497/mo
Indian River County
2 BR: $1,604/mo
Clay County
2 BR: $1,658/mo
Duval County
2 BR: $1,658/mo
Nassau County
2 BR: $1,658/mo
St. Johns County
2 BR: $1,658/mo
Bay County
2 BR: $1,682/mo
Volusia County
2 BR: $1,700/mo
Gulf County (this county)
2 BR: $1,702/mo
Brevard County
2 BR: $1,709/mo
Martin County
2 BR: $1,757/mo
St. Lucie County
2 BR: $1,757/mo
Okaloosa County
2 BR: $1,785/mo
Flagler County
2 BR: $1,806/mo
Manatee County
2 BR: $1,958/mo
Sarasota County
2 BR: $1,958/mo
Lee County
2 BR: $1,961/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Gulf 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).

Albany County
NY · 2 BR $1,702/mo
Saratoga County
NY · 2 BR $1,702/mo
Rensselaer County
NY · 2 BR $1,702/mo
Schenectady County
NY · 2 BR $1,702/mo

Similar rent burden

Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside FL).

Hampton city
VA · 30.3% of income · 2 BR $1,713/mo
Custer County
MT · 30.3% of income · 2 BR $1,608/mo
Marin County
CA · 30.3% of income · 2 BR $3,604/mo
Hickory County
MO · 30.4% of income · 2 BR $888/mo

Nearby Counties in Florida

Largest counties by population in Florida

Showing the 8 largest of 66 other counties in Florida.

Miami-Dade County
1 BR: $1,995/mo Pop: 2,688,237
Broward County
1 BR: $1,900/mo Pop: 1,940,907
Palm Beach County
1 BR: $1,901/mo Pop: 1,494,805
Hillsborough County
1 BR: $1,696/mo Pop: 1,468,560
Orange County
1 BR: $1,731/mo Pop: 1,427,403
Duval County
1 BR: $1,382/mo Pop: 995,708
Pinellas County
1 BR: $1,696/mo Pop: 959,918
Lee County
1 BR: $1,638/mo Pop: 772,902
View all counties in Florida →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Gulf County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Gulf County is $1,297 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,702 and a studio is $1,289.
How does Gulf County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Gulf County is 35% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,297 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Gulf County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Gulf County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,702 ranks #314 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the highest-rent tenth of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Gulf County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $51,880 ($4,323/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Gulf County.
Is rent going up or down in Gulf County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Gulf County increased by 19.2% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,088 to $1,297.
Which jobs can afford rent in Gulf 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 $1,297/mo. 8 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Gulf County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Gulf County went from $644 in FY 2020 to $1,297 in FY 2026, a total change of +101.4% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Gulf County? ▼
In Gulf County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,297/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 Gulf County? ▼
For Gulf County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,297/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).

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.

All federal data sources used on this page
  • HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) - county-level fair-market rent estimates by bedroom count. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
  • HUD Income Limits - area median income for affordability calculations. huduser.gov/datasets/il
  • HUD Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) - rent burden and housing-cost distribution. huduser.gov/datasets/cp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - county and metro housing characteristics + median rent. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • BLS Consumer Price Index, Rent of Primary Residence - rent inflation by metro. bls.gov/cpi
  • IRS Migration Data (SOI) - interstate migration aggregates affecting county demand. irs.gov/statistics/migration
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics - state-level median wages by occupation, used for job affordability analysis. bls.gov/oes

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.