County FMR · HUD FY2026
Hamilton County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Hamilton County, KS - 14% below the US average.
- $822
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,079
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +2.4%
- YoY change
- -14%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Hamilton is the 11th most expensive of 105 counties in Kansas by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,384 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties.
- #1,384
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #11
- most expensive of 105 in Kansas (2BR)
- +9%
- vs the state average
- $32,880
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (9.2%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (36.5%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Hamilton County, KS. Verify with HUD →
The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Hamilton County, Kansas is $822 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $1,079/mo and a studio is $790/mo. This is 14% lower than the national average of $959 and 9% above the Kansas average of $753.
Rent increased2.4% from FY 2025 ($803), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $32,880/year for a 1-bedroom.
Observed renter burden: 17.2% of the 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.
Market slack: The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 14.7%, a loose rental market that typically gives renters more negotiating leverage than the FMR schedule alone implies.
Local labor market: The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 2.8% over the past 12 months, a tight labor market that typically supports steadier rent demand.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Kansas. Population: 2,520. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-5.0%, Census ACS). That's slower than Kansas's statewide growth of +1.0% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area HAMILTON·COUNTY·KS·KS
Hamilton County, KS: $822/mo 1BR · #1384 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA KS
- 1BR-FMR $822
- 2BR-FMR $1,079
- RANK-MID #1,384
- YOY-UP +2.4%
- VSUS-BELOW -14%
- VS-ST-HIGH +9% KS
- INC-ROOM 16%
- POP-SMALL 3K
- PHOTO-NEAR Johnson County
- VOUCH-90-110 $740–$904
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Johnson ($375 1BR gap)
Read with: How Fair Market Rent works
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $756 | $790 | +$34 (+4.5%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $803 | $822 | +$19 (+2.4%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,054 | $1,079 | +$25 (+2.4%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,270 | $1,294 | +$24 (+1.9%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,512 | $1,570 | +$58 (+3.8%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Hamilton 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 Hamilton sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,079 higher than 56% 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 Hamilton compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Kansas counties
- Johnson
Johnson County
$1,197 1BR FMR / mo
- Wyandotte
Wyandotte County
$1,197 1BR FMR / mo
- Leavenworth
Leavenworth County
$1,197 1BR FMR / mo
- Douglas
Douglas County
$1,006 1BR FMR / mo
- Sedgwick
Sedgwick County
$849 1BR FMR / mo
- Hamilton
Hamilton County
$822 1BR FMR / mo
- Shawnee
Shawnee County
$820 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Hamilton is highlighted. Nearby Kansas counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Johnson County ($1,197), Wyandotte County ($1,197), Leavenworth County ($1,197), Douglas County ($1,006), Sedgwick County ($849), Hamilton County (this county) ($822), Shawnee County ($820).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $822/mo compares to Kansas salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | KS Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $106,660 | 9.2% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $85,600 | 11.5% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $78,060 | 12.6% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $76,400 | 12.9% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $61,830 | 16% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $56,940 | 17.3% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $56,610 | 17.4% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $50,820 | 19.4% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $48,910 | 20.2% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $39,210 | 25.2% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $38,330 | 25.7% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $32,690 | 30.2% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $31,670 | 31.1% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $27,960 | 35.3% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $27,000 | 36.5% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Hamilton County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Hamilton (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 51.7% overall, from $542 to $822. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +18.7% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑2.4% | $790 | $822 | $1,079 |
| FY 2025 ↑12.9% | $756 | $803 | $1,054 |
| FY 2024 ↑18.7% | $670 | $711 | $934 |
| FY 2023 ↑6.2% | $584 | $599 | $788 |
| FY 2022 ↑3.5% | $560 | $564 | $742 |
| FY 2021 ↑0.6% | $543 | $545 | $718 |
| FY 2020 | $524 | $542 | $714 |
Where Hamilton County Ranks in Kansas
Hamilton 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 #95 of 105 counties in Kansas. Nearest by rank: Jefferson County ($1,057), Osage County ($1,057), Shawnee County ($1,057), Wabaunsee County ($1,057), Sumner County ($1,065), Pottawatomie County ($1,068), Riley County ($1,068), Doniphan County ($1,077), Hamilton County (this county) ($1,079), Butler County ($1,099), Harvey County ($1,099), Sedgwick County ($1,099), Douglas County ($1,182), Johnson County ($1,358), Leavenworth County ($1,358), Linn County ($1,358), Miami County ($1,358).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Hamilton County, both outside Kansas 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 KS (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside KS).
Nearby Counties in Kansas
Largest counties by population in Kansas
Showing the 8 largest of 104 other counties in Kansas.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Hamilton County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Hamilton County is $822 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,079 and a studio is $790.
How does Hamilton County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Hamilton County is 14% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $822 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Hamilton County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Hamilton County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,079 ranks #1,384 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the middle half of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Hamilton County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $32,880 ($2,740/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Hamilton County.
Is rent going up or down in Hamilton County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Hamilton County increased by 2.4% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $803 to $822.
Which jobs can afford rent in Hamilton County?
Based on Kansas BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $822/mo. 11 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Hamilton County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Hamilton County went from $542 in FY 2020 to $822 in FY 2026, a total change of +51.7% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Hamilton County?
In Hamilton County, the FY 2026 FMR of $822/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 Hamilton County?
For Hamilton County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($822/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Hamilton County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 14.7%, a loose rental market that typically gives renters more negotiating leverage than the FMR schedule alone implies.
What is the unemployment rate in Hamilton County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 2.8% over the past 12 months, a tight labor market that typically supports steadier rent demand.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Hamilton'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 $822 implies about $32,880/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Kansas counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Johnson
- See where Hamilton 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.