County FMR · HUD FY2026

Hamilton County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Hamilton County, NE - 14% below the US average.

$824
1-bedroom FMR
$961
2-bedroom FMR
+12.4%
YoY change
-14%
vs US avg

The verdict

Hamilton is the 30th cheapest of 93 counties in Nebraska by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #882 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 12.4% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.

#882
most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#30
cheapest of 93 in Nebraska (2BR)
+4%
vs the state average
$32,960
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (8.5%), while Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary spend the most (35.5%).

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Hamilton County, NE. Verify with HUD →

Hamilton County, Nebraska carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $824 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $961/mo and a studio is $666/mo. That's 14% below the national benchmark of $959 and 4% above the Nebraska average of $791.

Rent increased12.4% from FY 2025 ($733), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $32,960/year for a 1-bedroom.

Observed renter burden: 35.2% of the 596 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 Nebraska. Population: 9,400. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+2.8%, Census ACS). That's in line with Nebraska's statewide growth of +3.2% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area HAMILTON·COUNTY·NE·NE

Hamilton County, NE: $824/mo 1BR · #882 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA NE
  • 1BR-FMR $824
  • 2BR-FMR $961
  • RANK-MID #882
  • YOY-SURGE +12.4%
  • VSUS-BELOW -14%
  • VS-ST-NEAR +4% NE
  • INC-ROOM 12%
  • POP-SMALL 9K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Douglas County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $742–$906
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Douglas ($324 1BR gap)

Read with: How Fair Market Rent works

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $706 · US avg: $893
$666/mo
↑ 7.1% YoY -6% vs state -25% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $791 · US avg: $959
$824/mo
↑ 12.4% YoY +4% vs state -14% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,001 · US avg: $1,175
$961/mo
↑ 6.0% YoY -4% vs state -18% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,274 · US avg: $1,525
$1,337/mo
↑ 5.2% YoY +5% vs state -12% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,409 · US avg: $1,756
$1,594/mo
↑ 10.6% YoY +13% vs state -9% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $622
$666
+$44 (+7.1%)
1 Bedroom $733
$824
+$91 (+12.4%)
2 Bedroom $907
$961
+$54 (+6.0%)
3 Bedroom $1,271
$1,337
+$66 (+5.2%)
4 Bedroom $1,441
$1,594
+$153 (+10.6%)

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio
10%
Affordable
Need $26,640/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
12.4%
Affordable
Need $32,960/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
14.4%
Affordable
Need $38,440/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
20.1%
Affordable
Need $53,480/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
23.9%
Affordable
Need $63,760/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%14.4%
Hamilton County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $79,884 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Nebraska rent burden →

Where Hamilton sits among every US county

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties

$961 higher than 28% of 3,145 counties

$600–$800: 23 counties (1%). Below this entry. $800–$1,000: 1,406 counties (45%). This entry sits in this band. $1,000–$1,200: 723 counties (23%). Above this entry. $1,200–$1,400: 417 counties (13%). Above this entry. $1,400–$1,600: 181 counties (6%). Above this entry. $1,600–$1,800: 172 counties (5%). Above this entry. $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 Hamilton compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Nebraska counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Hamilton is highlighted. Nearby Nebraska counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Douglas County ($1,148), Sarpy County ($1,148), Hall County ($978), Lancaster County ($926), Buffalo County ($863), Dodge County ($861), Hamilton County (this county) ($824).

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

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

How a 1-bedroom at $824/mo compares to Nebraska salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).

Occupation NE Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $116,420 8.5% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $82,570 12% Affordable
Registered Nurses $81,020 12.2% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $72,160 13.7% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $69,980 14.1% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $61,700 16% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $61,410 16.1% Affordable
Electricians $60,020 16.5% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $57,940 17.1% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $41,400 23.9% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $40,790 24.2% Affordable
Janitors & Cleaners $35,820 27.6% Affordable
Retail Salespersons $30,350 32.6% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $29,420 33.6% Stretched
Teaching Assistants $27,840 35.5% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (Nebraska) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

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 53.4% overall, from $537 to $824. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +12.4% in FY 2026, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.

$500$600$700$800$900 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $824
Hamilton County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑12.4% $666 $824 $961
FY 2025 ↑7.5% $622 $733 $907
FY 2024 ↑8.6% $591 $682 $872
FY 2023 ↑9.2% $562 $628 $826
FY 2022 ↑3.2% $507 $575 $757
FY 2021 ↑3.7% $530 $557 $734
FY 2020 $504 $537 $707
Total change (6yr): +53.4%
Annualized: +7.4%/yr
1 BR: $537 → $824

Where Hamilton County Ranks in Nebraska

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 #30 of 93 counties in Nebraska. Nearest by rank: Frontier County ($961), Furnas County ($961), Gage County ($961), Garden County ($961), Garfield County ($961), Gosper County ($961), Grant County ($961), Greeley County ($961), Hamilton County (this county) ($961), Harlan County ($961), Hayes County ($961), Hitchcock County ($961), Holt County ($961), Hooker County ($961), Jefferson County ($961), Keith County ($961), Keya Paha County ($961).

Frontier County
2 BR: $961/mo
Furnas County
2 BR: $961/mo
Gage County
2 BR: $961/mo
Garden County
2 BR: $961/mo
Garfield County
2 BR: $961/mo
Gosper County
2 BR: $961/mo
Grant County
2 BR: $961/mo
Greeley County
2 BR: $961/mo
Hamilton County (this county)
2 BR: $961/mo
Harlan County
2 BR: $961/mo
Hayes County
2 BR: $961/mo
Hitchcock County
2 BR: $961/mo
Holt County
2 BR: $961/mo
Hooker County
2 BR: $961/mo
Jefferson County
2 BR: $961/mo
Keith County
2 BR: $961/mo
Keya Paha County
2 BR: $961/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Hamilton County, both outside Nebraska 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 NE (FY2026).

Morgan County
AL · 2 BR $961/mo
Lawrence County
AL · 2 BR $961/mo
Jennings County
IN · 2 BR $961/mo
Upshur County
WV · 2 BR $961/mo

Similar rent burden

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

Sargent County
ND · 14.4% of income · 2 BR $935/mo
Union County
IN · 14.4% of income · 2 BR $956/mo
Edmunds County
SD · 14.4% of income · 2 BR $929/mo
Richland County
ND · 14.4% of income · 2 BR $873/mo

Nearby Counties in Nebraska

Largest counties by population in Nebraska

Showing the 8 largest of 92 other counties in Nebraska.

Douglas County
1 BR: $1,148/mo Pop: 582,638
Lancaster County
1 BR: $926/mo Pop: 322,063
Sarpy County
1 BR: $1,148/mo Pop: 191,272
Hall County
1 BR: $978/mo Pop: 62,575
Buffalo County
1 BR: $863/mo Pop: 50,103
Dodge County
1 BR: $861/mo Pop: 37,175
Scotts Bluff County
1 BR: $758/mo Pop: 36,048
Madison County
1 BR: $758/mo Pop: 35,538
View all counties in Nebraska →

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 $824 per month. A 2-bedroom is $961 and a studio is $666.
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 $824 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 $961 ranks #882 most affordable 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 $32,960 ($2,747/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 12.4% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $733 to $824.
Which jobs can afford rent in Hamilton County? ▼
Based on Nebraska BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $824/mo. 12 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 $537 in FY 2020 to $824 in FY 2026, a total change of +53.4% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Hamilton County? ▼
In Hamilton County, the FY 2026 FMR of $824/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 ($824/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.