County FMR · HUD FY2026
Hamilton County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Hamilton County, TN - 32% above the US average.
- $1,263
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,390
- 2-bedroom FMR
- -1.6%
- YoY change
- +32%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Hamilton is the 18th most expensive of 95 counties in Tennessee by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #598 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties.
- #598
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #18
- most expensive of 95 in Tennessee (2BR)
- +37%
- vs the state average
- $50,520
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (12.9%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (54.4%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Hamilton County, TN. Verify with HUD →
Hamilton County, Tennessee carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,263 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,390/mo and a studio is $1,211/mo. That's 32% above the national benchmark of $959 and 37% above the Tennessee average of $924.
Rent decreased1.6% from FY 2025 ($1,284), declining against the trend. A household needs about $50,520/year to stay under the 30% rent-to-income line.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Tennessee. Population: 367,193. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+3.7%, Census ACS). That's in line with Tennessee's statewide growth of +5.0% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Hamilton 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, Hamilton County's 2-bedroom of $1,390 ranks #598 most expensive of 3,145 US counties, in the upper-rent quarter of HUD counties.
Rents run meaningfully above the national benchmark: 1-bedroom FMR is 32% higher than the US average of $959 (37% above Tennessee's $924). From FY 2025 to FY 2026 the 1-bedroom schedule moved $1,284 → $1,263 (-1.6%), a rare easing in a high-rent county.
At $1,263/mo for a 1-bedroom, the 30% rule wants $50,520/year: still within reach of the county median income of $72,568, though a 2-bedroom at $1,390 raises the bar.
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,231 | $1,211 | $-20 (-1.6%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $1,284 | $1,263 | $-21 (-1.6%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,426 | $1,390 | $-36 (-2.5%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,796 | $1,734 | $-62 (-3.5%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,942 | $1,853 | $-89 (-4.6%) |
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 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
$1,390 Top 19% higher than 81% 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 Tennessee counties
- Davidson
Davidson County
$1,578 1BR FMR / mo
- Rutherford
Rutherford County
$1,578 1BR FMR / mo
- Williamson
Williamson County
$1,578 1BR FMR / mo
- Hamilton
Hamilton County
$1,263 1BR FMR / mo
- Knox
Knox County
$1,184 1BR FMR / mo
- Shelby
Shelby County
$1,154 1BR FMR / mo
- Montgomery
Montgomery County
$1,094 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Hamilton is highlighted. Nearby Tennessee counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Davidson County ($1,578), Rutherford County ($1,578), Williamson County ($1,578), Hamilton County (this county) ($1,263), Knox County ($1,184), Shelby County ($1,154), Montgomery County ($1,094).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
Against a high local FMR of $1,263/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using Tennessee BLS wages?
| Occupation | TN Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $117,340 | 12.9% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $102,850 | 14.7% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $79,030 | 19.2% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $75,500 | 20.1% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $59,410 | 25.5% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $59,190 | 25.6% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $55,610 | 27.3% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $55,270 | 27.4% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $52,690 | 28.8% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $40,130 | 37.8% | Stretched |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $38,130 | 39.7% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $31,220 | 48.5% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $30,770 | 49.3% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $28,030 | 54.1% | Unaffordable |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $27,840 | 54.4% | Unaffordable |
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 84.1% overall, from $686 to $1,263. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 23.9% (FY 2023), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↓1.6% | $1,211 | $1,263 | $1,390 |
| FY 2025 ↑18.3% | $1,231 | $1,284 | $1,426 |
| FY 2024 ↑18.1% | $1,068 | $1,085 | $1,232 |
| FY 2023 ↑23.9% | $910 | $919 | $1,067 |
| FY 2022 ↑6.9% | $721 | $742 | $883 |
| FY 2021 ↑1.2% | $636 | $694 | $838 |
| FY 2020 | $599 | $686 | $832 |
Part of the Chattanooga, TN-GA Metro Area
Hamilton County is a central county of the Chattanooga, TN-GA metropolitan statistical area, alongside 5 other metro-area counties.
Hamilton County ranks #6 of 6 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Walker County ($1,263), Catoosa County ($1,263), Marion County ($1,263), Dade County ($1,263), Sequatchie County ($1,263), Hamilton County (this county) ($1,263).
Nearby Counties in Tennessee
Largest counties by population in Tennessee
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Hamilton County? ▼
How does Hamilton County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Where does Hamilton County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Hamilton County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Hamilton County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Hamilton County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Hamilton County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Hamilton County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Hamilton County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Hamilton'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 $1,263 implies about $50,520/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 Hamilton 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.