County FMR · HUD FY2026
Hardee County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Hardee County, FL - 11% above the US average.
- $1,064
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,248
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +35.0%
- YoY change
- +11%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Hardee is the 20th cheapest of 67 counties in Florida by 2-bedroom FMR; rent here has climbed 35.0% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.
- #20
- cheapest of 67 in Florida (2BR)
- -18%
- vs the state average
- $42,560
- income to afford it (30% rule)
- +35.0%
- YoY, FY2025→2026
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (10.1%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (45.6%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Hardee County, FL. Verify with HUD →
Hardee County, Florida carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,064 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,248/mo and a studio is $1,058/mo. That's 11% above the national benchmark of $959 and 18% below the Florida average of $1,296.
Rent increased35.0% from FY 2025 ($788), outpacing inflation. To afford rent here, a household needs at least $42,560/year based on the 30% affordability rule.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Florida. Population: 25,528. Population declined 6.3% 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 Hardee County
The Hardee County FMR area applies to all ZIP codes inside the county boundary, and Florida's housing authorities use it as the baseline for Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. See how FMR is calculated for the full 40th-percentile methodology and payment-standard rules.
Compared to the rest of the country, a 1-bedroom here is 11% above the US average of $959 and 18% lower than the Florida state average of $1,296. The 1-bedroom FMR went from$788 in FY 2025 to $1,064 in FY 2026 - a change of +35.0%, which outpaces typical consumer inflation.
At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $1,064, affording it under the 30%-of-income rule takes $42,560 per year (about $3,547/month) in household income, and a 2-bedroom at $1,248 pushes that threshold even higher. With a population of 25,528 and a county median household income of $54,231, the arithmetic here directly shapes which wage earners can rent without being cost-burdened.
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $783 | $1,058 | +$275 (+35.1%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $788 | $1,064 | +$276 (+35.0%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,003 | $1,248 | +$245 (+24.4%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,335 | $1,691 | +$356 (+26.7%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,340 | $2,094 | +$754 (+56.3%) |
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 Hardee 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.
Hardee County 2-bedroom rent burden
Where Hardee sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,248 Top 28% higher than 72% 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 Hardee 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
- Hardee
Hardee County
$1,064 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Hardee 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), Hardee County (this county) ($1,064).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $1,064/mo compares to Florida salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | FL Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $126,550 | 10.1% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $100,750 | 12.7% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $82,850 | 15.4% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $78,470 | 16.3% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $76,190 | 16.8% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $60,280 | 21.2% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $55,550 | 23% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $53,100 | 24% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $50,000 | 25.5% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $39,640 | 32.2% | Stretched |
| Customer Service Representatives | $38,890 | 32.8% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $31,950 | 40% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $31,540 | 40.5% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $30,230 | 42.2% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $27,990 | 45.6% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Hardee County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Hardee (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 73.3% overall, from $614 to $1,064. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 35.0% (FY 2026), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑35.0% | $1,058 | $1,064 | $1,248 |
| FY 2025 ↑9.0% | $783 | $788 | $1,003 |
| FY 2024 ↑7.7% | $718 | $723 | $950 |
| FY 2023 ↑12.8% | $666 | $671 | $883 |
| FY 2022 ↑4.6% | $591 | $595 | $783 |
| FY 2021 ↓7.3% | $565 | $569 | $750 |
| FY 2020 | $611 | $614 | $731 |
Where Hardee County Ranks in Florida
Hardee 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 #20 of 67 counties in Florida. Nearest by rank: Bradford County ($1,120), Union County ($1,132), Putnam County ($1,155), Dixie County ($1,156), Franklin County ($1,186), Wakulla County ($1,199), DeSoto County ($1,209), Citrus County ($1,225), Hardee County (this county) ($1,248), Glades County ($1,252), Hendry County ($1,271), Highlands County ($1,271), Columbia County ($1,318), Lafayette County ($1,323), Sumter County ($1,328), Okeechobee County ($1,346), Gadsden County ($1,352).
Nearby Counties in Florida
Largest counties by population in Florida
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Hardee County? ▼
How does Hardee County rent compare to the national average? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Hardee County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Hardee County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Hardee County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Hardee County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Hardee County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Hardee County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Hardee'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 $1,064 implies about $42,560/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 Hardee 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.