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; nationally it ranks #881 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 35.0% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.

#881
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#20
cheapest of 67 in Florida (2BR)
-18%
vs the state average
$42,560
income to afford it (30% rule)

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. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $42,560/year for a 1-bedroom.

Observed renter burden: 51.7% of the 2,327 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: 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.

FMR filing desk

Area HARDEE·COUNTY·FL·FL

Hardee County, FL: $1,064/mo 1BR · #881 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA FL
  • 1BR-FMR $1,064
  • 2BR-FMR $1,248
  • RANK-MID #881
  • YOY-SURGE +35.0%
  • VSUS-ABOVE +11%
  • VS-ST-LOW -18% FL
  • INC-MID 24%
  • POP-SMALL 26K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Miami-Dade County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $958–$1,170
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Miami-Dade ($931 1BR gap)

Read with: How Fair Market Rent works

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $1,212 · US avg: $893
$1,058/mo
↑ 35.1% YoY -13% vs state +18% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $1,296 · US avg: $959
$1,064/mo
↑ 35.0% YoY -18% vs state +11% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,526 · US avg: $1,175
$1,248/mo
↑ 24.4% YoY -18% vs state +6% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,971 · US avg: $1,525
$1,691/mo
↑ 26.7% YoY -14% vs state +11% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $2,261 · US avg: $1,756
$2,094/mo
↑ 56.3% YoY -7% vs state +19% vs US

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%)

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio
23.4%
Affordable
Need $42,320/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
23.5%
Affordable
Need $42,560/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
27.6%
Affordable
Need $49,920/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
37.4%
Burdened
Need $67,640/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
46.3%
Burdened
Need $83,760/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%27.6%
Hardee County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $54,231 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Florida 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

$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%). This entry sits in this band. $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 Hardee compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Florida counties

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).

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

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

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.

$400$600$800$1,000$1,200 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $1,064
Hardee County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
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
Total change (6yr): +73.3%
Annualized: +9.6%/yr
1 BR: $614 → $1,064

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).

Bradford County
2 BR: $1,120/mo
Union County
2 BR: $1,132/mo
Putnam County
2 BR: $1,155/mo
Dixie County
2 BR: $1,156/mo
Franklin County
2 BR: $1,186/mo
Wakulla County
2 BR: $1,199/mo
DeSoto County
2 BR: $1,209/mo
Citrus County
2 BR: $1,225/mo
Hardee County (this county)
2 BR: $1,248/mo
Glades County
2 BR: $1,252/mo
Hendry County
2 BR: $1,271/mo
Highlands County
2 BR: $1,271/mo
Columbia County
2 BR: $1,318/mo
Lafayette County
2 BR: $1,323/mo
Sumter County
2 BR: $1,328/mo
Okeechobee County
2 BR: $1,346/mo
Gadsden County
2 BR: $1,352/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Hardee 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).

Mesa County
CO · 2 BR $1,249/mo
Klamath County
OR · 2 BR $1,247/mo
Burnet County
TX · 2 BR $1,247/mo
Siskiyou County
CA · 2 BR $1,249/mo

Similar rent burden

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

Real County
TX · 27.6% of income · 2 BR $1,045/mo
Sullivan County
NH · 27.6% of income · 2 BR $1,747/mo
Ware County
GA · 27.6% of income · 2 BR $1,031/mo
Baylor County
TX · 27.6% of income · 2 BR $973/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 Hardee County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Hardee County is $1,064 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,248 and a studio is $1,058.
How does Hardee County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Hardee County is 11% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,064 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Hardee County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Hardee County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,248 ranks #881 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 Hardee County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $42,560 ($3,547/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Hardee County.
Is rent going up or down in Hardee County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Hardee County increased by 35.0% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $788 to $1,064.
Which jobs can afford rent in Hardee 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 $1,064/mo. 9 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Hardee County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Hardee County went from $614 in FY 2020 to $1,064 in FY 2026, a total change of +73.3% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Hardee County? ▼
In Hardee County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,064/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 Hardee County? ▼
For Hardee County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,064/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.