County FMR · HUD FY2026
Hardin County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Hardin County, KY - 12% below the US average.
- $846
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,056
- 2-bedroom FMR
- -1.9%
- YoY change
- -12%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Hardin is the 33rd most expensive of 120 counties in Kentucky by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,447 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties.
- #1,447
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #33
- most expensive of 120 in Kentucky (2BR)
- +7%
- vs the state average
- $33,840
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (9.6%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (37.4%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Hardin County, KY. Verify with HUD →
HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Hardin County, Kentucky at $846 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,056/mo and a studio is $841/mo. This is 12% lower than the national average of $959 and 7% above the Kentucky average of $794.
Rent decreased1.9% from FY 2025 ($862), declining against the trend. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $33,840/year for a 1-bedroom.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Kentucky. Population: 111,005. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+3.1%, Census ACS). That's faster than Kentucky's statewide growth of +1.6% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Hardin 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, Hardin County's 2-bedroom of $1,056 ranks #1,447 most expensive of 3,145 US counties, in the middle half of HUD counties.
Hardin County's 1-bedroom FMR tracks close to the national mid-point (12% below the US average of $959), while sitting 7% above the Kentucky average of $794. Over the past year, 1-bedroom rent here shifted from$862 in FY 2025 to $846 in FY 2026, a change of -1.9%, which suggests softening demand or revised HUD sampling.
At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $846, the 30% rule points to $33,840/year (about $2,820/month) versus this county's median household income of $67,608. A 2-bedroom at $1,056 pushes the threshold higher.
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $857 | $841 | $-16 (-1.9%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $862 | $846 | $-16 (-1.9%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,075 | $1,056 | $-19 (-1.8%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,506 | $1,469 | $-37 (-2.5%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,805 | $1,771 | $-34 (-1.9%) |
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 Hardin 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 Hardin sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,056 higher than 54% 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 Hardin compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Kentucky counties
- Fayette
Fayette County
$1,079 1BR FMR / mo
- Kenton
Kenton County
$1,051 1BR FMR / mo
- Boone
Boone County
$1,051 1BR FMR / mo
- Jefferson
Jefferson County
$1,047 1BR FMR / mo
- Warren
Warren County
$985 1BR FMR / mo
- Hardin
Hardin County
$846 1BR FMR / mo
- Daviess
Daviess County
$846 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Hardin is highlighted. Nearby Kentucky counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Fayette County ($1,079), Kenton County ($1,051), Boone County ($1,051), Jefferson County ($1,047), Warren County ($985), Hardin County (this county) ($846), Daviess County ($846).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $846/mo compares to Kentucky salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | KY Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $106,200 | 9.6% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $79,910 | 12.7% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $77,150 | 13.2% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $72,220 | 14.1% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $60,230 | 16.9% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $59,490 | 17.1% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $57,980 | 17.5% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $55,590 | 18.3% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $49,000 | 20.7% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $37,630 | 27% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $37,580 | 27% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $30,470 | 33.3% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $29,450 | 34.5% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $29,220 | 34.7% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $27,170 | 37.4% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Hardin County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Hardin (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 42.7% overall, from $593 to $846. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +18.3% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↓1.9% | $841 | $846 | $1,056 |
| FY 2025 ↑9.1% | $857 | $862 | $1,075 |
| FY 2024 ↑18.3% | $785 | $790 | $1,003 |
| FY 2023 ↑5.2% | $664 | $668 | $868 |
| FY 2022 ↓1.1% | $630 | $635 | $835 |
| FY 2021 ↑8.3% | $638 | $642 | $846 |
| FY 2020 | $587 | $593 | $781 |
Part of the Elizabethtown, KY Metro Area
Hardin County is a central county of the Elizabethtown, KY metropolitan statistical area, alongside 1 other metro-area county.
Hardin County ranks #2 of 2 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Larue County ($846), Hardin County (this county) ($846).
Nearby Counties in Kentucky
Largest counties by population in Kentucky
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Hardin County? ▼
How does Hardin County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Where does Hardin County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Hardin County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Hardin County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Hardin County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Hardin County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Hardin County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Hardin County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Hardin'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 $846 implies about $33,840/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 Hardin 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.