County FMR · HUD FY2026
Harlan County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Harlan County, NE - 22% below the US average.
- $752
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $961
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +3.2%
- YoY change
- -22%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Harlan is the 31st cheapest of 93 counties in Nebraska by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #882 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties.
- #882
- most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #31
- cheapest of 93 in Nebraska (2BR)
- -5%
- vs the state average
- $30,080
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (7.8%), while Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary spend the most (32.4%); 13 of 15 common occupations here can afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding the 30% threshold.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Harlan County, NE. Verify with HUD →
Harlan County, Nebraska carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $752 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $961/mo and a studio is $666/mo. That's 22% below the national benchmark of $959 and 5% below the Nebraska average of $791.
Rent increased3.2% from FY 2025 ($729), outpacing inflation. The 30% affordability floor is comparatively reachable here at $30,080/year.
Observed renter burden: 22.0% of the 182 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.
Market slack: The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 3.7%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
Local labor market: The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 2.1% over the past 12 months, a tight labor market that typically supports steadier rent demand.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Nebraska. Population: 3,094. Population declined 12.6% 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 Nebraska's statewide growth of +3.2% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area HARLAN·COUNTY·NE·NE
Harlan County, NE: $752/mo 1BR · #882 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA NE
- 1BR-FMR $752
- 2BR-FMR $961
- RANK-MID #882
- YOY-UP +3.2%
- VSUS-BELOW -22%
- VS-ST-NEAR -5% NE
- INC-ROOM 13%
- POP-SMALL 3K
- PHOTO-NEAR Douglas County
- VOUCH-90-110 $677–$827
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Douglas ($396 1BR gap)
Read with: Section 8 housing guide
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $622 | $666 | +$44 (+7.1%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $729 | $752 | +$23 (+3.2%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $907 | $961 | +$54 (+6.0%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,129 | $1,268 | +$139 (+12.3%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,203 | $1,272 | +$69 (+5.7%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Harlan 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 Harlan sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$961 higher than 28% 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 Harlan compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Nebraska counties
- Douglas
Douglas County
$1,148 1BR FMR / mo
- Sarpy
Sarpy County
$1,148 1BR FMR / mo
- Hall
Hall County
$978 1BR FMR / mo
- Lancaster
Lancaster County
$926 1BR FMR / mo
- Buffalo
Buffalo County
$863 1BR FMR / mo
- Dodge
Dodge County
$861 1BR FMR / mo
- Harlan
Harlan County
$752 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Harlan 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), Harlan County (this county) ($752).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
With a below-average 1-bedroom at $752/mo, most of these Nebraska occupations clear, or miss, the 30% affordability line.
| Occupation | NE Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $116,420 | 7.8% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $82,570 | 10.9% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $81,020 | 11.1% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $72,160 | 12.5% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $69,980 | 12.9% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $61,700 | 14.6% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $61,410 | 14.7% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $60,020 | 15% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $57,940 | 15.6% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $41,400 | 21.8% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $40,790 | 22.1% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $35,820 | 25.2% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $30,350 | 29.7% | Affordable |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $29,420 | 30.7% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $27,840 | 32.4% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Harlan County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Harlan (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 41.9% overall, from $530 to $752. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 9.8% (FY 2025).
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑3.2% | $666 | $752 | $961 |
| FY 2025 ↑9.8% | $622 | $729 | $907 |
| FY 2024 ↑5.7% | $591 | $664 | $872 |
| FY 2023 ↑9.2% | $562 | $628 | $826 |
| FY 2022 ↑3.2% | $507 | $575 | $757 |
| FY 2021 ↑5.1% | $484 | $557 | $734 |
| FY 2020 | $455 | $530 | $698 |
Where Harlan County Ranks in Nebraska
Harlan 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 #31 of 93 counties in Nebraska. Nearest by rank: Furnas County ($961), Gage County ($961), Garden County ($961), Garfield County ($961), Gosper County ($961), Grant County ($961), Greeley County ($961), Hamilton County ($961), Harlan County (this county) ($961), Hayes County ($961), Hitchcock County ($961), Holt County ($961), Hooker County ($961), Jefferson County ($961), Keith County ($961), Keya Paha County ($961), Kimball County ($961).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Harlan 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).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside NE).
Nearby Counties in Nebraska
Largest counties by population in Nebraska
Showing the 8 largest of 92 other counties in Nebraska.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Harlan County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Harlan County is $752 per month. A 2-bedroom is $961 and a studio is $666.
How does Harlan County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Harlan County is 22% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $752 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Harlan County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Harlan 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 Harlan County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $30,080 ($2,507/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Harlan County.
Is rent going up or down in Harlan County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Harlan County increased by 3.2% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $729 to $752.
Which jobs can afford rent in Harlan 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 $752/mo. 13 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Harlan County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Harlan County went from $530 in FY 2020 to $752 in FY 2026, a total change of +41.9% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Harlan County?
In Harlan County, the FY 2026 FMR of $752/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 Harlan County?
For Harlan County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($752/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Harlan County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 3.7%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
What is the unemployment rate in Harlan County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 2.1% over the past 12 months, a tight labor market that typically supports steadier rent demand.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Harlan's FY2026 Fair Market Rent as HUD's affordability benchmark, not a single market quote.
- Budget to roughly 30% of income: the FY2026 1-bedroom FMR of $752 implies about $30,080/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Nebraska counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Douglas
- See where Harlan ranks nationally on rent. National rankings
Fair Market Rent is HUD's 40th-percentile policy benchmark used to set Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. Actual asking rents can run higher or lower, and HUD updates FMRs once a year. This site is informational and not financial or relocation advice.
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.