County FMR · HUD FY2026
Hartley County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Hartley County, TX - 6% below the US average.
- $902
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,129
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +2.3%
- YoY change
- -6%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Hartley is the 87th most expensive of 254 counties in Texas by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,195 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties.
- #1,195
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #87
- most expensive of 254 in Texas (2BR)
- -4%
- vs the state average
- $36,080
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (8.3%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (40.1%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Hartley County, TX. Verify with HUD →
Hartley County, Texas carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $902 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,129/mo and a studio is $878/mo. That's 6% below the national benchmark of $959 and 4% below the Texas average of $935.
Rent increased2.3% from FY 2025 ($882), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $36,080/year for a 1-bedroom.
Observed renter burden: 35.2% of the 381 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 8.4%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
Local labor market: The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 3.2% over the past 12 months, a tight labor market that typically supports steadier rent demand.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Texas. Population: 5,369. Population declined 8.0% 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 Texas's statewide growth of +6.3% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area HARTLEY·COUNTY·TX·TX
Hartley County, TX: $902/mo 1BR · #1195 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA TX
- 1BR-FMR $902
- 2BR-FMR $1,129
- RANK-MID #1,195
- YOY-UP +2.3%
- VSUS-NEAR -6%
- VS-ST-NEAR -4% TX
- INC-ROOM 13%
- POP-SMALL 5K
- PHOTO-NEAR Harris County
- VOUCH-90-110 $812–$992
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Harris ($421 1BR gap)
Read with: How Fair Market Rent works
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $859 | $878 | +$19 (+2.2%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $882 | $902 | +$20 (+2.3%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,096 | $1,129 | +$33 (+3.0%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,454 | $1,489 | +$35 (+2.4%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,459 | $1,495 | +$36 (+2.5%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Hartley 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 Hartley sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,129 Top 38% higher than 62% 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 Hartley compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Texas counties
- Dallas
Dallas County
$1,648 1BR FMR / mo
- Collin
Collin County
$1,648 1BR FMR / mo
- Travis
Travis County
$1,562 1BR FMR / mo
- Tarrant
Tarrant County
$1,473 1BR FMR / mo
- Harris
Harris County
$1,323 1BR FMR / mo
- Bexar
Bexar County
$1,177 1BR FMR / mo
- Hartley
Hartley County
$902 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Hartley is highlighted. Nearby Texas counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Dallas County ($1,648), Collin County ($1,648), Travis County ($1,562), Tarrant County ($1,473), Harris County ($1,323), Bexar County ($1,177), Hartley County (this county) ($902).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $902/mo compares to Texas salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | TX Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $130,500 | 8.3% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $100,290 | 10.8% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $90,010 | 12% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $80,000 | 13.5% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $76,350 | 14.2% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $61,380 | 17.6% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $59,700 | 18.1% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $56,920 | 19% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $53,070 | 20.4% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $43,920 | 24.6% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $39,100 | 27.7% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $31,230 | 34.7% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $30,130 | 35.9% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $27,630 | 39.2% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $27,000 | 40.1% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Hartley County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Hartley (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 30.5% overall, from $691 to $902. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +13.5% in FY 2023, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑2.3% | $878 | $902 | $1,129 |
| FY 2025 ↓10.0% | $859 | $882 | $1,096 |
| FY 2024 ↑12.4% | $948 | $980 | $1,217 |
| FY 2023 ↑13.5% | $826 | $872 | $1,095 |
| FY 2022 ↑2.1% | $717 | $768 | $969 |
| FY 2021 ↑8.8% | $628 | $752 | $857 |
| FY 2020 | $584 | $691 | $787 |
Where Hartley County Ranks in Texas
Hartley 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 #168 of 254 counties in Texas. Nearest by rank: Van Zandt County ($1,108), Scurry County ($1,109), Hansford County ($1,113), Hopkins County ($1,115), Anderson County ($1,117), Kerr County ($1,118), Polk County ($1,122), Uvalde County ($1,123), Hartley County (this county) ($1,129), Sterling County ($1,133), Archer County ($1,136), Clay County ($1,136), Wichita County ($1,136), DeWitt County ($1,141), Lee County ($1,141), Colorado County ($1,147), San Jacinto County ($1,149).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Hartley County, both outside Texas 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 TX (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside TX).
Nearby Counties in Texas
Largest counties by population in Texas
Showing the 8 largest of 253 other counties in Texas.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Hartley County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Hartley County is $902 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,129 and a studio is $878.
How does Hartley County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Hartley County is 6% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $902 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Hartley County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Hartley County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,129 ranks #1,195 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 Hartley County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $36,080 ($3,007/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Hartley County.
Is rent going up or down in Hartley County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Hartley County increased by 2.3% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $882 to $902.
Which jobs can afford rent in Hartley County?
Based on Texas BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $902/mo. 11 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Hartley County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Hartley County went from $691 in FY 2020 to $902 in FY 2026, a total change of +30.5% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Hartley County?
In Hartley County, the FY 2026 FMR of $902/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 Hartley County?
For Hartley County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($902/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Hartley County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 8.4%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
What is the unemployment rate in Hartley County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 3.2% over the past 12 months, a tight labor market that typically supports steadier rent demand.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Hartley'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 $902 implies about $36,080/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Texas counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Harris
- See where Hartley 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.