County FMR · HUD FY2026
Hawaii County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Hawaii County, HI - 67% above the US average.
- $1,603
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $2,076
- 2-bedroom FMR
- -0.6%
- YoY change
- +67%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Hawaii is the 1st cheapest of 5 counties in Hawaii by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #94 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties.
- #94
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #1
- cheapest of 5 in Hawaii (2BR)
- -14%
- vs the state average
- $64,120
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Registered Nurses spend the smallest share of income on rent here (14.1%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (62.3%); only 6 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 Hawaii County, HI. Verify with HUD →
The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Hawaii County, Hawaii is $1,603 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $2,076/mo and a studio is $1,592/mo. This is 67% higher than the national average of $959 and 14% below the Hawaii average of $1,859.
Rent decreased0.6% from FY 2025 ($1,612), roughly tracking inflation. Clearing the 30% rule here takes $64,120/year, a high bar relative to most US counties.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Hawaii. Population: 202,163. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+3.0%, Census ACS). That's in line with Hawaii's statewide growth of +1.7% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Hawaii 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, Hawaii County's 2-bedroom of $2,076 ranks #94 most expensive of 3,145 US counties, in the highest-rent tenth of HUD counties.
Hawaii County sits in the expensive tier: 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent is 67% above the US average of $959, and 14% below the Hawaii average of $1,859. Voucher payment standards and renter budgets both feel that premium. From FY 2025 to FY 2026 the 1-bedroom schedule moved $1,612 → $1,603 (-0.6%), roughly holding the premium in place.
At $1,603/mo for a 1-bedroom, the 30% rule wants $64,120/year: still within reach of the county median income of $77,215, though a 2-bedroom at $2,076 raises the bar.
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,575 | $1,592 | +$17 (+1.1%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $1,612 | $1,603 | $-9 (-0.6%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $2,075 | $2,076 | +$1 (+0.0%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $2,703 | $2,622 | $-81 (-3.0%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $3,023 | $3,024 | +$1 (+0.0%) |
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 Hawaii 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 Hawaii sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$2,076 Top 3% higher than 97% 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 Hawaii compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Hawaii counties
- Honolulu
Honolulu County
$2,016 1BR FMR / mo
- Maui
Maui County
$2,000 1BR FMR / mo
- Kalawao
Kalawao County
$1,899 1BR FMR / mo
- Kauai
Kauai County
$1,777 1BR FMR / mo
- Hawaii
Hawaii County
$1,603 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Hawaii is highlighted. Nearby Hawaii counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Honolulu County ($2,016), Maui County ($2,000), Kalawao County ($1,899), Kauai County ($1,777), Hawaii County (this county) ($1,603).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
Against a high local FMR of $1,603/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using Hawaii BLS wages?
| Occupation | HI Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | $136,320 | 14.1% | Affordable |
| Software Developers | $119,880 | 16% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $105,160 | 18.3% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $89,390 | 21.5% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $83,200 | 23.1% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $67,820 | 28.4% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $60,890 | 31.6% | Stretched |
| Elementary School Teachers | $60,420 | 31.8% | Stretched |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $59,320 | 32.4% | Stretched |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $45,380 | 42.4% | Stretched |
| Customer Service Representatives | $40,630 | 47.3% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $37,120 | 51.8% | Unaffordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $36,050 | 53.4% | Unaffordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $35,420 | 54.3% | Unaffordable |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $30,860 | 62.3% | Unaffordable |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Hawaii County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Hawaii (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 47.7% overall, from $1,085 to $1,603. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 24.5% (FY 2023), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↓0.6% | $1,592 | $1,603 | $2,076 |
| FY 2025 ↑4.1% | $1,575 | $1,612 | $2,075 |
| FY 2024 ↑6.8% | $1,458 | $1,548 | $2,010 |
| FY 2023 ↑24.5% | $1,281 | $1,449 | $1,901 |
| FY 2022 ↑4.4% | $1,017 | $1,164 | $1,531 |
| FY 2021 ↑2.8% | $969 | $1,115 | $1,469 |
| FY 2020 | $931 | $1,085 | $1,429 |
Part of the Hilo-Kailua, HI Micro Area
Hawaii County is a central county of the Hilo-Kailua, HI micropolitan statistical area.
Nearby Counties in Hawaii
Largest counties by population in Hawaii
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Hawaii County? ▼
How does Hawaii County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Where does Hawaii County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Hawaii County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Hawaii County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Hawaii County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Hawaii County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Hawaii County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Hawaii County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Hawaii'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 $1,603 implies about $64,120/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 Hawaii 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.