County FMR · HUD FY2026

Haywood County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Haywood County, NC - 17% above the US average.

$1,122
1-bedroom FMR
$1,230
2-bedroom FMR
+1.5%
YoY change
+17%
vs US avg

The verdict

Haywood is the 31st most expensive of 100 counties in North Carolina by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #912 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties.

#912
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#31
most expensive of 100 in North Carolina (2BR)
+14%
vs the state average
$44,880
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (10.3%), while Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary spend the most (47.7%).

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Haywood County, NC. Verify with HUD →

Haywood County, North Carolina carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,122 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,230/mo and a studio is $1,039/mo. That's 17% above the national benchmark of $959 and 14% above the North Carolina average of $981.

Rent increased1.5% from FY 2025 ($1,105), roughly tracking inflation. A household needs about $44,880/year to stay under the 30% rent-to-income line.

Observed renter burden: 40.3% of the 6,689 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 North Carolina. Population: 62,152. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+3.3%, Census ACS). That's in line with North Carolina's statewide growth of +4.2% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area HAYWOOD·COUNTY·NC·NC

Haywood County, NC: $1,122/mo 1BR · #912 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA NC
  • 1BR-FMR $1,122
  • 2BR-FMR $1,230
  • RANK-MID #912
  • YOY-FLAT +1.5%
  • VSUS-ABOVE +17%
  • VS-ST-HIGH +14% NC
  • INC-MID 22%
  • POP-MID 62K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Wake County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $1,010–$1,234
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Wake ($474 1BR gap)

Read with: Understanding rent burden

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $932 · US avg: $893
$1,039/mo
↑ 5.3% YoY +11% vs state +16% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $981 · US avg: $959
$1,122/mo
↑ 1.5% YoY +14% vs state +17% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,161 · US avg: $1,175
$1,230/mo
↑ 0.6% YoY +6% vs state +5% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,499 · US avg: $1,525
$1,475/mo
↑ 0.1% YoY -2% vs state -3% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,780 · US avg: $1,756
$1,844/mo
↑ 6.2% YoY +4% vs state +5% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $987
$1,039
+$52 (+5.3%)
1 Bedroom $1,105
$1,122
+$17 (+1.5%)
2 Bedroom $1,223
$1,230
+$7 (+0.6%)
3 Bedroom $1,473
$1,475
+$2 (+0.1%)
4 Bedroom $1,736
$1,844
+$108 (+6.2%)

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio
20.4%
Affordable
Need $41,560/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
22.1%
Affordable
Need $44,880/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
24.2%
Affordable
Need $49,200/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
29%
Affordable
Need $59,000/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
36.3%
Burdened
Need $73,760/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%24.2%
Haywood County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $61,001 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View North Carolina rent burden →

Where Haywood sits among every US county

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties

$1,230 Top 29% higher than 71% 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 Haywood compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other North Carolina counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Haywood is highlighted. Nearby North Carolina counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Wake County ($1,596), Mecklenburg County ($1,538), Durham County ($1,507), Guilford County ($1,213), Haywood County (this county) ($1,122), Cumberland County ($1,113), Forsyth County ($1,082).

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

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

Against a high local FMR of $1,122/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using North Carolina BLS wages?

Occupation NC Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $131,000 10.3% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $99,190 13.6% Affordable
Registered Nurses $81,860 16.4% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $80,490 16.7% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $58,030 23.2% Affordable
Electricians $54,070 24.9% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $49,580 27.2% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $49,400 27.3% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $49,390 27.3% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $39,870 33.8% Stretched
Customer Service Representatives $39,530 34.1% Stretched
Janitors & Cleaners $32,630 41.3% Stretched
Retail Salespersons $30,090 44.7% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $28,760 46.8% Stretched
Teaching Assistants $28,230 47.7% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (North Carolina) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

7-year Fair Market Rent history for Haywood County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Haywood (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 39.2% overall, from $806 to $1,122. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 23.4% (FY 2024), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.

$700$800$900$1,000$1,100$1,200 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $1,122
Haywood County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑1.5% $1,039 $1,122 $1,230
FY 2025 ↑0.3% $987 $1,105 $1,223
FY 2024 ↑23.4% $1,068 $1,102 $1,237
FY 2023 ↑8.6% $686 $893 $1,009
FY 2022 ↑13.2% $637 $822 $937
FY 2021 ↓9.9% $587 $726 $827
FY 2020 $652 $806 $918
Total change (6yr): +39.2%
Annualized: +5.7%/yr
1 BR: $806 → $1,122

Part of the Waynesville, NC Micro Area

Haywood County is a central county of the Waynesville, NC micropolitan statistical area.

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Haywood County, both outside North Carolina 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 NC (FY2026).

Toole County
MT · 2 BR $1,230/mo
Jefferson County
OR · 2 BR $1,229/mo
St. Louis County
MN · 2 BR $1,232/mo
Grant County
WA · 2 BR $1,232/mo

Similar rent burden

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

Western Connecticut Planning Region
CT · 24.2% of income · 2 BR $2,511/mo
Kent County
DE · 24.2% of income · 2 BR $1,470/mo
Kusilvak Census Area
AK · 24.2% of income · 2 BR $973/mo
Staunton city
VA · 24.2% of income · 2 BR $1,261/mo

Nearby Counties in North Carolina

Largest counties by population in North Carolina

Showing the 8 largest of 99 other counties in North Carolina.

Wake County
1 BR: $1,596/mo Pop: 1,132,103
Mecklenburg County
1 BR: $1,538/mo Pop: 1,115,403
Guilford County
1 BR: $1,213/mo Pop: 539,557
Forsyth County
1 BR: $1,082/mo Pop: 383,739
Cumberland County
1 BR: $1,113/mo Pop: 335,207
Durham County
1 BR: $1,507/mo Pop: 325,101
Buncombe County
1 BR: $1,429/mo Pop: 269,449
Union County
1 BR: $1,538/mo Pop: 240,109
View all counties in North Carolina →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Haywood County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Haywood County is $1,122 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,230 and a studio is $1,039.
How does Haywood County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Haywood County is 17% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,122 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Haywood County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Haywood County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,230 ranks #912 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 Haywood County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $44,880 ($3,740/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Haywood County.
Is rent going up or down in Haywood County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Haywood County increased by 1.5% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,105 to $1,122.
Which jobs can afford rent in Haywood County? ▼
Based on North Carolina BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $1,122/mo. 9 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Haywood County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Haywood County went from $806 in FY 2020 to $1,122 in FY 2026, a total change of +39.2% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Haywood County? ▼
In Haywood County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,122/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 Haywood County? ▼
For Haywood County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,122/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.