County FMR · HUD FY2026
Hidalgo County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Hidalgo County, NM - 17% below the US average.
- $798
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $973
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +4.5%
- YoY change
- -17%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Hidalgo is the 4th cheapest of 33 counties in New Mexico by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #976 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties.
- #976
- most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #4
- cheapest of 33 in New Mexico (2BR)
- -14%
- vs the state average
- $31,920
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (7.9%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (33.4%); nearby New Mexico counties range as much as 57% apart in 1-bedroom FMR, so the county line itself can matter for renters comparing options.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Hidalgo County, NM. Verify with HUD →
The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Hidalgo County, New Mexico is $798 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $973/mo and a studio is $723/mo. This is 17% lower than the national average of $959 and 14% below the New Mexico average of $927.
Rent increased4.5% from FY 2025 ($764), outpacing inflation. The 30% affordability floor is comparatively reachable here at $31,920/year.
Observed renter burden: 50.8% of the 370 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 New Mexico. Population: 4,160. Population declined 6.3% 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 New Mexico's statewide growth of +1.1% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area HIDALGO·COUNTY·NM·NM
Hidalgo County, NM: $798/mo 1BR · #976 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA NM
- 1BR-FMR $798
- 2BR-FMR $973
- RANK-MID #976
- YOY-UP +4.5%
- VSUS-BELOW -17%
- VS-ST-LOW -14% NM
- INC-ROOM 20%
- POP-SMALL 4K
- PHOTO-NEAR Bernalillo County
- VOUCH-90-110 $718–$878
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Bernalillo ($387 1BR gap)
Read with: Section 8 housing guide
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $678 | $723 | +$45 (+6.6%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $764 | $798 | +$34 (+4.5%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $933 | $973 | +$40 (+4.3%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,307 | $1,353 | +$46 (+3.5%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,549 | $1,569 | +$20 (+1.3%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Hidalgo 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 Hidalgo sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$973 higher than 31% 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 Hidalgo compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other New Mexico counties
- Santa Fe
Santa Fe County
$1,390 1BR FMR / mo
- Bernalillo
Bernalillo County
$1,185 1BR FMR / mo
- Sandoval
Sandoval County
$1,185 1BR FMR / mo
- Valencia
Valencia County
$1,185 1BR FMR / mo
- Dona Ana
Dona Ana County
$951 1BR FMR / mo
- San Juan
San Juan County
$885 1BR FMR / mo
- Hidalgo
Hidalgo County
$798 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Hidalgo is highlighted. Nearby New Mexico counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Santa Fe County ($1,390), Bernalillo County ($1,185), Sandoval County ($1,185), Valencia County ($1,185), Dona Ana County ($951), San Juan County ($885), Hidalgo County (this county) ($798).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
With a below-average 1-bedroom at $798/mo, most of these New Mexico occupations clear, or miss, the 30% affordability line.
| Occupation | NM Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $120,820 | 7.9% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $100,200 | 9.6% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $88,260 | 10.8% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $77,420 | 12.4% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $65,510 | 14.6% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $63,340 | 15.1% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $56,890 | 16.8% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $56,620 | 16.9% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $48,360 | 19.8% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $44,970 | 21.3% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $38,060 | 25.2% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $33,640 | 28.5% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $31,360 | 30.5% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $30,350 | 31.6% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $28,650 | 33.4% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Hidalgo County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Hidalgo (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 27.3% overall, from $627 to $798. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 11.0% (FY 2024).
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑4.5% | $723 | $798 | $973 |
| FY 2025 ↑8.1% | $678 | $764 | $933 |
| FY 2024 ↑11.0% | $627 | $707 | $877 |
| FY 2023 ↑10.0% | $582 | $637 | $795 |
| FY 2022 ↑0.5% | $550 | $579 | $726 |
| FY 2021 ↓8.1% | $574 | $576 | $734 |
| FY 2020 | $573 | $627 | $714 |
Where Hidalgo County Ranks in New Mexico
Hidalgo 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 #4 of 33 counties in New Mexico. Nearest by rank: Colfax County ($973), De Baca County ($973), Guadalupe County ($973), Hidalgo County (this county) ($973), Luna County ($973), Mora County ($973), Otero County ($973), Quay County ($973), Rio Arriba County ($973), Socorro County ($973).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Hidalgo County, both outside New Mexico 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 NM (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside NM).
Nearby Counties in New Mexico
Largest counties by population in New Mexico
Showing the 8 largest of 32 other counties in New Mexico.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Hidalgo County? ▼
How does Hidalgo County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Where does Hidalgo County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Hidalgo County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Hidalgo County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Hidalgo County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Hidalgo County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Hidalgo County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Hidalgo County? ▼
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.