County FMR · HUD FY2026
Highlands County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Highlands County, FL - 5% above the US average.
- $1,006
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,271
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +5.8%
- YoY change
- +5%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Highlands is the 23rd cheapest of 67 counties in Florida by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #818 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 5.8% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.
- #818
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #23
- cheapest of 67 in Florida (2BR)
- -22%
- vs the state average
- $40,240
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (9.5%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (43.1%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Highlands County, FL. Verify with HUD →
Highlands County, Florida carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,006 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,271/mo and a studio is $876/mo. That's 5% above the national benchmark of $959 and 22% below the Florida average of $1,296.
Rent increased5.8% from FY 2025 ($951), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $40,240/year for a 1-bedroom.
Observed renter burden: 47.0% of the 9,686 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 3.8%, 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 6.5% over the past 12 months, well above the national norm, a headwind for household budgets that can also soften local rent growth.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Florida. Population: 102,339. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+1.7%, Census ACS). That's slower than Florida's statewide growth of +6.5% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area HIGHLANDS·COUNTY·FL·FL
Highlands County, FL: $1,006/mo 1BR · #818 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA FL
- 1BR-FMR $1,006
- 2BR-FMR $1,271
- RANK-MID #818
- YOY-SURGE +5.8%
- VSUS-NEAR +5%
- VS-ST-LOW -22% FL
- INC-MID 22%
- POP-MID 102K
- PHOTO-NEAR Miami-Dade County
- VOUCH-90-110 $905–$1,107
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Miami-Dade ($989 1BR gap)
Read with: How Fair Market Rent works
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $850 | $876 | +$26 (+3.1%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $951 | $1,006 | +$55 (+5.8%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,240 | $1,271 | +$31 (+2.5%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,525 | $1,538 | +$13 (+0.9%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,987 | $2,017 | +$30 (+1.5%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Highlands 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 Highlands sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,271 Top 26% higher than 74% 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 Highlands compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Florida counties
- Miami-Dade
Miami-Dade County
$1,995 1BR FMR / mo
- Palm Beach
Palm Beach County
$1,901 1BR FMR / mo
- Broward
Broward County
$1,900 1BR FMR / mo
- Orange
Orange County
$1,731 1BR FMR / mo
- Hillsborough
Hillsborough County
$1,696 1BR FMR / mo
- Duval
Duval County
$1,382 1BR FMR / mo
- Highlands
Highlands County
$1,006 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Highlands is highlighted. Nearby Florida counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Miami-Dade County ($1,995), Palm Beach County ($1,901), Broward County ($1,900), Orange County ($1,731), Hillsborough County ($1,696), Duval County ($1,382), Highlands County (this county) ($1,006).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $1,006/mo compares to Florida salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | FL Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $126,550 | 9.5% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $100,750 | 12% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $82,850 | 14.6% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $78,470 | 15.4% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $76,190 | 15.8% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $60,280 | 20% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $55,550 | 21.7% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $53,100 | 22.7% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $50,000 | 24.1% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $39,640 | 30.5% | Stretched |
| Customer Service Representatives | $38,890 | 31% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $31,950 | 37.8% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $31,540 | 38.3% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $30,230 | 39.9% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $27,990 | 43.1% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Highlands County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Highlands (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 56.5% overall, from $643 to $1,006. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +12.3% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑5.8% | $876 | $1,006 | $1,271 |
| FY 2025 ↑11.9% | $850 | $951 | $1,240 |
| FY 2024 ↑12.3% | $757 | $850 | $1,117 |
| FY 2023 ↑6.8% | $707 | $757 | $997 |
| FY 2022 ↑7.3% | $642 | $709 | $933 |
| FY 2021 ↑2.8% | $575 | $661 | $871 |
| FY 2020 | $552 | $643 | $847 |
Part of the Sebring, FL Metro Area
Highlands County is a central county of the Sebring, FL metropolitan statistical area.
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Highlands County, both outside Florida 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 FL (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside FL).
Nearby Counties in Florida
Largest counties by population in Florida
Showing the 8 largest of 66 other counties in Florida.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Highlands County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Highlands County is $1,006 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,271 and a studio is $876.
How does Highlands County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Highlands County is 5% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,006 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Highlands County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Highlands County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,271 ranks #818 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 Highlands County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $40,240 ($3,353/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Highlands County.
Is rent going up or down in Highlands County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Highlands County increased by 5.8% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $951 to $1,006.
Which jobs can afford rent in Highlands County?
Based on Florida BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $1,006/mo. 9 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Highlands County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Highlands County went from $643 in FY 2020 to $1,006 in FY 2026, a total change of +56.5% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Highlands County?
In Highlands County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,006/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 Highlands County?
For Highlands County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,006/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Highlands County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 3.8%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
What is the unemployment rate in Highlands County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 6.5% over the past 12 months, well above the national norm, a headwind for household budgets that can also soften local rent growth.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Highlands'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 $1,006 implies about $40,240/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Florida counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Miami-Dade
- See where Highlands 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.