County FMR · HUD FY2026
Hot Springs County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Hot Springs County, WY - 23% below the US average.
- $734
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $963
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +3.2%
- YoY change
- -23%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Hot Springs is the 6th cheapest of 23 counties in Wyoming by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #944 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties.
- #944
- most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #6
- cheapest of 23 in Wyoming (2BR)
- -11%
- vs the state average
- $29,360
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (7.8%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (31.2%); 14 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 Hot Springs County, WY. Verify with HUD →
Hot Springs County, Wyoming carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $734 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $963/mo and a studio is $729/mo. That's 23% below the national benchmark of $959 and 11% below the Wyoming average of $824.
Rent increased3.2% from FY 2025 ($711), outpacing inflation. The 30% affordability floor is comparatively reachable here at $29,360/year.
Observed renter burden: 29.3% of the 569 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 17.8%, a loose rental market that typically gives renters more negotiating leverage than the FMR schedule alone implies.
Local labor market: The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 3.3% over the past 12 months, a tight labor market that typically supports steadier rent demand.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Wyoming. Population: 4,616. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-1.3%, Census ACS). That's in line with Wyoming's statewide growth of -0.4% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area HOT·SPRINGS·COUNTY·WY·WY
Hot Springs County, WY: $734/mo 1BR · #944 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA WY
- 1BR-FMR $734
- 2BR-FMR $963
- RANK-MID #944
- YOY-UP +3.2%
- VSUS-BELOW -23%
- VS-ST-LOW -11% WY
- INC-ROOM 14%
- POP-SMALL 5K
- PHOTO-NEAR Laramie County
- VOUCH-90-110 $661–$807
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Laramie ($183 1BR gap)
Read with: Section 8 housing guide
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $707 | $729 | +$22 (+3.1%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $711 | $734 | +$23 (+3.2%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $933 | $963 | +$30 (+3.2%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,307 | $1,339 | +$32 (+2.4%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,520 | $1,577 | +$57 (+3.8%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Hot Springs 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 Hot Springs sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$963 higher than 30% 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 Hot Springs compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Wyoming counties
- Laramie
Laramie County
$917 1BR FMR / mo
- Campbell
Campbell County
$896 1BR FMR / mo
- Sweetwater
Sweetwater County
$854 1BR FMR / mo
- Natrona
Natrona County
$852 1BR FMR / mo
- Albany
Albany County
$786 1BR FMR / mo
- Fremont
Fremont County
$753 1BR FMR / mo
- Hot Springs
Hot Springs County
$734 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Hot Springs is highlighted. Nearby Wyoming counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Laramie County ($917), Campbell County ($896), Sweetwater County ($854), Natrona County ($852), Albany County ($786), Fremont County ($753), Hot Springs County (this county) ($734).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
With a below-average 1-bedroom at $734/mo, most of these Wyoming occupations clear, or miss, the 30% affordability line.
| Occupation | WY Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $112,590 | 7.8% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $94,900 | 9.3% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $81,790 | 10.8% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $77,400 | 11.4% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $73,450 | 12% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $65,180 | 13.5% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $61,560 | 14.3% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $60,270 | 14.6% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $49,980 | 17.6% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $46,490 | 18.9% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $39,360 | 22.4% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $35,580 | 24.8% | Affordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $34,410 | 25.6% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $31,450 | 28% | Affordable |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $28,200 | 31.2% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Hot Springs County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Hot Springs (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 18.4% overall, from $620 to $734. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 7.7% (FY 2024).
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑3.2% | $729 | $734 | $963 |
| FY 2025 ↑3.2% | $707 | $711 | $933 |
| FY 2024 ↑7.7% | $684 | $689 | $905 |
| FY 2023 ↑4.2% | $636 | $640 | $843 |
| FY 2022 ↑1.2% | $610 | $614 | $808 |
| FY 2021 ↓2.1% | $603 | $607 | $800 |
| FY 2020 | $511 | $620 | $785 |
Where Hot Springs County Ranks in Wyoming
Hot Springs 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 #6 of 23 counties in Wyoming. Nearest by rank: Albany County ($963), Big Horn County ($963), Crook County ($963), Fremont County ($963), Goshen County ($963), Hot Springs County (this county) ($963), Lincoln County ($963), Park County ($963), Platte County ($963), Uinta County ($963), Washakie County ($963).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Hot Springs County, both outside Wyoming 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 WY (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside WY).
Nearby Counties in Wyoming
Largest counties by population in Wyoming
Showing the 8 largest of 22 other counties in Wyoming.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Hot Springs County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Hot Springs County is $734 per month. A 2-bedroom is $963 and a studio is $729.
How does Hot Springs County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Hot Springs County is 23% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $734 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Hot Springs County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Hot Springs County's 2-bedroom FMR of $963 ranks #944 most affordable among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the middle half of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Hot Springs County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $29,360 ($2,447/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Hot Springs County.
Is rent going up or down in Hot Springs County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Hot Springs County increased by 3.2% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $711 to $734.
Which jobs can afford rent in Hot Springs County?
Based on Wyoming BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $734/mo. 14 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Hot Springs County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Hot Springs County went from $620 in FY 2020 to $734 in FY 2026, a total change of +18.4% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Hot Springs County?
In Hot Springs County, the FY 2026 FMR of $734/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 Hot Springs County?
For Hot Springs County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($734/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Hot Springs County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 17.8%, a loose rental market that typically gives renters more negotiating leverage than the FMR schedule alone implies.
What is the unemployment rate in Hot Springs County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 3.3% over the past 12 months, a tight labor market that typically supports steadier rent demand.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Hot Springs'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 $734 implies about $29,360/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Wyoming counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Laramie
- See where Hot Springs 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.