County FMR · HUD FY2026
Houston County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Houston County, GA - 27% above the US average.
- $1,221
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,362
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +3.8%
- YoY change
- +27%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Houston is the 34th most expensive of 159 counties in Georgia by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #629 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties.
- #629
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #34
- most expensive of 159 in Georgia (2BR)
- +19%
- vs the state average
- $48,840
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (11.4%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (55.7%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Houston County, GA. Verify with HUD →
HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Houston County, Georgia at $1,221 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,362/mo and a studio is $1,106/mo. This is 27% higher than the national average of $959 and 19% above the Georgia average of $1,023.
Rent increased3.8% from FY 2025 ($1,176), outpacing inflation. A household needs about $48,840/year to stay under the 30% rent-to-income line.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Georgia. Population: 164,117. Population grew 10.0% over the past five years (Census ACS) - among the faster-growing counties nationally, a trend that typically adds upward pressure on rents. That's faster than Georgia's statewide growth of +5.1% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Houston 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, Houston County's 2-bedroom of $1,362 ranks #629 most expensive of 3,145 US counties, in the upper-rent quarter of HUD counties.
Rents run meaningfully above the national benchmark: 1-bedroom FMR is 27% higher than the US average of $959 (19% above Georgia's $1,023). From FY 2025 to FY 2026 the 1-bedroom schedule moved $1,176 → $1,221 (+3.8%), widening an already-expensive gap versus national norms.
At $1,221/mo for a 1-bedroom, the 30% rule wants $48,840/year: still within reach of the county median income of $80,743, though a 2-bedroom at $1,362 raises the bar.
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,057 | $1,106 | +$49 (+4.6%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $1,176 | $1,221 | +$45 (+3.8%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,302 | $1,362 | +$60 (+4.6%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,742 | $1,821 | +$79 (+4.5%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $2,042 | $2,148 | +$106 (+5.2%) |
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 Houston 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 Houston sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,362 Top 20% higher than 80% 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 Houston compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Georgia counties
- Fulton
Fulton County
$1,660 1BR FMR / mo
- Gwinnett
Gwinnett County
$1,660 1BR FMR / mo
- Cobb
Cobb County
$1,660 1BR FMR / mo
- DeKalb
DeKalb County
$1,660 1BR FMR / mo
- Clayton
Clayton County
$1,660 1BR FMR / mo
- Chatham
Chatham County
$1,533 1BR FMR / mo
- Houston
Houston County
$1,221 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Houston is highlighted. Nearby Georgia counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Fulton County ($1,660), Gwinnett County ($1,660), Cobb County ($1,660), DeKalb County ($1,660), Clayton County ($1,660), Chatham County ($1,533), Houston County (this county) ($1,221).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
Against a high local FMR of $1,221/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using Georgia BLS wages?
| Occupation | GA Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $128,920 | 11.4% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $99,800 | 14.7% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $86,560 | 16.9% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $80,100 | 18.3% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $63,490 | 23.1% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $58,860 | 24.9% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $56,570 | 25.9% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $56,350 | 26% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $55,120 | 26.6% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $39,030 | 37.5% | Stretched |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $38,390 | 38.2% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $33,130 | 44.2% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $29,770 | 49.2% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $27,860 | 52.6% | Unaffordable |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $26,310 | 55.7% | Unaffordable |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Houston County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Houston (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 55.3% overall, from $786 to $1,221. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +15.6% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑3.8% | $1,106 | $1,221 | $1,362 |
| FY 2025 ↑8.9% | $1,057 | $1,176 | $1,302 |
| FY 2024 ↑15.6% | $974 | $1,080 | $1,213 |
| FY 2023 ↑9.2% | $848 | $934 | $1,055 |
| FY 2022 ↑8.8% | $778 | $855 | $974 |
| FY 2021 ↑0.0% | $720 | $786 | $896 |
| FY 2020 | $687 | $786 | $895 |
Part of the Warner Robins, GA Metro Area
Houston County is a central county of the Warner Robins, GA metropolitan statistical area, alongside 1 other metro-area county.
Houston County ranks #1 of 2 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Houston County (this county) ($1,221), Peach County ($1,030).
Nearby Counties in Georgia
Largest counties by population in Georgia
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Houston County? ▼
How does Houston County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Where does Houston County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Houston County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Houston County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Houston County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Houston County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Houston County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Houston County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Houston'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 $1,221 implies about $48,840/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 Houston 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.