County FMR · HUD FY2026
Howard County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Howard County, AR - 30% below the US average.
- $673
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $883
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +1.5%
- YoY change
- -30%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Howard is the 35th most expensive of 75 counties in Arkansas by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #315 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties.
- #315
- most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #35
- most expensive of 75 in Arkansas (2BR)
- -10%
- vs the state average
- $26,920
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (8.3%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (30.2%); 14 of 15 common occupations here can afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding the 30% threshold; nearby Arkansas counties range as much as 56% apart in 1-bedroom FMR, so the county line itself can matter for renters comparing options.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Howard County, AR. Verify with HUD →
Howard County, Arkansas carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $673 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $883/mo and a studio is $632/mo. That's 30% below the national benchmark of $959 and 10% below the Arkansas average of $751.
Rent increased1.5% from FY 2025 ($663), roughly tracking inflation. The 30% affordability floor is comparatively reachable here at $26,920/year.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Arkansas. Population: 12,779. Population declined 5.1% 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 Arkansas's statewide growth of +1.4% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Howard 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, Howard County's 2-bedroom of $883 ranks #315 most affordable of 3,145 US counties, in the lowest-rent tenth of HUD counties.
This is a below-average rent market: 1-bedroom FMR is 30% under the US average of $959 and 10% below Arkansas's $751. HUD's 1-bedroom figure shifted from $663 (FY 2025) to $673 (FY 2026), a +1.5% move that keeps the below-average posture intact.
A 1-bedroom at $673 needs $26,920/year under the 30% rule against a county median of $44,492, and the median household clears that line with room to spare. A 2-bedroom at $883 is the next step up.
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $634 | $632 | $-2 (-0.3%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $663 | $673 | +$10 (+1.5%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $870 | $883 | +$13 (+1.5%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,048 | $1,059 | +$11 (+1.0%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,204 | $1,272 | +$68 (+5.6%) |
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 Howard 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 Howard sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$883 higher than 10% 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 Howard compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Arkansas counties
- Benton
Benton County
$1,115 1BR FMR / mo
- Washington
Washington County
$1,115 1BR FMR / mo
- Pulaski
Pulaski County
$989 1BR FMR / mo
- Faulkner
Faulkner County
$989 1BR FMR / mo
- Saline
Saline County
$989 1BR FMR / mo
- Sebastian
Sebastian County
$714 1BR FMR / mo
- Howard
Howard County
$673 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Howard is highlighted. Nearby Arkansas counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Benton County ($1,115), Washington County ($1,115), Pulaski County ($989), Faulkner County ($989), Saline County ($989), Sebastian County ($714), Howard County (this county) ($673).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
With a below-average 1-bedroom at $673/mo, most of these Arkansas occupations clear, or miss, the 30% affordability line.
| Occupation | AR Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $96,820 | 8.3% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $77,130 | 10.5% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $64,260 | 12.6% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $64,180 | 12.6% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $50,550 | 16% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $49,420 | 16.3% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $49,520 | 16.3% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $48,090 | 16.8% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $46,940 | 17.2% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $37,490 | 21.5% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $37,380 | 21.6% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $29,540 | 27.3% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $29,420 | 27.5% | Affordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $29,270 | 27.6% | Affordable |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $26,740 | 30.2% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Howard County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Howard (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 34.6% overall, from $500 to $673. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 11.2% (FY 2024).
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑1.5% | $632 | $673 | $883 |
| FY 2025 ↑5.9% | $634 | $663 | $870 |
| FY 2024 ↑11.2% | $610 | $626 | $823 |
| FY 2023 ↑5.0% | $489 | $563 | $720 |
| FY 2022 ↓2.4% | $456 | $536 | $649 |
| FY 2021 ↑9.8% | $474 | $549 | $654 |
| FY 2020 | $464 | $500 | $630 |
Where Howard County Ranks in Arkansas
Howard 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 #41 of 75 counties in Arkansas. Nearest by rank: Scott County ($880), Searcy County ($880), Sevier County ($880), Sharp County ($880), Van Buren County ($880), White County ($880), Woodruff County ($880), Yell County ($880), Howard County (this county) ($883), Johnson County ($884), Independence County ($891), Polk County ($897), Columbia County ($903), Greene County ($905), Hempstead County ($908), Marion County ($908), Stone County ($909).
Nearby Counties in Arkansas
Largest counties by population in Arkansas
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Howard County? ▼
How does Howard County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Where does Howard County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Howard County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Howard County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Howard County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Howard County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Howard County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Howard County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Howard'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 $673 implies about $26,920/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 Howard 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.