County FMR · HUD FY2026
Howard County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Howard County, IA - 13% below the US average.
- $838
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $919
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +5.8%
- YoY change
- -13%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Howard is the 24th cheapest of 99 counties in Iowa by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #504 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 5.8% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.
- #504
- most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #24
- cheapest of 99 in Iowa (2BR)
- +6%
- vs the state average
- $33,520
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (9.2%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (35.4%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Howard County, IA. Verify with HUD →
Howard County, Iowa carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $838 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $919/mo and a studio is $682/mo. That's 13% below the national benchmark of $959 and 6% above the Iowa average of $788.
Rent increased5.8% from FY 2025 ($792), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $33,520/year for a 1-bedroom.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Iowa. Population: 9,479. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+2.1%, Census ACS). That's in line with Iowa's statewide growth of +2.0% 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 $919 ranks #504 most affordable of 3,145 US counties, in the lower-rent quarter of HUD counties.
Howard County's 1-bedroom FMR tracks close to the national mid-point (13% below the US average of $959), while sitting 6% above the Iowa average of $788. The 1-bedroom FMR went from$792 in FY 2025 to $838 in FY 2026, a change of +5.8%, which outpaces typical consumer inflation.
At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $838, the 30% rule points to $33,520/year (about $2,793/month) versus this county's median household income of $67,336. A 2-bedroom at $919 pushes the threshold higher.
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $646 | $682 | +$36 (+5.6%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $792 | $838 | +$46 (+5.8%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $877 | $919 | +$42 (+4.8%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,229 | $1,278 | +$49 (+4.0%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,382 | $1,476 | +$94 (+6.8%) |
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
$919 higher than 16% 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 Iowa counties
- Polk
Polk County
$1,109 1BR FMR / mo
- Johnson
Johnson County
$961 1BR FMR / mo
- Scott
Scott County
$928 1BR FMR / mo
- Woodbury
Woodbury County
$925 1BR FMR / mo
- Howard
Howard County
$838 1BR FMR / mo
- Linn
Linn County
$816 1BR FMR / mo
- Black Hawk
Black Hawk County
$801 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Howard is highlighted. Nearby Iowa counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Polk County ($1,109), Johnson County ($961), Scott County ($928), Woodbury County ($925), Howard County (this county) ($838), Linn County ($816), Black Hawk County ($801).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $838/mo compares to Iowa salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | IA Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $109,850 | 9.2% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $80,620 | 12.5% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $76,960 | 13.1% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $74,290 | 13.5% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $73,900 | 13.6% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $62,880 | 16% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $55,540 | 18.1% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $55,080 | 18.3% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $53,280 | 18.9% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $44,990 | 22.4% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $41,380 | 24.3% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $36,130 | 27.8% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $30,030 | 33.5% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $28,500 | 35.3% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $28,400 | 35.4% | 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 38.7% overall, from $604 to $838. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 9.1% (FY 2024).
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑5.8% | $682 | $838 | $919 |
| FY 2025 ↑3.1% | $646 | $792 | $877 |
| FY 2024 ↑9.1% | $630 | $768 | $862 |
| FY 2023 ↑8.5% | $581 | $704 | $795 |
| FY 2022 ↑3.5% | $534 | $649 | $739 |
| FY 2021 ↑3.8% | $519 | $627 | $715 |
| FY 2020 | $497 | $604 | $687 |
Where Howard County Ranks in Iowa
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 #24 of 99 counties in Iowa. Nearest by rank: Emmet County ($919), Fayette County ($919), Floyd County ($919), Franklin County ($919), Fremont County ($919), Greene County ($919), Hancock County ($919), Hardin County ($919), Howard County (this county) ($919), Humboldt County ($919), Ida County ($919), Iowa County ($919), Jackson County ($919), Jones County ($919), Keokuk County ($919), Kossuth County ($919), Louisa County ($919).
Nearby Counties in Iowa
Largest counties by population in Iowa
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 $838 implies about $33,520/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.