County FMR · HUD FY2026
Howard County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Howard County, NE - 5% below the US average.
- $910
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,049
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +10.6%
- YoY change
- -5%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Howard is the 15th most expensive of 93 counties in Nebraska by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,478 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 10.6% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.
- #1,478
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #15
- most expensive of 93 in Nebraska (2BR)
- +15%
- vs the state average
- $36,400
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (9.4%), while Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary spend the most (39.2%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Howard County, NE. Verify with HUD →
Howard County, Nebraska carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $910 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,049/mo and a studio is $752/mo. That's 5% below the national benchmark of $959 and 15% above the Nebraska average of $791.
Rent increased10.6% from FY 2025 ($823), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $36,400/year for a 1-bedroom.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Nebraska. Population: 6,476. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+1.4%, Census ACS). That's slower than Nebraska's statewide growth of +3.2% 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 $1,049 ranks #1,478 most expensive of 3,145 US counties, in the middle half of HUD counties.
Howard County's 1-bedroom FMR tracks close to the national mid-point (5% below the US average of $959), while sitting 15% above the Nebraska average of $791. The 1-bedroom FMR went from$823 in FY 2025 to $910 in FY 2026, a change of +10.6%, which outpaces typical consumer inflation.
At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $910, the 30% rule points to $36,400/year (about $3,033/month) versus this county's median household income of $74,508. A 2-bedroom at $1,049 pushes the threshold higher.
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $685 | $752 | +$67 (+9.8%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $823 | $910 | +$87 (+10.6%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $999 | $1,049 | +$50 (+5.0%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,204 | $1,258 | +$54 (+4.5%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,324 | $1,389 | +$65 (+4.9%) |
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
$1,049 higher than 53% 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 Nebraska counties
- Douglas
Douglas County
$1,148 1BR FMR / mo
- Sarpy
Sarpy County
$1,148 1BR FMR / mo
- Hall
Hall County
$978 1BR FMR / mo
- Lancaster
Lancaster County
$926 1BR FMR / mo
- Howard
Howard County
$910 1BR FMR / mo
- Buffalo
Buffalo County
$863 1BR FMR / mo
- Dodge
Dodge County
$861 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Howard is highlighted. Nearby Nebraska counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Douglas County ($1,148), Sarpy County ($1,148), Hall County ($978), Lancaster County ($926), Howard County (this county) ($910), Buffalo County ($863), Dodge County ($861).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $910/mo compares to Nebraska salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | NE Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $116,420 | 9.4% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $82,570 | 13.2% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $81,020 | 13.5% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $72,160 | 15.1% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $69,980 | 15.6% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $61,700 | 17.7% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $61,410 | 17.8% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $60,020 | 18.2% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $57,940 | 18.8% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $41,400 | 26.4% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $40,790 | 26.8% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $35,820 | 30.5% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $30,350 | 36% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $29,420 | 37.1% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $27,840 | 39.2% | 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 71.7% overall, from $530 to $910. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +23.9% in FY 2025, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑10.6% | $752 | $910 | $1,049 |
| FY 2025 ↑23.9% | $685 | $823 | $999 |
| FY 2024 ↑5.7% | $609 | $664 | $872 |
| FY 2023 ↑9.2% | $576 | $628 | $826 |
| FY 2022 ↑3.2% | $552 | $575 | $757 |
| FY 2021 ↑5.1% | $530 | $557 | $734 |
| FY 2020 | $498 | $530 | $698 |
Part of the Grand Island, NE Metro Area
Howard County is a outlying county of the Grand Island, NE metropolitan statistical area, alongside 2 other metro-area counties.
Howard County ranks #2 of 3 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Hall County ($978), Howard County (this county) ($910), Merrick County ($732).
Nearby Counties in Nebraska
Largest counties by population in Nebraska
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 $910 implies about $36,400/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.