County FMR · HUD FY2026
Jefferson County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Jefferson County, IA - 14% below the US average.
- $826
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,084
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +5.0%
- YoY change
- -14%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Jefferson is the 14th most expensive of 99 counties in Iowa by 2-bedroom FMR.
- #14
- most expensive of 99 in Iowa (2BR)
- +5%
- vs the state average
- $33,040
- income to afford it (30% rule)
- +5.0%
- YoY, FY2025→2026
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (9%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (34.9%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Jefferson County, IA. Verify with HUD →
HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Jefferson County, Iowa at $826 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,084/mo and a studio is $821/mo. This is 14% lower than the national average of $959 and 5% above the Iowa average of $788.
Rent increased5.0% from FY 2025 ($787), outpacing inflation. To afford rent here, a household needs at least $33,040/year based on the 30% affordability rule.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Iowa. Population: 15,785. Population declined 13.3% 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 Iowa's statewide growth of +2.0% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Jefferson County
The Jefferson County FMR area applies to all ZIP codes inside the county boundary, and Iowa's housing authorities use it as the baseline for Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. See how FMR is calculated for the full 40th-percentile methodology and payment-standard rules.
Jefferson County's 1-bedroom rent runs 14% below the US average of $959 and 5% higher than the Iowa state average of $788. Over the past year, 1-bedroom rent here shifted from$787 in FY 2025 to $826 in FY 2026 - a change of +5.0%, which outpaces typical consumer inflation.
At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $826, affording it under the 30%-of-income rule takes $33,040 per year (about $2,753/month) in household income, and a 2-bedroom at $1,084 pushes that threshold even higher. With a population of 15,785 and a county median household income of $56,824, the arithmetic here directly shapes which wage earners can rent without being cost-burdened.
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $781 | $821 | +$40 (+5.1%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $787 | $826 | +$39 (+5.0%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,032 | $1,084 | +$52 (+5.0%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,243 | $1,300 | +$57 (+4.6%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,368 | $1,435 | +$67 (+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 Jefferson 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.
Jefferson County 2-bedroom rent burden
Where Jefferson sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,084 higher than 57% 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 Jefferson 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
- Jefferson
Jefferson County
$826 1BR FMR / mo
- Linn
Linn County
$816 1BR FMR / mo
- Black Hawk
Black Hawk County
$801 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Jefferson 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), Jefferson County (this county) ($826), Linn County ($816), Black Hawk County ($801).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $826/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% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $80,620 | 12.3% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $76,960 | 12.9% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $74,290 | 13.3% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $73,900 | 13.4% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $62,880 | 15.8% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $55,540 | 17.8% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $55,080 | 18% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $53,280 | 18.6% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $44,990 | 22% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $41,380 | 24% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $36,130 | 27.4% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $30,030 | 33% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $28,500 | 34.8% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $28,400 | 34.9% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Jefferson County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Jefferson (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 46.5% overall, from $564 to $826. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +14.3% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑5.0% | $821 | $826 | $1,084 |
| FY 2025 ↑5.9% | $781 | $787 | $1,032 |
| FY 2024 ↑14.3% | $738 | $743 | $976 |
| FY 2023 ↑9.8% | $646 | $650 | $856 |
| FY 2022 ↑3.7% | $563 | $592 | $779 |
| FY 2021 ↑1.2% | $546 | $571 | $752 |
| FY 2020 | $484 | $564 | $743 |
Where Jefferson County Ranks in Iowa
Jefferson 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 #86 of 99 counties in Iowa. Nearest by rank: Davis County ($1,043), Black Hawk County ($1,051), Grundy County ($1,051), Des Moines County ($1,063), Wapello County ($1,068), Linn County ($1,071), Muscatine County ($1,071), Dubuque County ($1,077), Jefferson County (this county) ($1,084), Dickinson County ($1,091), Johnson County ($1,141), Scott County ($1,143), Story County ($1,153), Woodbury County ($1,154), Dallas County ($1,318), Guthrie County ($1,318), Madison County ($1,318).
Nearby Counties in Iowa
Largest counties by population in Iowa
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Jefferson County? ▼
How does Jefferson County rent compare to the national average? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Jefferson County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Jefferson County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Jefferson County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Jefferson County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Jefferson County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Jefferson County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Jefferson'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 $826 implies about $33,040/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 Jefferson 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.