County FMR · HUD FY2026

Jim Wells County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Jim Wells County, TX - 23% below the US average.

$742
1-bedroom FMR
$973
2-bedroom FMR
-3.8%
YoY change
-23%
vs US avg

The verdict

Jim Wells is the 37th cheapest of 254 counties in Texas by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #976 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties.

#976
most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#37
cheapest of 254 in Texas (2BR)
-21%
vs the state average
$29,680
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (6.8%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (33%); 13 of 15 common occupations here can afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding the 30% threshold.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Jim Wells County, TX. Verify with HUD →

The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Jim Wells County, Texas is $742 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $973/mo and a studio is $737/mo. This is 23% lower than the national average of $959 and 21% below the Texas average of $935.

Rent decreased3.8% from FY 2025 ($771), declining against the trend. The 30% affordability floor is comparatively reachable here at $29,680/year.

Observed renter burden: 49.2% of the 4,327 renter households counted by ACS paid at least 30% of income in gross rent. This ACS 2023 household measure is distinct from HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent benchmark above.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Texas. Population: 39,060. Population declined 5.7% 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 Texas's statewide growth of +6.3% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area JIM·WELLS·COUNTY·TX·TX

Jim Wells County, TX: $742/mo 1BR · #976 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA TX
  • 1BR-FMR $742
  • 2BR-FMR $973
  • RANK-MID #976
  • YOY-DOWN -3.8%
  • VSUS-BELOW -23%
  • VS-ST-LOW -21% TX
  • INC-ROOM 19%
  • POP-SMALL 39K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Harris County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $668–$816
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Harris ($581 1BR gap)

Read with: Section 8 housing guide

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $887 · US avg: $893
$737/mo
↓ 3.8% YoY -17% vs state -17% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $935 · US avg: $959
$742/mo
↓ 3.8% YoY -21% vs state -23% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,149 · US avg: $1,175
$973/mo
↑ 4.3% YoY -15% vs state -17% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,497 · US avg: $1,525
$1,289/mo
↓ 1.4% YoY -14% vs state -15% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,733 · US avg: $1,756
$1,432/mo
↓ 8.6% YoY -17% vs state -18% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $766
$737
$-29 (-3.8%)
1 Bedroom $771
$742
$-29 (-3.8%)
2 Bedroom $933
$973
+$40 (+4.3%)
3 Bedroom $1,307
$1,289
$-18 (-1.4%)
4 Bedroom $1,567
$1,432
$-135 (-8.6%)

Rent Burden Analysis

How much of household income goes to rent in Jim Wells County. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.

Studio
18.6%
Affordable
Need $29,480/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
18.7%
Affordable
Need $29,680/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
24.6%
Affordable
Need $38,920/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
32.6%
Burdened
Need $51,560/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
36.2%
Burdened
Need $57,280/yr for 30% rule
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.

0%100%National avg22%24.6%
Jim Wells County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $47,492 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Texas rent burden →

Where Jim Wells sits among every US county

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties

$973 higher than 31% of 3,145 counties

$600–$800: 23 counties (1%). Below this entry. $800–$1,000: 1,406 counties (45%). This entry sits in this band. $1,000–$1,200: 723 counties (23%). Above this entry. $1,200–$1,400: 417 counties (13%). Above this entry. $1,400–$1,600: 181 counties (6%). Above this entry. $1,600–$1,800: 172 counties (5%). Above this entry. $1,800–$2,000: 108 counties (3%). Above this entry. $2,000–$2,200: 29 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,200–$2,400: 40 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,400–$2,600: 13 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,600–$2,800: 9 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,800–$3,000: 15 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,000–$3,200: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,200–$3,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,400–$3,600: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,600–$3,800: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,800–$4,000: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,000–$4,200: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,200–$4,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. This county $600 $4,400 every US county, bucketed by value

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 Jim Wells compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Texas counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Jim Wells is highlighted. Nearby Texas counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Dallas County ($1,648), Collin County ($1,648), Travis County ($1,562), Tarrant County ($1,473), Harris County ($1,323), Bexar County ($1,177), Jim Wells County (this county) ($742).

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) As of FY2026

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

With a below-average 1-bedroom at $742/mo, most of these Texas occupations clear, or miss, the 30% affordability line.

Occupation TX Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $130,500 6.8% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $100,290 8.9% Affordable
Registered Nurses $90,010 9.9% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $80,000 11.1% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $76,350 11.7% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $61,380 14.5% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $59,700 14.9% Affordable
Electricians $56,920 15.6% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $53,070 16.8% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $43,920 20.3% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $39,100 22.8% Affordable
Janitors & Cleaners $31,230 28.5% Affordable
Retail Salespersons $30,130 29.6% Affordable
Teaching Assistants $27,630 32.2% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $27,000 33% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (Texas) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

7-year Fair Market Rent history for Jim Wells County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Jim Wells (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 18.2% overall, from $628 to $742. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 11.4% (FY 2024).

$600$650$700$750$800$850 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $742
Jim Wells County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↓3.8% $737 $742 $973
FY 2025 ↓4.9% $766 $771 $933
FY 2024 ↑11.4% $795 $811 $939
FY 2023 ↑5.1% $680 $728 $902
FY 2022 ↑3.9% $675 $693 $912
FY 2021 ↑6.2% $625 $667 $879
FY 2020 $601 $628 $827
Total change (6yr): +18.2%
Annualized: +2.8%/yr
1 BR: $628 → $742

Part of the Alice, TX Micro Area

Jim Wells County is a central county of the Alice, TX micropolitan statistical area, alongside 1 other micro-area county.

Jim Wells County ranks #2 of 2 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Brooks County ($778), Jim Wells County (this county) ($742).

Brooks County
1 BR: $778/mo
Jim Wells County (this county)
1 BR: $742/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Jim Wells County, both outside Texas so the link neighborhoods are not the same-state geography lattice above. Axes stay disjoint: burden peers exclude the FMR peer set.

Similar 2-bedroom FMR

Nearest HUD 2BR Fair Market Rents outside TX (FY2026).

Mahoning County
OH · 2 BR $973/mo
Trumbull County
OH · 2 BR $973/mo
Richland County
OH · 2 BR $973/mo
Columbiana County
OH · 2 BR $973/mo

Similar rent burden

Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside TX).

Sharp County
AR · 24.6% of income · 2 BR $880/mo
Dillon County
SC · 24.6% of income · 2 BR $902/mo
Spotsylvania County
VA · 24.6% of income · 2 BR $2,246/mo
King County
WA · 24.6% of income · 2 BR $2,501/mo

Nearby Counties in Texas

Largest counties by population in Texas

Showing the 8 largest of 253 other counties in Texas.

Harris County
1 BR: $1,323/mo Pop: 4,726,177
Dallas County
1 BR: $1,648/mo Pop: 2,604,053
Tarrant County
1 BR: $1,473/mo Pop: 2,113,854
Bexar County
1 BR: $1,177/mo Pop: 2,014,059
Travis County
1 BR: $1,562/mo Pop: 1,289,054
Collin County
1 BR: $1,648/mo Pop: 1,079,153
Denton County
1 BR: $1,648/mo Pop: 914,870
Hidalgo County
1 BR: $847/mo Pop: 873,167
View all counties in Texas →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Jim Wells County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Jim Wells County is $742 per month. A 2-bedroom is $973 and a studio is $737.
How does Jim Wells County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Jim Wells County is 23% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $742 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Jim Wells County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Jim Wells County's 2-bedroom FMR of $973 ranks #976 most affordable among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the middle half of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Jim Wells County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $29,680 ($2,473/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Jim Wells County.
Is rent going up or down in Jim Wells County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Jim Wells County decreased by 3.8% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $771 to $742.
Which jobs can afford rent in Jim Wells County? ▼
Based on Texas BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $742/mo. 13 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Jim Wells County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Jim Wells County went from $628 in FY 2020 to $742 in FY 2026, a total change of +18.2% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Jim Wells County? ▼
In Jim Wells County, the FY 2026 FMR of $742/mo for a 1-bedroom sets the baseline that local housing authorities use for Section 8 payment standards.
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Jim Wells County? ▼
For Jim Wells County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($742/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).

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.

All federal data sources used on this page
  • HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) - county-level fair-market rent estimates by bedroom count. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
  • HUD Income Limits - area median income for affordability calculations. huduser.gov/datasets/il
  • HUD Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) - rent burden and housing-cost distribution. huduser.gov/datasets/cp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - county and metro housing characteristics + median rent. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • BLS Consumer Price Index, Rent of Primary Residence - rent inflation by metro. bls.gov/cpi
  • IRS Migration Data (SOI) - interstate migration aggregates affecting county demand. irs.gov/statistics/migration
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics - state-level median wages by occupation, used for job affordability analysis. bls.gov/oes

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.