County FMR · HUD FY2026
Kauai County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Kauai County, HI - 85% above the US average.
- $1,777
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $2,332
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +9.4%
- YoY change
- +85%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Kauai is the 2nd cheapest of 5 counties in Hawaii by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #63 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 9.4% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.
- #63
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #2
- cheapest of 5 in Hawaii (2BR)
- -4%
- vs the state average
- $71,080
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Registered Nurses spend the smallest share of income on rent here (15.6%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (69.1%); only 5 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 Kauai County, HI. Verify with HUD →
The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Kauai County, Hawaii is $1,777 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $2,332/mo and a studio is $1,766/mo. This is 85% higher than the national average of $959 and 4% below the Hawaii average of $1,859.
Rent increased9.4% from FY 2025 ($1,625), outpacing inflation. Clearing the 30% rule here takes $71,080/year, a high bar relative to most US counties.
Observed renter burden: 44.1% of the 7,677 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.
Market slack: The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 2.8%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
Local labor market: The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 2.2% over the past 12 months, a tight labor market that typically supports steadier rent demand.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Hawaii. Population: 73,511. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+3.1%, Census ACS). That's in line with Hawaii's statewide growth of +1.7% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area KAUAI·COUNTY·HI·HI
Kauai County, HI: $1,777/mo 1BR · #63 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA HI
- 1BR-FMR $1,777
- 2BR-FMR $2,332
- RANK-UPPER #63
- YOY-SURGE +9.4%
- VSUS-HIGH +85%
- VS-ST-NEAR -4% HI
- INC-MID 23%
- POP-MID 74K
- PHOTO-NEAR Honolulu County
- VOUCH-90-110 $1,599–$1,955
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Honolulu ($239 1BR gap)
Read with: Understanding rent burden
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,597 | $1,766 | +$169 (+10.6%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $1,625 | $1,777 | +$152 (+9.4%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $2,135 | $2,332 | +$197 (+9.2%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $2,810 | $2,866 | +$56 (+2.0%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $3,324 | $3,179 | $-145 (-4.4%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Kauai 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 Kauai sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$2,332 Top 2% higher than 98% 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 Kauai compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Hawaii counties
- Honolulu
Honolulu County
$2,016 1BR FMR / mo
- Maui
Maui County
$2,000 1BR FMR / mo
- Kalawao
Kalawao County
$1,899 1BR FMR / mo
- Kauai
Kauai County
$1,777 1BR FMR / mo
- Hawaii
Hawaii County
$1,603 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Kauai is highlighted. Nearby Hawaii counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Honolulu County ($2,016), Maui County ($2,000), Kalawao County ($1,899), Kauai County (this county) ($1,777), Hawaii County ($1,603).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
Against a high local FMR of $1,777/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using Hawaii BLS wages?
| Occupation | HI Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | $136,320 | 15.6% | Affordable |
| Software Developers | $119,880 | 17.8% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $105,160 | 20.3% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $89,390 | 23.9% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $83,200 | 25.6% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $67,820 | 31.4% | Stretched |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $60,890 | 35% | Stretched |
| Elementary School Teachers | $60,420 | 35.3% | Stretched |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $59,320 | 35.9% | Stretched |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $45,380 | 47% | Stretched |
| Customer Service Representatives | $40,630 | 52.5% | Unaffordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $37,120 | 57.4% | Unaffordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $36,050 | 59.2% | Unaffordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $35,420 | 60.2% | Unaffordable |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $30,860 | 69.1% | Unaffordable |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Kauai County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Kauai (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 17.0% overall, from $1,519 to $1,777. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 10.6% (FY 2024).
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑9.4% | $1,766 | $1,777 | $2,332 |
| FY 2025 ↓10.0% | $1,597 | $1,625 | $2,135 |
| FY 2024 ↑10.6% | $1,608 | $1,805 | $2,372 |
| FY 2023 ↑2.6% | $1,436 | $1,632 | $2,148 |
| FY 2022 ↑4.7% | $1,327 | $1,590 | $1,997 |
| FY 2021 ↑0.0% | $1,255 | $1,519 | $1,902 |
| FY 2020 | $1,226 | $1,519 | $1,881 |
Part of the Kapaa, HI Micro Area
Kauai County is a central county of the Kapaa, HI micropolitan statistical area.
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Kauai County, both outside Hawaii 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 HI (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside HI).
Nearby Counties in Hawaii
Largest counties by population in Hawaii
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Kauai County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Kauai County is $1,777 per month. A 2-bedroom is $2,332 and a studio is $1,766.
How does Kauai County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Kauai County is 85% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,777 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Kauai County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Kauai County's 2-bedroom FMR of $2,332 ranks #63 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the highest-rent tenth of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Kauai County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $71,080 ($5,923/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Kauai County.
Is rent going up or down in Kauai County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Kauai County increased by 9.4% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,625 to $1,777.
Which jobs can afford rent in Kauai County?
Based on Hawaii BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Registered Nurses, Software Developers, General and Operations Managers can afford a 1-bedroom at $1,777/mo. 5 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Kauai County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Kauai County went from $1,519 in FY 2020 to $1,777 in FY 2026, a total change of +17.0% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Kauai County?
In Kauai County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,777/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 Kauai County?
For Kauai County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,777/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Kauai County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 2.8%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
What is the unemployment rate in Kauai County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 2.2% over the past 12 months, a tight labor market that typically supports steadier rent demand.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Kauai's FY2026 Fair Market Rent as HUD's affordability benchmark, not a single market quote.
- Budget to roughly 30% of income: the FY2026 1-bedroom FMR of $1,777 implies about $71,080/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Hawaii counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Honolulu
- See where Kauai ranks nationally on rent. National rankings
Fair Market Rent is HUD's 40th-percentile policy benchmark used to set Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. Actual asking rents can run higher or lower, and HUD updates FMRs once a year. This site is informational and not financial or relocation advice.
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.