County FMR · HUD FY2026
Kent County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Kent County, RI - 46% above the US average.
- $1,402
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,729
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +6.3%
- YoY change
- +46%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Kent is the 2nd cheapest of 5 counties in Rhode Island by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #283 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 6.3% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.
- #283
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #2
- cheapest of 5 in Rhode Island (2BR)
- +0%
- vs the state average
- $56,080
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (13.1%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (55.2%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Kent County, RI. Verify with HUD →
The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Kent County, Rhode Island is $1,402 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $1,729/mo and a studio is $1,318/mo. This is 46% higher than the national average of $959 and 0% above the Rhode Island average of $1,402.
Rent increased6.3% from FY 2025 ($1,319), outpacing inflation. A household needs about $56,080/year to stay under the 30% rent-to-income line.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Rhode Island. Population: 35,757. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+4.1%, Census ACS). That's in line with Rhode Island's statewide growth of +3.7% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area KENT·COUNTY·RI·RI
Kent County, RI: $1,402/mo 1BR · #283 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA RI
- 1BR-FMR $1,402
- 2BR-FMR $1,729
- RANK-UPPER #283
- YOY-SURGE +6.3%
- VSUS-HIGH +46%
- VS-ST-NEAR +0% RI
- INC-ROOM 18%
- POP-SMALL 36K
- PHOTO-FINISH Bristol County
- VOUCH-90-110 $1,262–$1,542
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Bristol ($0 1BR gap)
Read with: Understanding rent burden
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,233 | $1,318 | +$85 (+6.9%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $1,319 | $1,402 | +$83 (+6.3%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,614 | $1,729 | +$115 (+7.1%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,945 | $2,087 | +$142 (+7.3%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $2,359 | $2,480 | +$121 (+5.1%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Kent 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 Kent sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,729 Top 9% higher than 91% 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 Kent compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Rhode Island counties
- Kent
Kent County
$1,402 1BR FMR / mo
- Bristol
Bristol County
$1,402 1BR FMR / mo
- Providence
Providence County
$1,402 1BR FMR / mo
- Washington
Washington County
$1,402 1BR FMR / mo
- Newport
Newport County
$1,402 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Kent is highlighted. Nearby Rhode Island counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Kent County (this county) ($1,402), Bristol County ($1,402), Providence County ($1,402), Washington County ($1,402), Newport County ($1,402).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
Against a high local FMR of $1,402/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using Rhode Island BLS wages?
| Occupation | RI Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $128,660 | 13.1% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $122,040 | 13.8% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $99,960 | 16.8% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $90,040 | 18.7% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $86,900 | 19.4% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $77,280 | 21.8% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $70,160 | 24% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $59,710 | 28.2% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $54,540 | 30.8% | Stretched |
| Customer Service Representatives | $46,490 | 36.2% | Stretched |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $37,730 | 44.6% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $36,380 | 46.2% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $34,860 | 48.3% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $31,920 | 52.7% | Unaffordable |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $30,460 | 55.2% | Unaffordable |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Kent County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Kent (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 56.1% overall, from $898 to $1,402. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +19.4% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑6.3% | $1,318 | $1,402 | $1,729 |
| FY 2025 ↓5.7% | $1,233 | $1,319 | $1,614 |
| FY 2024 ↑19.4% | $1,289 | $1,398 | $1,693 |
| FY 2023 ↑14.1% | $1,066 | $1,171 | $1,409 |
| FY 2022 ↑7.4% | $913 | $1,026 | $1,234 |
| FY 2021 ↑6.3% | $848 | $955 | $1,148 |
| FY 2020 | $794 | $898 | $1,075 |
Part of the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA Metro Area
Kent County is a central county of the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metropolitan statistical area, alongside 5 other metro-area counties.
Kent County ranks #5 of 6 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Bristol County ($1,402), Providence County ($1,402), Washington County ($1,402), Newport County ($1,402), Kent County (this county) ($1,402), Bristol County ($1,230).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Kent County, both outside Rhode Island 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 RI (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside RI).
Nearby Counties in Rhode Island
Largest counties by population in Rhode Island
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Kent County? ▼
How does Kent County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Where does Kent County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Kent County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Kent County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Kent County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Kent County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Kent County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Kent County? ▼
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.