County FMR · HUD FY2026
Lafayette County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Lafayette County, FL - 23% above the US average.
- $1,181
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,323
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +33.4%
- YoY change
- +23%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Lafayette is the 25th cheapest of 67 counties in Florida by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #723 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 33.4% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.
- #723
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #25
- cheapest of 67 in Florida (2BR)
- -9%
- vs the state average
- $47,240
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (11.2%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (50.6%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Lafayette County, FL. Verify with HUD →
Lafayette County, Florida carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,181 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,323/mo and a studio is $1,152/mo. That's 23% above the national benchmark of $959 and 9% below the Florida average of $1,296.
Rent increased33.4% from FY 2025 ($885), outpacing inflation. A household needs about $47,240/year to stay under the 30% rent-to-income line.
Observed renter burden: 26.7% of the 487 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 0.0%, 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 6.1% over the past 12 months, well above the national norm, a headwind for household budgets that can also soften local rent growth.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Florida. Population: 8,107. Population declined 8.1% 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 Florida's statewide growth of +6.5% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area LAFAYETTE·COUNTY·FL·FL
Lafayette County, FL: $1,181/mo 1BR · #723 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA FL
- 1BR-FMR $1,181
- 2BR-FMR $1,323
- RANK-MID #723
- YOY-SURGE +33.4%
- VSUS-ABOVE +23%
- VS-ST-LOW -9% FL
- INC-MID 23%
- POP-SMALL 8K
- PHOTO-NEAR Miami-Dade County
- VOUCH-90-110 $1,063–$1,299
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Miami-Dade ($814 1BR gap)
Read with: Understanding rent burden
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $879 | $1,152 | +$273 (+31.1%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $885 | $1,181 | +$296 (+33.4%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,018 | $1,323 | +$305 (+30.0%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,226 | $1,586 | +$360 (+29.4%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,360 | $1,752 | +$392 (+28.8%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Lafayette 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 Lafayette sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,323 Top 23% higher than 77% 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 Lafayette compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Florida counties
- Miami-Dade
Miami-Dade County
$1,995 1BR FMR / mo
- Palm Beach
Palm Beach County
$1,901 1BR FMR / mo
- Broward
Broward County
$1,900 1BR FMR / mo
- Orange
Orange County
$1,731 1BR FMR / mo
- Hillsborough
Hillsborough County
$1,696 1BR FMR / mo
- Duval
Duval County
$1,382 1BR FMR / mo
- Lafayette
Lafayette County
$1,181 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Lafayette is highlighted. Nearby Florida counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Miami-Dade County ($1,995), Palm Beach County ($1,901), Broward County ($1,900), Orange County ($1,731), Hillsborough County ($1,696), Duval County ($1,382), Lafayette County (this county) ($1,181).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
Against a high local FMR of $1,181/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using Florida BLS wages?
| Occupation | FL Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $126,550 | 11.2% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $100,750 | 14.1% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $82,850 | 17.1% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $78,470 | 18.1% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $76,190 | 18.6% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $60,280 | 23.5% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $55,550 | 25.5% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $53,100 | 26.7% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $50,000 | 28.3% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $39,640 | 35.8% | Stretched |
| Customer Service Representatives | $38,890 | 36.4% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $31,950 | 44.4% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $31,540 | 44.9% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $30,230 | 46.9% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $27,990 | 50.6% | Unaffordable |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Lafayette County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Lafayette (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 66.8% overall, from $708 to $1,181. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 33.4% (FY 2026), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑33.4% | $1,152 | $1,181 | $1,323 |
| FY 2025 ↑8.1% | $879 | $885 | $1,018 |
| FY 2024 ↑5.4% | $815 | $819 | $953 |
| FY 2023 ↑8.1% | $773 | $777 | $904 |
| FY 2022 ↑2.4% | $707 | $719 | $820 |
| FY 2021 ↓0.8% | $686 | $702 | $800 |
| FY 2020 | $688 | $708 | $806 |
Where Lafayette County Ranks in Florida
Lafayette 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 #25 of 67 counties in Florida. Nearest by rank: Wakulla County ($1,199), DeSoto County ($1,209), Citrus County ($1,225), Hardee County ($1,248), Glades County ($1,252), Hendry County ($1,271), Highlands County ($1,271), Columbia County ($1,318), Lafayette County (this county) ($1,323), Sumter County ($1,328), Okeechobee County ($1,346), Gadsden County ($1,352), Jefferson County ($1,352), Leon County ($1,352), Walton County ($1,364), Marion County ($1,373), Charlotte County ($1,470).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Lafayette County, both outside Florida 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 FL (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside FL).
Nearby Counties in Florida
Largest counties by population in Florida
Showing the 8 largest of 66 other counties in Florida.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Lafayette County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Lafayette County is $1,181 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,323 and a studio is $1,152.
How does Lafayette County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Lafayette County is 23% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,181 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Lafayette County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Lafayette County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,323 ranks #723 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the upper-rent quarter of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Lafayette County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $47,240 ($3,937/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Lafayette County.
Is rent going up or down in Lafayette County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Lafayette County increased by 33.4% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $885 to $1,181.
Which jobs can afford rent in Lafayette County?
Based on Florida BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $1,181/mo. 9 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Lafayette County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Lafayette County went from $708 in FY 2020 to $1,181 in FY 2026, a total change of +66.8% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Lafayette County?
In Lafayette County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,181/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 Lafayette County?
For Lafayette County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,181/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Lafayette County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 0.0%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
What is the unemployment rate in Lafayette County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 6.1% over the past 12 months, well above the national norm, a headwind for household budgets that can also soften local rent growth.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Lafayette'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 $1,181 implies about $47,240/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Florida counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Miami-Dade
- See where Lafayette 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.