County FMR · HUD FY2026

Lafayette County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Lafayette County, MS - 10% above the US average.

$1,053
1-bedroom FMR
$1,243
2-bedroom FMR
-4.2%
YoY change
+10%
vs US avg

The verdict

Lafayette is the 6th most expensive of 82 counties in Mississippi by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #912 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties.

#912
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#6
most expensive of 82 in Mississippi (2BR)
+35%
vs the state average
$42,120
income to afford it (30% rule)

General and Operations Managers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (14.3%), while Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary spend the most (58%).

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Lafayette County, MS. Verify with HUD →

The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Lafayette County, Mississippi is $1,053 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $1,243/mo and a studio is $1,047/mo. This is 10% higher than the national average of $959 and 35% above the Mississippi average of $782.

Rent decreased4.2% from FY 2025 ($1,099), declining against the trend. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $42,120/year for a 1-bedroom.

Observed renter burden: 47.9% of the 6,806 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 Mississippi. Population: 56,172. Population grew 6.5% over the past five years (Census ACS) - among the faster-growing counties nationally, a trend that typically adds upward pressure on rents. That's faster than Mississippi's statewide growth of -1.2% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area LAFAYETTE·COUNTY·MS·MS

Lafayette County, MS: $1,053/mo 1BR · #912 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA MS
  • 1BR-FMR $1,053
  • 2BR-FMR $1,243
  • RANK-MID #912
  • YOY-DOWN -4.2%
  • VSUS-ABOVE +10%
  • VS-ST-HIGH +35% MS
  • INC-ROOM 20%
  • POP-MID 56K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Hinds County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $948–$1,158
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Hinds ($44 1BR gap)

Read with: How Fair Market Rent works

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $751 · US avg: $893
$1,047/mo
↓ 4.2% YoY +39% vs state +17% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $782 · US avg: $959
$1,053/mo
↓ 4.2% YoY +35% vs state +10% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $924 · US avg: $1,175
$1,243/mo
↓ 3.9% YoY +35% vs state +6% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,177 · US avg: $1,525
$1,539/mo
↓ 5.5% YoY +31% vs state +1% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,295 · US avg: $1,756
$1,646/mo
↓ 4.0% YoY +27% vs state -6% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $1,093
$1,047
$-46 (-4.2%)
1 Bedroom $1,099
$1,053
$-46 (-4.2%)
2 Bedroom $1,293
$1,243
$-50 (-3.9%)
3 Bedroom $1,628
$1,539
$-89 (-5.5%)
4 Bedroom $1,714
$1,646
$-68 (-4.0%)

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio
19.5%
Affordable
Need $41,880/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
19.6%
Affordable
Need $42,120/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
23.2%
Affordable
Need $49,720/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
28.7%
Affordable
Need $61,560/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
30.7%
Burdened
Need $65,840/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%23.2%
Lafayette County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $64,334 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Mississippi rent burden →

Where Lafayette sits among every US county

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

$1,243 Top 29% higher than 71% of 3,145 counties

$600–$800: 23 counties (1%). Below this entry. $800–$1,000: 1,406 counties (45%). Below this entry. $1,000–$1,200: 723 counties (23%). Below this entry. $1,200–$1,400: 417 counties (13%). This entry sits in this band. $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 Lafayette compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Mississippi counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Lafayette is highlighted. Nearby Mississippi counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: DeSoto County ($1,154), Hinds County ($1,097), Rankin County ($1,097), Madison County ($1,097), Lafayette County (this county) ($1,053), Jackson County ($951), Harrison County ($923).

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

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

How a 1-bedroom at $1,053/mo compares to Mississippi salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).

Occupation MS Salary Rent Burden Verdict
General & Operations Managers $88,290 14.3% Affordable
Software Developers $86,460 14.6% Affordable
Registered Nurses $74,470 17% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $64,170 19.7% Affordable
Electricians $57,300 22.1% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $50,700 24.9% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $48,440 26.1% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $45,610 27.7% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $39,120 32.3% Stretched
Pharmacy Technicians $38,210 33.1% Stretched
Customer Service Representatives $35,580 35.5% Stretched
Retail Salespersons $27,810 45.4% Stretched
Janitors & Cleaners $27,610 45.8% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $22,280 56.7% Unaffordable
Teaching Assistants $21,790 58% Unaffordable
Salaries: BLS OES (Mississippi) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

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 37.8% overall, from $764 to $1,053. 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.

$700$800$900$1,000$1,100$1,200 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $1,053
Lafayette County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↓4.2% $1,047 $1,053 $1,243
FY 2025 ↑3.2% $1,093 $1,099 $1,293
FY 2024 ↑19.4% $1,050 $1,065 $1,258
FY 2023 ↑8.5% $781 $892 $1,105
FY 2022 ↑5.2% $750 $822 $1,026
FY 2021 ↑2.2% $717 $781 $986
FY 2020 $662 $764 $918
Total change (6yr): +37.8%
Annualized: +5.5%/yr
1 BR: $764 → $1,053

Part of the Oxford, MS Micro Area

Lafayette County is a central county of the Oxford, MS micropolitan statistical area, alongside 1 other micro-area county.

Lafayette County ranks #1 of 2 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Lafayette County (this county) ($1,053), Yalobusha County ($672).

Lafayette County (this county)
1 BR: $1,053/mo
Yalobusha County
1 BR: $672/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Lafayette County, both outside Mississippi 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 MS (FY2026).

Bristol Bay Borough
AK · 2 BR $1,243/mo
Oklahoma County
OK · 2 BR $1,244/mo
Cleveland County
OK · 2 BR $1,244/mo
Tippecanoe County
IN · 2 BR $1,242/mo

Similar rent burden

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

Lee County
AL · 23.2% of income · 2 BR $1,181/mo
Orange County
NC · 23.2% of income · 2 BR $1,711/mo
Reeves County
TX · 23.2% of income · 2 BR $1,083/mo
Glenn County
CA · 23.2% of income · 2 BR $1,362/mo

Nearby Counties in Mississippi

Largest counties by population in Mississippi

Showing the 8 largest of 81 other counties in Mississippi.

Hinds County
1 BR: $1,097/mo Pop: 226,541
Harrison County
1 BR: $923/mo Pop: 208,748
DeSoto County
1 BR: $1,154/mo Pop: 186,214
Rankin County
1 BR: $1,097/mo Pop: 157,185
Jackson County
1 BR: $951/mo Pop: 143,721
Madison County
1 BR: $1,097/mo Pop: 109,257
Lee County
1 BR: $852/mo Pop: 83,343
Forrest County
1 BR: $888/mo Pop: 77,917
View all counties in Mississippi →

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 $1,053 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,243 and a studio is $1,047.
How does Lafayette County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Lafayette County is 10% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,053 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 $1,243 ranks #912 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the middle half 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 $42,120 ($3,510/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 decreased by 4.2% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,099 to $1,053.
Which jobs can afford rent in Lafayette County? ▼
Based on Mississippi BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like General and Operations Managers, Software Developers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $1,053/mo. 8 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 $764 in FY 2020 to $1,053 in FY 2026, a total change of +37.8% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Lafayette County? ▼
In Lafayette County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,053/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 ($1,053/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.