County FMR · HUD FY2026

Lamar County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Lamar County, GA - 21% below the US average.

$759
1-bedroom FMR
$973
2-bedroom FMR
-6.6%
YoY change
-21%
vs US avg

The verdict

Lamar is the 33rd cheapest of 159 counties in Georgia by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #976 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has fallen 6.6% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.

#976
most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#33
cheapest of 159 in Georgia (2BR)
-26%
vs the state average
$30,360
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (7.1%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (34.6%).

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Lamar County, GA. Verify with HUD →

Lamar County, Georgia carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $759 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $973/mo and a studio is $754/mo. That's 21% below the national benchmark of $959 and 26% below the Georgia average of $1,023.

Rent decreased6.6% from FY 2025 ($813), declining against the trend. The 30% affordability floor is comparatively reachable here at $30,360/year.

Observed renter burden: 29.2% of the 1,664 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 Georgia. Population: 18,676. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+3.2%, Census ACS). That's slower than Georgia's statewide growth of +5.1% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area LAMAR·COUNTY·GA·GA

Lamar County, GA: $759/mo 1BR · #976 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA GA
  • 1BR-FMR $759
  • 2BR-FMR $973
  • RANK-MID #976
  • YOY-DOWN -6.6%
  • VSUS-BELOW -21%
  • VS-ST-LOW -26% GA
  • INC-ROOM 13%
  • POP-SMALL 19K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Fulton County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $683–$835
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Fulton ($901 1BR gap)

Read with: Section 8 housing guide

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $979 · US avg: $893
$754/mo
↓ 6.6% YoY -23% vs state -16% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $1,023 · US avg: $959
$759/mo
↓ 6.6% YoY -26% vs state -21% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,203 · US avg: $1,175
$973/mo
↓ 8.7% YoY -19% vs state -17% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,524 · US avg: $1,525
$1,353/mo
↓ 3.9% YoY -11% vs state -11% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,775 · US avg: $1,756
$1,476/mo
↑ 4.5% YoY -17% vs state -16% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $807
$754
$-53 (-6.6%)
1 Bedroom $813
$759
$-54 (-6.6%)
2 Bedroom $1,066
$973
$-93 (-8.7%)
3 Bedroom $1,408
$1,353
$-55 (-3.9%)
4 Bedroom $1,413
$1,476
+$63 (+4.5%)

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio
13.2%
Affordable
Need $30,160/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
13.3%
Affordable
Need $30,360/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
17.1%
Affordable
Need $38,920/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
23.7%
Affordable
Need $54,120/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
25.9%
Affordable
Need $59,040/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%17.1%
Lamar County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $68,457 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Georgia rent burden →

Where Lamar 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 Lamar compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Georgia counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Lamar is highlighted. Nearby Georgia counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Fulton County ($1,660), Gwinnett County ($1,660), Cobb County ($1,660), DeKalb County ($1,660), Clayton County ($1,660), Chatham County ($1,533), Lamar County (this county) ($759).

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 $759/mo, most of these Georgia occupations clear, or miss, the 30% affordability line.

Occupation GA Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $128,920 7.1% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $99,800 9.1% Affordable
Registered Nurses $86,560 10.5% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $80,100 11.4% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $63,490 14.3% Affordable
Electricians $58,860 15.5% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $56,570 16.1% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $56,350 16.2% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $55,120 16.5% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $39,030 23.3% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $38,390 23.7% Affordable
Janitors & Cleaners $33,130 27.5% Affordable
Retail Salespersons $29,770 30.6% Stretched
Teaching Assistants $27,860 32.7% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $26,310 34.6% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (Georgia) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

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

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Lamar (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 12.8% overall, from $673 to $759. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 19.1% (FY 2023), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.

$550$600$650$700$750$800$850 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $759
Lamar County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↓6.6% $754 $759 $973
FY 2025 ↓1.2% $807 $813 $1,066
FY 2024 ↑14.0% $818 $823 $1,082
FY 2023 ↑19.1% $717 $722 $950
FY 2022 ↓7.1% $602 $606 $798
FY 2021 ↓3.1% $637 $652 $743
FY 2020 $654 $673 $766
Total change (6yr): +12.8%
Annualized: +2.0%/yr
1 BR: $673 → $759

Where Lamar County Ranks in Georgia

Lamar 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 #33 of 159 counties in Georgia. Nearest by rank: Glascock County ($973), Grady County ($973), Greene County ($973), Hancock County ($973), Jeff Davis County ($973), Jefferson County ($973), Jenkins County ($973), Johnson County ($973), Lamar County (this county) ($973), Laurens County ($973), Macon County ($973), Miller County ($973), Mitchell County ($973), Montgomery County ($973), Quitman County ($973), Schley County ($973), Screven County ($973).

Glascock County
2 BR: $973/mo
Grady County
2 BR: $973/mo
Greene County
2 BR: $973/mo
Hancock County
2 BR: $973/mo
Jeff Davis County
2 BR: $973/mo
Jefferson County
2 BR: $973/mo
Jenkins County
2 BR: $973/mo
Johnson County
2 BR: $973/mo
Lamar County (this county)
2 BR: $973/mo
Laurens County
2 BR: $973/mo
Macon County
2 BR: $973/mo
Miller County
2 BR: $973/mo
Mitchell County
2 BR: $973/mo
Montgomery County
2 BR: $973/mo
Quitman County
2 BR: $973/mo
Schley County
2 BR: $973/mo
Screven County
2 BR: $973/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Lamar County, both outside Georgia 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 GA (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 GA).

Scott County
MN · 17.1% of income · 2 BR $1,709/mo
Kent County
TX · 17.1% of income · 2 BR $1,015/mo
Wells County
IN · 17.1% of income · 2 BR $991/mo
Harnett County
NC · 17% of income · 2 BR $980/mo

Nearby Counties in Georgia

Largest counties by population in Georgia

Showing the 8 largest of 158 other counties in Georgia.

Fulton County
1 BR: $1,660/mo Pop: 1,061,944
Gwinnett County
1 BR: $1,660/mo Pop: 957,977
Cobb County
1 BR: $1,660/mo Pop: 765,813
DeKalb County
1 BR: $1,660/mo Pop: 761,209
Clayton County
1 BR: $1,660/mo Pop: 296,312
Chatham County
1 BR: $1,533/mo Pop: 296,266
Cherokee County
1 BR: $1,660/mo Pop: 268,567
Forsyth County
1 BR: $1,660/mo Pop: 253,225
View all counties in Georgia →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Lamar County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Lamar County is $759 per month. A 2-bedroom is $973 and a studio is $754.
How does Lamar County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Lamar County is 21% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $759 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Lamar County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Lamar 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 Lamar County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $30,360 ($2,530/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Lamar County.
Is rent going up or down in Lamar County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Lamar County decreased by 6.6% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $813 to $759.
Which jobs can afford rent in Lamar County? ▼
Based on Georgia BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $759/mo. 12 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Lamar County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Lamar County went from $673 in FY 2020 to $759 in FY 2026, a total change of +12.8% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Lamar County? ▼
In Lamar County, the FY 2026 FMR of $759/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 Lamar County? ▼
For Lamar County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($759/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.