County FMR · HUD FY2026
Lassen County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Lassen County, CA - 6% above the US average.
- $1,016
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,279
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +11.6%
- YoY change
- +6%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Lassen is the 4th cheapest of 58 counties in California by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #786 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 11.6% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.
- #786
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #4
- cheapest of 58 in California (2BR)
- -38%
- vs the state average
- $40,640
- 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 (32.9%); nearby California counties range as much as 68% apart in 1-bedroom FMR, so the county line itself can matter for renters comparing options.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Lassen County, CA. Verify with HUD →
HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Lassen County, California at $1,016 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,279/mo and a studio is $882/mo. This is 6% higher than the national average of $959 and 38% below the California average of $1,647.
Rent increased11.6% from FY 2025 ($910), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $40,640/year for a 1-bedroom.
Observed renter burden: 37.3% of the 2,880 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 California. Population: 31,873. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+0.0%, Census ACS). That's in line with California's statewide growth of +0.2% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area LASSEN·COUNTY·CA·CA
Lassen County, CA: $1,016/mo 1BR · #786 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA CA
- 1BR-FMR $1,016
- 2BR-FMR $1,279
- RANK-MID #786
- YOY-SURGE +11.6%
- VSUS-NEAR +6%
- VS-ST-LOW -38% CA
- INC-ROOM 19%
- POP-SMALL 32K
- PHOTO-NEAR Los Angeles County
- VOUCH-90-110 $914–$1,118
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Los Angeles ($1,069 1BR gap)
Read with: How Fair Market Rent works
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $819 | $882 | +$63 (+7.7%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $910 | $1,016 | +$106 (+11.6%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,194 | $1,279 | +$85 (+7.1%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,673 | $1,779 | +$106 (+6.3%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $2,005 | $2,146 | +$141 (+7.0%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Lassen 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 Lassen sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,279 Top 25% higher than 75% 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 Lassen compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other California counties
- Santa Clara
Santa Clara County
$2,982 1BR FMR / mo
- Orange
Orange County
$2,746 1BR FMR / mo
- San Diego
San Diego County
$2,459 1BR FMR / mo
- Los Angeles
Los Angeles County
$2,085 1BR FMR / mo
- Riverside
Riverside County
$1,777 1BR FMR / mo
- San Bernardino
San Bernardino County
$1,777 1BR FMR / mo
- Lassen $1,016
Lassen County
$1,016 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Lassen is highlighted. Nearby California counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Santa Clara County ($2,982), Orange County ($2,746), San Diego County ($2,459), Los Angeles County ($2,085), Riverside County ($1,777), San Bernardino County ($1,777), Lassen County (this county) ($1,016).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $1,016/mo compares to California salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | CA Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $170,910 | 7.1% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $140,330 | 8.7% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $125,240 | 9.7% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $115,400 | 10.6% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $98,190 | 12.4% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $96,360 | 12.7% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $76,540 | 15.9% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $72,960 | 16.7% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $59,950 | 20.3% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $49,640 | 24.6% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $47,790 | 25.5% | Affordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $45,460 | 26.8% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $38,640 | 31.6% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $37,250 | 32.7% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $37,010 | 32.9% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Lassen County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Lassen (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 48.5% overall, from $684 to $1,016. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +15.6% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑11.6% | $882 | $1,016 | $1,279 |
| FY 2025 ↑6.7% | $819 | $910 | $1,194 |
| FY 2024 ↑15.6% | $760 | $853 | $1,121 |
| FY 2023 ↑3.7% | $650 | $738 | $972 |
| FY 2022 ↑0.4% | $623 | $712 | $937 |
| FY 2021 ↑3.7% | $633 | $709 | $935 |
| FY 2020 | $609 | $684 | $901 |
Part of the Susanville, CA Micro Area
Lassen County is a central county of the Susanville, CA micropolitan statistical area.
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Lassen County, both outside California 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 CA (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside CA).
Nearby Counties in California
Largest counties by population in California
Showing the 8 largest of 57 other counties in California.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Lassen County? ▼
How does Lassen County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Where does Lassen County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Lassen County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Lassen County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Lassen County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Lassen County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Lassen County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Lassen 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.