County FMR · HUD FY2026

Levy County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Levy County, FL - 13% below the US average.

$831
1-bedroom FMR
$974
2-bedroom FMR
-2.8%
YoY change
-13%
vs US avg

The verdict

Levy is the 2nd cheapest of 67 counties in Florida by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,322 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties.

#1,322
most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#2
cheapest of 67 in Florida (2BR)
-36%
vs the state average
$33,240
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (7.9%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (35.6%).

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Levy County, FL. Verify with HUD →

Levy County, Florida carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $831 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $974/mo and a studio is $735/mo. That's 13% below the national benchmark of $959 and 36% below the Florida average of $1,296.

Rent decreased2.8% from FY 2025 ($855), declining against the trend. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $33,240/year for a 1-bedroom.

Observed renter burden: 37.6% of the 3,623 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 Florida. Population: 43,268. Population grew 10.8% 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 Florida's statewide growth of +6.5% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area LEVY·COUNTY·FL·FL

Levy County, FL: $831/mo 1BR · #1322 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA FL
  • 1BR-FMR $831
  • 2BR-FMR $974
  • RANK-MID #1,322
  • YOY-DOWN -2.8%
  • VSUS-BELOW -13%
  • VS-ST-LOW -36% FL
  • INC-ROOM 19%
  • POP-SMALL 43K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Miami-Dade County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $748–$914
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Miami-Dade ($1,164 1BR gap)

Read with: How Fair Market Rent works

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $1,212 · US avg: $893
$735/mo
↑ 1.1% YoY -39% vs state -18% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $1,296 · US avg: $959
$831/mo
↓ 2.8% YoY -36% vs state -13% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,526 · US avg: $1,175
$974/mo
↓ 1.5% YoY -36% vs state -17% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,971 · US avg: $1,525
$1,238/mo
↓ 3.4% YoY -37% vs state -19% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $2,261 · US avg: $1,756
$1,290/mo
↓ 5.0% YoY -43% vs state -27% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $727
$735
+$8 (+1.1%)
1 Bedroom $855
$831
$-24 (-2.8%)
2 Bedroom $989
$974
$-15 (-1.5%)
3 Bedroom $1,281
$1,238
$-43 (-3.4%)
4 Bedroom $1,358
$1,290
$-68 (-5.0%)

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio
16.4%
Affordable
Need $29,400/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
18.5%
Affordable
Need $33,240/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
21.7%
Affordable
Need $38,960/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
27.6%
Affordable
Need $49,520/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
28.8%
Affordable
Need $51,600/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%21.7%
Levy County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $53,805 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Florida rent burden →

Where Levy sits among every US county

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

$974 higher than 42% 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 Levy compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Florida counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Levy 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), Levy County (this county) ($831).

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

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

How a 1-bedroom at $831/mo compares to Florida salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).

Occupation FL Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $126,550 7.9% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $100,750 9.9% Affordable
Registered Nurses $82,850 12% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $78,470 12.7% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $76,190 13.1% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $60,280 16.5% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $55,550 18% Affordable
Electricians $53,100 18.8% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $50,000 19.9% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $39,640 25.2% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $38,890 25.6% Affordable
Retail Salespersons $31,950 31.2% Stretched
Janitors & Cleaners $31,540 31.6% Stretched
Teaching Assistants $30,230 33% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $27,990 35.6% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (Florida) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

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

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Levy (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 50.0% overall, from $554 to $831. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +19.6% in FY 2025, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.

$500$600$700$800$900 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $831
Levy County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↓2.8% $735 $831 $974
FY 2025 ↑19.6% $727 $855 $989
FY 2024 ↑13.9% $673 $715 $905
FY 2023 ↑9.2% $623 $628 $826
FY 2022 ↑3.2% $572 $575 $757
FY 2021 ↑0.5% $553 $557 $734
FY 2020 $551 $554 $730
Total change (6yr): +50.0%
Annualized: +7.0%/yr
1 BR: $554 → $831

Part of the Gainesville, FL Metro Area

Levy County is a outlying county of the Gainesville, FL metropolitan statistical area, alongside 2 other metro-area counties.

Levy County ranks #3 of 3 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Alachua County ($1,246), Gilchrist County ($1,246), Levy County (this county) ($831).

Alachua County
1 BR: $1,246/mo
Gilchrist County
1 BR: $1,246/mo
Levy County (this county)
1 BR: $831/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Levy 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).

Vermilion County
IL · 2 BR $974/mo
Allegany County
NY · 2 BR $974/mo
Christian County
IL · 2 BR $974/mo
Freeborn County
MN · 2 BR $974/mo

Similar rent burden

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

Early County
GA · 21.7% of income · 2 BR $973/mo
Frio County
TX · 21.7% of income · 2 BR $1,088/mo
Baker County
OR · 21.7% of income · 2 BR $1,047/mo
Windsor County
VT · 21.7% of income · 2 BR $1,362/mo

Nearby Counties in Florida

Largest counties by population in Florida

Showing the 8 largest of 66 other counties in Florida.

Miami-Dade County
1 BR: $1,995/mo Pop: 2,688,237
Broward County
1 BR: $1,900/mo Pop: 1,940,907
Palm Beach County
1 BR: $1,901/mo Pop: 1,494,805
Hillsborough County
1 BR: $1,696/mo Pop: 1,468,560
Orange County
1 BR: $1,731/mo Pop: 1,427,403
Duval County
1 BR: $1,382/mo Pop: 995,708
Pinellas County
1 BR: $1,696/mo Pop: 959,918
Lee County
1 BR: $1,638/mo Pop: 772,902
View all counties in Florida →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Levy County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Levy County is $831 per month. A 2-bedroom is $974 and a studio is $735.
How does Levy County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Levy County is 13% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $831 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Levy County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Levy County's 2-bedroom FMR of $974 ranks #1,322 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 Levy County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $33,240 ($2,770/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Levy County.
Is rent going up or down in Levy County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Levy County decreased by 2.8% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $855 to $831.
Which jobs can afford rent in Levy 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 $831/mo. 11 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Levy County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Levy County went from $554 in FY 2020 to $831 in FY 2026, a total change of +50.0% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Levy County? ▼
In Levy County, the FY 2026 FMR of $831/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 Levy County? ▼
For Levy County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($831/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.