County FMR · HUD FY2026
Lincoln County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Lincoln County, ME - 33% above the US average.
- $1,280
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,403
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +16.0%
- YoY change
- +33%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Lincoln is the 7th cheapest of 16 counties in Maine by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #566 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 16.0% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.
- #566
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #7
- cheapest of 16 in Maine (2BR)
- +11%
- vs the state average
- $51,200
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (13.5%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (44.7%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Lincoln County, ME. Verify with HUD →
Lincoln County, Maine carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,280 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,403/mo and a studio is $1,222/mo. That's 33% above the national benchmark of $959 and 11% above the Maine average of $1,153.
Rent increased16.0% from FY 2025 ($1,103), outpacing inflation. A household needs about $51,200/year to stay under the 30% rent-to-income line.
Observed renter burden: 29.4% of the 2,619 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 2.6%, 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 3.2% over the past 12 months, a tight labor market that typically supports steadier rent demand.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Maine. Population: 829. Population grew 5.2% 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 Maine's statewide growth of +3.3% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area LINCOLN·COUNTY·ME·ME
Lincoln County, ME: $1,280/mo 1BR · #566 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA ME
- 1BR-FMR $1,280
- 2BR-FMR $1,403
- RANK-MID #566
- YOY-SURGE +16.0%
- VSUS-HIGH +33%
- VS-ST-HIGH +11% ME
- INC-MID 21%
- POP-SMALL 829
- PHOTO-NEAR Androscoggin Count
- VOUCH-90-110 $1,152–$1,408
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Androscoggin ($62 1BR gap)
Read with: Understanding rent burden
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,082 | $1,222 | +$140 (+12.9%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $1,103 | $1,280 | +$177 (+16.0%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,244 | $1,403 | +$159 (+12.8%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,643 | $1,936 | +$293 (+17.8%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,649 | $1,943 | +$294 (+17.8%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Lincoln 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 Lincoln sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,403 Top 18% higher than 82% 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 Lincoln compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Maine counties
- York
York County
$1,412 1BR FMR / mo
- Lincoln
Lincoln County
$1,280 1BR FMR / mo
- Knox
Knox County
$1,270 1BR FMR / mo
- Androscoggin
Androscoggin County
$1,218 1BR FMR / mo
- Waldo
Waldo County
$1,163 1BR FMR / mo
- Kennebec
Kennebec County
$1,090 1BR FMR / mo
- Somerset
Somerset County
$1,083 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Lincoln is highlighted. Nearby Maine counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: York County ($1,412), Lincoln County (this county) ($1,280), Knox County ($1,270), Androscoggin County ($1,218), Waldo County ($1,163), Kennebec County ($1,090), Somerset County ($1,083).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
Against a high local FMR of $1,280/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using Maine BLS wages?
| Occupation | ME Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $113,800 | 13.5% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $96,740 | 15.9% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | 18.5% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $77,680 | 19.8% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $67,820 | 22.6% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $65,330 | 23.5% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $62,300 | 24.7% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $58,510 | 26.3% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $51,930 | 29.6% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $45,240 | 34% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $43,870 | 35% | Stretched |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $40,950 | 37.5% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $38,560 | 39.8% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $36,460 | 42.1% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $34,360 | 44.7% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Lincoln County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Lincoln (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 80.0% overall, from $711 to $1,280. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +16.0% in FY 2026, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑16.0% | $1,222 | $1,280 | $1,403 |
| FY 2025 ↑12.8% | $1,082 | $1,103 | $1,244 |
| FY 2024 ↑6.5% | $942 | $978 | $1,183 |
| FY 2023 ↑13.8% | $913 | $918 | $1,165 |
| FY 2022 ↑0.6% | $802 | $807 | $1,062 |
| FY 2021 ↑12.8% | $797 | $802 | $1,021 |
| FY 2020 | $698 | $711 | $874 |
Where Lincoln County Ranks in Maine
Lincoln 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 #7 of 16 counties in Maine. Nearest by rank: Somerset County ($1,266), Oxford County ($1,295), Franklin County ($1,322), Penobscot County ($1,392), Lincoln County (this county) ($1,403), Kennebec County ($1,416), Piscataquis County ($1,419), Waldo County ($1,438), Hancock County ($1,501).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Lincoln County, both outside Maine 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 ME (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside ME).
Nearby Counties in Maine
Largest counties by population in Maine
Showing the 8 largest of 15 other counties in Maine.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Lincoln County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Lincoln County is $1,280 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,403 and a studio is $1,222.
How does Lincoln County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Lincoln County is 33% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,280 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Lincoln County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Lincoln County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,403 ranks #566 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 Lincoln County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $51,200 ($4,267/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Lincoln County.
Is rent going up or down in Lincoln County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Lincoln County increased by 16.0% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,103 to $1,280.
Which jobs can afford rent in Lincoln County?
Based on Maine BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $1,280/mo. 9 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Lincoln County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Lincoln County went from $711 in FY 2020 to $1,280 in FY 2026, a total change of +80.0% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Lincoln County?
In Lincoln County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,280/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 Lincoln County?
For Lincoln County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,280/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Lincoln County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 2.6%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
What is the unemployment rate in Lincoln County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 3.2% over the past 12 months, a tight labor market that typically supports steadier rent demand.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Lincoln'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 $1,280 implies about $51,200/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Maine counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Androscoggin
- See where Lincoln 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.