County FMR · HUD FY2026
Lincoln County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Lincoln County, NM - 14% below the US average.
- $820
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $999
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +3.8%
- YoY change
- -14%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Lincoln is the 14th cheapest of 33 counties in New Mexico by 2-bedroom FMR.
- #14
- cheapest of 33 in New Mexico (2BR)
- -12%
- vs the state average
- $32,800
- income to afford it (30% rule)
- +3.8%
- YoY, FY2025→2026
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (8.1%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (34.3%); nearby New Mexico counties range as much as 57% apart in 1-bedroom FMR, so the county line itself can matter for renters comparing options.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Lincoln County, NM. Verify with HUD →
Lincoln County, New Mexico carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $820 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $999/mo and a studio is $815/mo. That's 14% below the national benchmark of $959 and 12% below the New Mexico average of $927.
Rent increased3.8% from FY 2025 ($790), outpacing inflation. To afford rent here, a household needs at least $32,800/year based on the 30% affordability rule.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in New Mexico. Population: 20,222. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+3.8%, Census ACS). That's faster than New Mexico's statewide growth of +1.1% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Lincoln County
The Lincoln County FMR area applies to all ZIP codes inside the county boundary, and New Mexico's housing authorities use it as the baseline for Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. See how FMR is calculated for the full 40th-percentile methodology and payment-standard rules.
Compared to the rest of the country, a 1-bedroom here is 14% below the US average of $959 and 12% lower than the New Mexico state average of $927. The 1-bedroom FMR went from$790 in FY 2025 to $820 in FY 2026 - a change of +3.8%, which outpaces typical consumer inflation.
At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $820, affording it under the 30%-of-income rule takes $32,800 per year (about $2,733/month) in household income, and a 2-bedroom at $999 pushes that threshold even higher. With a population of 20,222 and a county median household income of $51,643, the arithmetic here directly shapes which wage earners can rent without being cost-burdened.
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $678 | $815 | +$137 (+20.2%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $790 | $820 | +$30 (+3.8%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $933 | $999 | +$66 (+7.1%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,271 | $1,305 | +$34 (+2.7%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,549 | $1,611 | +$62 (+4.0%) |
Affordability Snapshot
Based on the standard that rent should not exceed 30% of gross income:
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.
Lincoln County 2-bedroom rent burden
Where Lincoln sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$999 higher than 45% 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 New Mexico counties
- Santa Fe
Santa Fe County
$1,390 1BR FMR / mo
- Bernalillo
Bernalillo County
$1,185 1BR FMR / mo
- Sandoval
Sandoval County
$1,185 1BR FMR / mo
- Valencia
Valencia County
$1,185 1BR FMR / mo
- Dona Ana
Dona Ana County
$951 1BR FMR / mo
- San Juan
San Juan County
$885 1BR FMR / mo
- Lincoln
Lincoln County
$820 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Lincoln is highlighted. Nearby New Mexico counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Santa Fe County ($1,390), Bernalillo County ($1,185), Sandoval County ($1,185), Valencia County ($1,185), Dona Ana County ($951), San Juan County ($885), Lincoln County (this county) ($820).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $820/mo compares to New Mexico salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | NM Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $120,820 | 8.1% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $100,200 | 9.8% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $88,260 | 11.1% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $77,420 | 12.7% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $65,510 | 15% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $63,340 | 15.5% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $56,890 | 17.3% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $56,620 | 17.4% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $48,360 | 20.3% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $44,970 | 21.9% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $38,060 | 25.9% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $33,640 | 29.3% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $31,360 | 31.4% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $30,350 | 32.4% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $28,650 | 34.3% | 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 24.2% overall, from $660 to $820. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 18.4% (FY 2025), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑3.8% | $815 | $820 | $999 |
| FY 2025 ↑18.4% | $678 | $790 | $933 |
| FY 2024 ↑8.6% | $627 | $667 | $877 |
| FY 2023 ↓2.1% | $582 | $614 | $795 |
| FY 2022 ↓9.9% | $610 | $627 | $779 |
| FY 2021 ↑5.5% | $677 | $696 | $865 |
| FY 2020 | $605 | $660 | $869 |
Part of the Ruidoso, NM Micro Area
Lincoln County is a central county of the Ruidoso, NM micropolitan statistical area.
Nearby Counties in New Mexico
Largest counties by population in New Mexico
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Lincoln County? ▼
How does Lincoln County rent compare to the national average? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Lincoln County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Lincoln County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Lincoln County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Lincoln County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Lincoln County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Lincoln County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Lincoln's FY2026 Fair Market Rent as HUD's affordability benchmark, not a market quote.
- Budget to roughly 30% of income: the FY2026 1-bedroom FMR of $820 implies about $32,800/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Compare this county against nearby metros and states before signing a lease. Compare areas
- See where it sits on the national rent map. View rankings
Fair Market Rent is HUD's 40th-percentile policy benchmark used to set Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. Actual asking rents in Lincoln can run higher or lower, and HUD updates FMRs once a year. This page is informational and not financial or relocation advice.
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.