County FMR · HUD FY2026
Lincoln County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Lincoln County, WA - 19% below the US average.
- $778
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,021
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +0.0%
- YoY change
- -19%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Lincoln is the 2nd cheapest of 39 counties in Washington by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,542 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties.
- #1,542
- most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #2
- cheapest of 39 in Washington (2BR)
- -34%
- vs the state average
- $31,120
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (5.6%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (25.4%); 15 of 15 common occupations here can afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding the 30% threshold; nearby Washington counties range as much as 80% 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, WA. Verify with HUD →
Lincoln County, Washington carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $778 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,021/mo and a studio is $716/mo. That's 19% below the national benchmark of $959 and 34% below the Washington average of $1,180.
Rent increased0.0% from FY 2025 ($778), roughly tracking inflation. The 30% affordability floor is comparatively reachable here at $31,120/year.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Washington. Population: 11,036. Population grew 8.0% 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 Washington's statewide growth of +6.1% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area LINCOLN·COUNTY·WA·WA
Lincoln County, WA: $778/mo 1BR · #1542 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA WA
- 1BR-FMR $778
- 2BR-FMR $1,021
- RANK-MID #1,542
- YOY-FLAT +0.0%
- VSUS-BELOW -19%
- VS-ST-LOW -34% WA
- INC-ROOM 13%
- POP-SMALL 11K
- PHOTO-NEAR King County
- VOUCH-90-110 $700–$856
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: King ($1,368 1BR gap)
Read with: Section 8 housing guide
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $714 | $716 | +$2 (+0.3%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $778 | $778 | $0 (0.0%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,021 | $1,021 | $0 (0.0%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,406 | $1,420 | +$14 (+1.0%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,715 | $1,713 | $-2 (-0.1%) |
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
$1,021 higher than 49% 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 Washington counties
- King
King County
$2,146 1BR FMR / mo
- Snohomish
Snohomish County
$2,146 1BR FMR / mo
- Thurston
Thurston County
$1,682 1BR FMR / mo
- Clark
Clark County
$1,677 1BR FMR / mo
- Pierce
Pierce County
$1,605 1BR FMR / mo
- Spokane
Spokane County
$1,193 1BR FMR / mo
- Lincoln $778
Lincoln County
$778 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Lincoln is highlighted. Nearby Washington counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: King County ($2,146), Snohomish County ($2,146), Thurston County ($1,682), Clark County ($1,677), Pierce County ($1,605), Spokane County ($1,193), Lincoln County (this county) ($778).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
With a below-average 1-bedroom at $778/mo, most of these Washington occupations clear, or miss, the 30% affordability line.
| Occupation | WA Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $166,910 | 5.6% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $130,240 | 7.2% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $112,180 | 8.3% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $102,640 | 9.1% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $99,110 | 9.4% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $96,180 | 9.7% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $96,530 | 9.7% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $78,010 | 12% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $63,760 | 14.6% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $56,140 | 16.6% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $49,150 | 19% | Affordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $47,210 | 19.8% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $43,720 | 21.4% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $38,350 | 24.3% | Affordable |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $36,820 | 25.4% | Affordable |
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 41.2% overall, from $551 to $778. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 21.0% (FY 2022), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑0.0% | $716 | $778 | $1,021 |
| FY 2025 ↓5.2% | $714 | $778 | $1,021 |
| FY 2024 ↑6.9% | $731 | $821 | $1,079 |
| FY 2023 ↑13.9% | $676 | $768 | $1,011 |
| FY 2022 ↑21.0% | $589 | $674 | $887 |
| FY 2021 ↑1.1% | $484 | $557 | $734 |
| FY 2020 | $473 | $551 | $726 |
Where Lincoln County Ranks in Washington
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 #2 of 39 counties in Washington. Nearest by rank: Ferry County ($973), Lincoln County (this county) ($1,021), Okanogan County ($1,043), Garfield County ($1,047), Columbia County ($1,052), Pend Oreille County ($1,099), Stevens County ($1,131), Adams County ($1,133).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Lincoln County, both outside Washington 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 WA (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside WA).
Nearby Counties in Washington
Largest counties by population in Washington
Showing the 8 largest of 38 other counties in Washington.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Lincoln County? ▼
How does Lincoln County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Where does Lincoln County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
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? ▼
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.