County FMR · HUD FY2026
Linn County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Linn County, KS - 25% above the US average.
- $1,197
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,358
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +1.2%
- YoY change
- +25%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Linn is the 4th most expensive of 105 counties in Kansas by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #629 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties.
- #629
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #4
- most expensive of 105 in Kansas (2BR)
- +59%
- vs the state average
- $47,880
- 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 (53.2%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Linn County, KS. Verify with HUD →
Linn County, Kansas carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,197 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,358/mo and a studio is $1,095/mo. That's 25% above the national benchmark of $959 and 59% above the Kansas average of $753.
Rent increased1.2% from FY 2025 ($1,183), roughly tracking inflation. A household needs about $47,880/year to stay under the 30% rent-to-income line.
Observed renter burden: 27.5% of the 879 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 5.2%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
Local labor market: The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 5.0% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Kansas. Population: 9,696. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+0.9%, Census ACS). That's in line with Kansas's statewide growth of +1.0% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area LINN·COUNTY·KS·KS
Linn County, KS: $1,197/mo 1BR · #629 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA KS
- 1BR-FMR $1,197
- 2BR-FMR $1,358
- RANK-MID #629
- YOY-FLAT +1.2%
- VSUS-ABOVE +25%
- VS-ST-HIGH +59% KS
- INC-MID 24%
- POP-SMALL 10K
- PHOTO-FINISH Johnson County
- VOUCH-90-110 $1,077–$1,317
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Johnson ($0 1BR gap)
Read with: Understanding rent burden
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,074 | $1,095 | +$21 (+2.0%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $1,183 | $1,197 | +$14 (+1.2%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,346 | $1,358 | +$12 (+0.9%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,756 | $1,769 | +$13 (+0.7%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $2,078 | $2,103 | +$25 (+1.2%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Linn 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 Linn sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,358 Top 20% higher than 80% 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 Linn compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Kansas counties
- Linn
Linn County
$1,197 1BR FMR / mo
- Johnson
Johnson County
$1,197 1BR FMR / mo
- Wyandotte
Wyandotte County
$1,197 1BR FMR / mo
- Leavenworth
Leavenworth County
$1,197 1BR FMR / mo
- Douglas
Douglas County
$1,006 1BR FMR / mo
- Sedgwick
Sedgwick County
$849 1BR FMR / mo
- Shawnee
Shawnee County
$820 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Linn is highlighted. Nearby Kansas counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Linn County (this county) ($1,197), Johnson County ($1,197), Wyandotte County ($1,197), Leavenworth County ($1,197), Douglas County ($1,006), Sedgwick County ($849), Shawnee County ($820).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
Against a high local FMR of $1,197/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using Kansas BLS wages?
| Occupation | KS Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $106,660 | 13.5% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $85,600 | 16.8% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $78,060 | 18.4% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $76,400 | 18.8% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $61,830 | 23.2% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $56,940 | 25.2% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $56,610 | 25.4% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $50,820 | 28.3% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $48,910 | 29.4% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $39,210 | 36.6% | Stretched |
| Customer Service Representatives | $38,330 | 37.5% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $32,690 | 43.9% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $31,670 | 45.4% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $27,960 | 51.4% | Unaffordable |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $27,000 | 53.2% | Unaffordable |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Linn County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Linn (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 47.2% overall, from $813 to $1,197. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +14.5% in FY 2023, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑1.2% | $1,095 | $1,197 | $1,358 |
| FY 2025 ↑7.7% | $1,074 | $1,183 | $1,346 |
| FY 2024 ↑9.6% | $985 | $1,098 | $1,258 |
| FY 2023 ↑14.5% | $885 | $1,002 | $1,164 |
| FY 2022 ↑2.1% | $762 | $875 | $1,030 |
| FY 2021 ↑5.4% | $731 | $857 | $1,021 |
| FY 2020 | $678 | $813 | $978 |
Part of the Kansas City, MO-KS Metro Area
Linn County is a outlying county of the Kansas City, MO-KS metropolitan statistical area, alongside 13 other metro-area counties.
Linn County ranks #13 of 14 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Jackson County ($1,197), Johnson County ($1,197), Clay County ($1,197), Wyandotte County ($1,197), Cass County ($1,197), Platte County ($1,197), Leavenworth County ($1,197), Miami County ($1,197), Lafayette County ($1,197), Ray County ($1,197), Clinton County ($1,197), Caldwell County ($1,197), Linn County (this county) ($1,197), Bates County ($706).
Show all 14 counties in this metro area
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Linn County, both outside Kansas 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 KS (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside KS).
Nearby Counties in Kansas
Largest counties by population in Kansas
Showing the 8 largest of 104 other counties in Kansas.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Linn County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Linn County is $1,197 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,358 and a studio is $1,095.
How does Linn County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Linn County is 25% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,197 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Linn County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Linn County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,358 ranks #629 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 Linn County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $47,880 ($3,990/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Linn County.
Is rent going up or down in Linn County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Linn County increased by 1.2% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,183 to $1,197.
Which jobs can afford rent in Linn County?
Based on Kansas BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $1,197/mo. 9 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Linn County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Linn County went from $813 in FY 2020 to $1,197 in FY 2026, a total change of +47.2% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Linn County?
In Linn County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,197/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 Linn County?
For Linn County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,197/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Linn County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 5.2%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
What is the unemployment rate in Linn County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 5.0% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Linn'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 $1,197 implies about $47,880/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Kansas counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Johnson
- See where Linn 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.