County FMR · HUD FY2026
Madison County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Madison County, NY - 17% above the US average.
- $1,123
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,392
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +4.6%
- YoY change
- +17%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Madison is the 30th most expensive of 62 counties in New York by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #598 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties.
- #598
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #30
- most expensive of 62 in New York (2BR)
- -15%
- vs the state average
- $44,920
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (8.4%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (38.2%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Madison County, NY. Verify with HUD →
HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Madison County, New York at $1,123 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,392/mo and a studio is $995/mo. This is 17% higher than the national average of $959 and 15% below the New York average of $1,315.
Rent increased4.6% from FY 2025 ($1,074), outpacing inflation. A household needs about $44,920/year to stay under the 30% rent-to-income line.
Observed renter burden: 39.4% of the 5,516 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 2.8%, 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 4.2% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in New York. Population: 68,020. Population declined 5.3% over the past five years (Census ACS), a trend that can ease rental-market pressure over time even as FMR reflects recent rent levels. That's slower than New York's statewide growth of +1.3% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area MADISON·COUNTY·NY·NY
Madison County, NY: $1,123/mo 1BR · #598 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA NY
- 1BR-FMR $1,123
- 2BR-FMR $1,392
- RANK-MID #598
- YOY-UP +4.6%
- VSUS-ABOVE +17%
- VS-ST-LOW -15% NY
- INC-ROOM 18%
- POP-MID 68K
- PHOTO-NEAR Kings County
- VOUCH-90-110 $1,011–$1,235
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Kings ($1,532 1BR gap)
Read with: Understanding rent burden
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $963 | $995 | +$32 (+3.3%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $1,074 | $1,123 | +$49 (+4.6%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,321 | $1,392 | +$71 (+5.4%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,616 | $1,691 | +$75 (+4.6%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,821 | $1,848 | +$27 (+1.5%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Madison 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 Madison sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,392 Top 19% higher than 81% 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 Madison compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other New York counties
- Kings
Kings County
$2,655 1BR FMR / mo
- Queens
Queens County
$2,655 1BR FMR / mo
- New York
New York County
$2,655 1BR FMR / mo
- Bronx
Bronx County
$2,655 1BR FMR / mo
- Suffolk
Suffolk County
$2,379 1BR FMR / mo
- Nassau
Nassau County
$2,379 1BR FMR / mo
- Madison
Madison County
$1,123 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Madison is highlighted. Nearby New York counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Kings County ($2,655), Queens County ($2,655), New York County ($2,655), Bronx County ($2,655), Suffolk County ($2,379), Nassau County ($2,379), Madison County (this county) ($1,123).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
Against a high local FMR of $1,123/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using New York BLS wages?
| Occupation | NY Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $161,260 | 8.4% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $129,990 | 10.4% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $105,600 | 12.8% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $101,780 | 13.2% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $93,050 | 14.5% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $82,480 | 16.3% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $77,460 | 17.4% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $66,390 | 20.3% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $60,520 | 22.3% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $47,840 | 28.2% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $40,840 | 33% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $39,920 | 33.8% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $37,020 | 36.4% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $36,600 | 36.8% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $35,270 | 38.2% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Madison County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Madison (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 55.3% overall, from $723 to $1,123. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +17.2% in FY 2025, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑4.6% | $995 | $1,123 | $1,392 |
| FY 2025 ↑17.2% | $963 | $1,074 | $1,321 |
| FY 2024 ↑2.1% | $828 | $916 | $1,126 |
| FY 2023 ↑14.9% | $801 | $897 | $1,109 |
| FY 2022 ↑7.1% | $694 | $781 | $966 |
| FY 2021 ↑0.8% | $648 | $729 | $901 |
| FY 2020 | $633 | $723 | $900 |
Part of the Syracuse, NY Metro Area
Madison County is a outlying county of the Syracuse, NY metropolitan statistical area, alongside 2 other metro-area counties.
Madison County ranks #3 of 3 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Onondaga County ($1,123), Oswego County ($1,123), Madison County (this county) ($1,123).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Madison County, both outside New York 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 NY (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside NY).
Nearby Counties in New York
Largest counties by population in New York
Showing the 8 largest of 61 other counties in New York.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Madison County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Madison County is $1,123 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,392 and a studio is $995.
How does Madison County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Madison County is 17% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,123 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Madison County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Madison County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,392 ranks #598 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 Madison County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $44,920 ($3,743/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Madison County.
Is rent going up or down in Madison County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Madison County increased by 4.6% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,074 to $1,123.
Which jobs can afford rent in Madison County?
Based on New York BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $1,123/mo. 10 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Madison County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Madison County went from $723 in FY 2020 to $1,123 in FY 2026, a total change of +55.3% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Madison County?
In Madison County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,123/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 Madison County?
For Madison County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,123/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Madison County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 2.8%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
What is the unemployment rate in Madison County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 4.2% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Madison'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 $1,123 implies about $44,920/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- New York counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Kings
- See where Madison 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.