County FMR · HUD FY2026

Malheur County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Malheur County, OR - 2% below the US average.

$942
1-bedroom FMR
$1,081
2-bedroom FMR
+14.7%
YoY change
-2%
vs US avg

The verdict

Malheur is the 6th cheapest of 36 counties in Oregon by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,352 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 14.7% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.

#1,352
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#6
cheapest of 36 in Oregon (2BR)
-18%
vs the state average
$37,680
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 (32.8%).

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Malheur County, OR. Verify with HUD →

Malheur County, Oregon carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $942 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,081/mo and a studio is $772/mo. That's 2% below the national benchmark of $959 and 18% below the Oregon average of $1,143.

Rent increased14.7% from FY 2025 ($821), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $37,680/year for a 1-bedroom.

Observed renter burden: 34.2% of the 3,674 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.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Oregon. Population: 31,538. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+4.2%, Census ACS). That's in line with Oregon's statewide growth of +3.8% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area MALHEUR·COUNTY·OR·OR

Malheur County, OR: $942/mo 1BR · #1352 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA OR
  • 1BR-FMR $942
  • 2BR-FMR $1,081
  • RANK-MID #1,352
  • YOY-SURGE +14.7%
  • VSUS-NEAR -2%
  • VS-ST-LOW -18% OR
  • INC-MID 23%
  • POP-SMALL 32K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Multnomah County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $848–$1,036
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Multnomah ($735 1BR gap)

Read with: How Fair Market Rent works

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $1,051 · US avg: $893
$772/mo
↑ 13.0% YoY -27% vs state -14% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $1,143 · US avg: $959
$942/mo
↑ 14.7% YoY -18% vs state -2% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,425 · US avg: $1,175
$1,081/mo
↑ 12.4% YoY -24% vs state -8% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,963 · US avg: $1,525
$1,503/mo
↑ 11.5% YoY -23% vs state -1% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $2,318 · US avg: $1,756
$1,813/mo
↑ 12.3% YoY -22% vs state +3% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $683
$772
+$89 (+13.0%)
1 Bedroom $821
$942
+$121 (+14.7%)
2 Bedroom $962
$1,081
+$119 (+12.4%)
3 Bedroom $1,348
$1,503
+$155 (+11.5%)
4 Bedroom $1,615
$1,813
+$198 (+12.3%)

Rent Burden Analysis

How much of household income goes to rent in Malheur County. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.

Studio
18.6%
Affordable
Need $30,880/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
22.7%
Affordable
Need $37,680/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
26%
Affordable
Need $43,240/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
36.1%
Burdened
Need $60,120/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
43.6%
Burdened
Need $72,520/yr for 30% rule
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.

0%100%National avg22%26%
Malheur County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $49,902 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Oregon rent burden →

Where Malheur sits among every US county

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties

$1,081 higher than 57% of 3,145 counties

$600–$800: 23 counties (1%). Below this entry. $800–$1,000: 1,406 counties (45%). Below this entry. $1,000–$1,200: 723 counties (23%). This entry sits in this band. $1,200–$1,400: 417 counties (13%). Above this entry. $1,400–$1,600: 181 counties (6%). Above this entry. $1,600–$1,800: 172 counties (5%). Above this entry. $1,800–$2,000: 108 counties (3%). Above this entry. $2,000–$2,200: 29 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,200–$2,400: 40 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,400–$2,600: 13 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,600–$2,800: 9 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,800–$3,000: 15 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,000–$3,200: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,200–$3,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,400–$3,600: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,600–$3,800: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,800–$4,000: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,000–$4,200: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,200–$4,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. This county $600 $4,400 every US county, bucketed by value

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 Malheur compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Oregon counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Malheur is highlighted. Nearby Oregon counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Multnomah County ($1,677), Washington County ($1,677), Clackamas County ($1,677), Lane County ($1,286), Jackson County ($1,229), Marion County ($1,201), Malheur County (this county) ($942).

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) As of FY2026

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

How a 1-bedroom at $942/mo compares to Oregon salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).

Occupation OR Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $135,260 8.4% Affordable
Registered Nurses $123,990 9.1% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $98,580 11.5% Affordable
Electricians $97,320 11.6% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $88,140 12.8% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $81,130 13.9% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $75,800 14.9% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $63,970 17.7% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $61,180 18.5% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $51,210 22.1% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $46,280 24.4% Affordable
Janitors & Cleaners $37,550 30.1% Stretched
Teaching Assistants $36,540 30.9% Stretched
Retail Salespersons $36,140 31.3% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $34,430 32.8% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (Oregon) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

7-year Fair Market Rent history for Malheur County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Malheur (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 50.7% overall, from $625 to $942. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +14.7% in FY 2026, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.

$500$600$700$800$900$1,000 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $942
Malheur County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑14.7% $772 $942 $1,081
FY 2025 ↑10.9% $683 $821 $962
FY 2024 ↑9.1% $659 $740 $938
FY 2023 ↑3.5% $618 $678 $893
FY 2022 ↑8.3% $605 $655 $862
FY 2021 ↓3.2% $553 $605 $797
FY 2020 $557 $625 $823
Total change (6yr): +50.7%
Annualized: +7.1%/yr
1 BR: $625 → $942

Part of the Ontario, OR-ID Micro Area

Malheur County is a central county of the Ontario, OR-ID micropolitan statistical area, alongside 1 other micro-area county.

Malheur County ranks #1 of 2 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Malheur County (this county) ($942), Payette County ($816).

Malheur County (this county)
1 BR: $942/mo
Payette County
1 BR: $816/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Malheur County, both outside Oregon 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 OR (FY2026).

Steuben County
NY · 2 BR $1,081/mo
Renville County
ND · 2 BR $1,081/mo
Dodge County
WI · 2 BR $1,080/mo
Natrona County
WY · 2 BR $1,082/mo

Similar rent burden

Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside OR).

Madison County
TN · 26% of income · 2 BR $1,260/mo
Macon County
AL · 26% of income · 2 BR $995/mo
Scott County
TN · 26% of income · 2 BR $925/mo
Buchanan County
VA · 26% of income · 2 BR $914/mo

Nearby Counties in Oregon

Largest counties by population in Oregon

Showing the 8 largest of 35 other counties in Oregon.

Multnomah County
1 BR: $1,677/mo Pop: 808,098
Washington County
1 BR: $1,677/mo Pop: 599,541
Clackamas County
1 BR: $1,677/mo Pop: 420,925
Lane County
1 BR: $1,286/mo Pop: 382,218
Marion County
1 BR: $1,201/mo Pop: 345,815
Jackson County
1 BR: $1,229/mo Pop: 222,604
Deschutes County
1 BR: $1,371/mo Pop: 199,352
Linn County
1 BR: $1,236/mo Pop: 128,598
View all counties in Oregon →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Malheur County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Malheur County is $942 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,081 and a studio is $772.
How does Malheur County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Malheur County is 2% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $942 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Malheur County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Malheur County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,081 ranks #1,352 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the middle half of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Malheur County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $37,680 ($3,140/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Malheur County.
Is rent going up or down in Malheur County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Malheur County increased by 14.7% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $821 to $942.
Which jobs can afford rent in Malheur County? ▼
Based on Oregon BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, Registered Nurses, General and Operations Managers can afford a 1-bedroom at $942/mo. 11 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Malheur County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Malheur County went from $625 in FY 2020 to $942 in FY 2026, a total change of +50.7% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Malheur County? ▼
In Malheur County, the FY 2026 FMR of $942/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 Malheur County? ▼
For Malheur County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($942/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).

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.

All federal data sources used on this page
  • HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) - county-level fair-market rent estimates by bedroom count. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
  • HUD Income Limits - area median income for affordability calculations. huduser.gov/datasets/il
  • HUD Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) - rent burden and housing-cost distribution. huduser.gov/datasets/cp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - county and metro housing characteristics + median rent. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • BLS Consumer Price Index, Rent of Primary Residence - rent inflation by metro. bls.gov/cpi
  • IRS Migration Data (SOI) - interstate migration aggregates affecting county demand. irs.gov/statistics/migration
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics - state-level median wages by occupation, used for job affordability analysis. bls.gov/oes

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.