County FMR · HUD FY2026

Maricopa County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Maricopa County, AZ - 65% above the US average.

$1,583
1-bedroom FMR
$1,839
2-bedroom FMR
-5.7%
YoY change
+65%
vs US avg

The verdict

Maricopa is the 3rd most expensive of 15 counties in Arizona by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #189 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has fallen 5.7% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.

#189
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#3
most expensive of 15 in Arizona (2BR)
+38%
vs the state average
$63,320
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (14.8%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (57.5%); only 5 of 15 common occupations here can afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding the 30% threshold; nearby Arizona counties range as much as 64% apart in 1-bedroom FMR, so the county line itself can matter for renters comparing options.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Maricopa County, AZ. Verify with HUD →

Maricopa County, Arizona carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,583 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,839/mo and a studio is $1,457/mo. That's 65% above the national benchmark of $959 and 38% above the Arizona average of $1,151.

Rent decreased5.7% from FY 2025 ($1,679), declining against the trend. Clearing the 30% rule here takes $63,320/year, a high bar relative to most US counties.

Observed renter burden: 48.5% of the 593,849 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 Arizona. Population: 4,430,871. Population grew 5.6% over the past five years (Census ACS) - among the faster-growing counties nationally, a trend that typically adds upward pressure on rents. That's in line with Arizona's statewide growth of +4.6% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area MARICOPA·COUNTY·AZ·AZ

Maricopa County, AZ: $1,583/mo 1BR · #189 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA AZ
  • 1BR-FMR $1,583
  • 2BR-FMR $1,839
  • RANK-UPPER #189
  • YOY-DOWN -5.7%
  • VSUS-HIGH +65%
  • VS-ST-HIGH +38% AZ
  • INC-MID 22%
  • POP-MEGA 4.4M
  • PHOTO-NEAR Pima County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $1,425–$1,741
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Pima ($502 1BR gap)

Read with: Understanding rent burden

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $1,053 · US avg: $893
$1,457/mo
↓ 4.8% YoY +38% vs state +63% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $1,151 · US avg: $959
$1,583/mo
↓ 5.7% YoY +38% vs state +65% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,419 · US avg: $1,175
$1,839/mo
↓ 5.7% YoY +30% vs state +57% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,889 · US avg: $1,525
$2,452/mo
↓ 6.6% YoY +30% vs state +61% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $2,158 · US avg: $1,756
$2,720/mo
↓ 7.3% YoY +26% vs state +55% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $1,530
$1,457
$-73 (-4.8%)
1 Bedroom $1,679
$1,583
$-96 (-5.7%)
2 Bedroom $1,950
$1,839
$-111 (-5.7%)
3 Bedroom $2,624
$2,452
$-172 (-6.6%)
4 Bedroom $2,934
$2,720
$-214 (-7.3%)

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio
20.4%
Affordable
Need $58,280/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
22.2%
Affordable
Need $63,320/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
25.8%
Affordable
Need $73,560/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
34.4%
Burdened
Need $98,080/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
38.2%
Burdened
Need $108,800/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%25.8%
Maricopa County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $85,518 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Arizona rent burden →

Where Maricopa sits among every US county

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

$1,839 Top 6% higher than 94% 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%). Below this entry. $1,200–$1,400: 417 counties (13%). Below this entry. $1,400–$1,600: 181 counties (6%). Below this entry. $1,600–$1,800: 172 counties (5%). Below this entry. $1,800–$2,000: 108 counties (3%). This entry sits in this band. $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 Maricopa compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Arizona counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Maricopa is highlighted. Nearby Arizona counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Coconino County ($1,727), Maricopa County (this county) ($1,583), Pinal County ($1,583), Yavapai County ($1,309), Pima County ($1,081), Mohave County ($1,060), Yuma County ($1,053).

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

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

Against a high local FMR of $1,583/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using Arizona BLS wages?

Occupation AZ Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $128,690 14.8% Affordable
Registered Nurses $96,890 19.6% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $90,000 21.1% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $79,370 23.9% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $78,620 24.2% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $61,220 31% Stretched
Electricians $59,480 31.9% Stretched
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $53,690 35.4% Stretched
Elementary School Teachers $50,980 37.3% Stretched
Pharmacy Technicians $47,620 39.9% Stretched
Customer Service Representatives $43,440 43.7% Stretched
Janitors & Cleaners $36,140 52.6% Unaffordable
Retail Salespersons $35,320 53.8% Unaffordable
Teaching Assistants $34,550 55% Unaffordable
Fast Food & Counter Workers $33,060 57.5% Unaffordable
Salaries: BLS OES (Arizona) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

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

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Maricopa (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 65.2% overall, from $958 to $1,583. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 34.5% (FY 2023), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.

$800$1,000$1,200$1,400$1,600$1,800 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $1,583
Maricopa County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↓5.7% $1,457 $1,583 $1,839
FY 2025 ↑5.0% $1,530 $1,679 $1,950
FY 2024 ↑9.0% $1,460 $1,599 $1,877
FY 2023 ↑34.5% $1,344 $1,467 $1,740
FY 2022 ↑5.7% $1,005 $1,091 $1,311
FY 2021 ↑7.7% $933 $1,032 $1,251
FY 2020 $847 $958 $1,173
Total change (6yr): +65.2%
Annualized: +8.7%/yr
1 BR: $958 → $1,583

Part of the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ Metro Area

Maricopa County is a central county of the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metropolitan statistical area, alongside 1 other metro-area county.

Maricopa County ranks #2 of 2 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Pinal County ($1,583), Maricopa County (this county) ($1,583).

Pinal County
1 BR: $1,583/mo
Maricopa County (this county)
1 BR: $1,583/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Maricopa County, both outside Arizona 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 AZ (FY2026).

St. Mary's County
MD · 2 BR $1,833/mo
Cumberland County
ME · 2 BR $1,833/mo
Travis County
TX · 2 BR $1,852/mo
Williamson County
TX · 2 BR $1,852/mo

Similar rent burden

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

Hamblen County
TN · 25.8% of income · 2 BR $1,135/mo
Wheeler County
GA · 25.8% of income · 2 BR $973/mo
Harris County
TX · 25.8% of income · 2 BR $1,573/mo
Kleberg County
TX · 25.8% of income · 2 BR $1,238/mo

Nearby Counties in Arizona

Largest counties by population in Arizona

Showing the 8 largest of 14 other counties in Arizona.

Pima County
1 BR: $1,081/mo Pop: 1,042,393
Pinal County
1 BR: $1,583/mo Pop: 433,338
Yavapai County
1 BR: $1,309/mo Pop: 237,830
Mohave County
1 BR: $1,060/mo Pop: 214,229
Yuma County
1 BR: $1,053/mo Pop: 204,374
Coconino County
1 BR: $1,727/mo Pop: 144,705
Cochise County
1 BR: $1,111/mo Pop: 125,504
Navajo County
1 BR: $1,026/mo Pop: 107,110
View all counties in Arizona →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Maricopa County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Maricopa County is $1,583 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,839 and a studio is $1,457.
How does Maricopa County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Maricopa County is 65% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,583 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Maricopa County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Maricopa County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,839 ranks #189 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the highest-rent tenth of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Maricopa County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $63,320 ($5,277/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Maricopa County.
Is rent going up or down in Maricopa County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Maricopa County decreased by 5.7% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,679 to $1,583.
Which jobs can afford rent in Maricopa County? ▼
Based on Arizona BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, Registered Nurses, General and Operations Managers can afford a 1-bedroom at $1,583/mo. 5 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Maricopa County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Maricopa County went from $958 in FY 2020 to $1,583 in FY 2026, a total change of +65.2% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Maricopa County? ▼
In Maricopa County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,583/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 Maricopa County? ▼
For Maricopa County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,583/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.