County FMR · HUD FY2026

McDowell County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for McDowell County, NC - 18% below the US average.

$790
1-bedroom FMR
$925
2-bedroom FMR
-5.5%
YoY change
-18%
vs US avg

The verdict

McDowell is the 14th cheapest of 100 counties in North Carolina by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #599 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has fallen 5.5% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.

#599
most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#14
cheapest of 100 in North Carolina (2BR)
-19%
vs the state average
$31,600
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (7.2%), while Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary spend the most (33.6%).

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for McDowell County, NC. Verify with HUD →

HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for McDowell County, North Carolina at $790 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $925/mo and a studio is $782/mo. This is 18% lower than the national average of $959 and 19% below the North Carolina average of $981.

Rent decreased5.5% from FY 2025 ($836), declining against the trend. The 30% affordability floor is comparatively reachable here at $31,600/year.

Observed renter burden: 29.1% of the 4,788 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 North Carolina. Population: 44,629. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-1.0%, Census ACS). That's slower than North Carolina's statewide growth of +4.2% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area MCDOWELL·COUNTY·NC·NC

McDowell County, NC: $790/mo 1BR · #599 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA NC
  • 1BR-FMR $790
  • 2BR-FMR $925
  • RANK-MID #599
  • YOY-DOWN -5.5%
  • VSUS-BELOW -18%
  • VS-ST-LOW -19% NC
  • INC-ROOM 17%
  • POP-SMALL 45K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Wake County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $711–$869
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Wake ($806 1BR gap)

Read with: Section 8 housing guide

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $932 · US avg: $893
$782/mo
↑ 0.3% YoY -16% vs state -12% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $981 · US avg: $959
$790/mo
↓ 5.5% YoY -19% vs state -18% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,161 · US avg: $1,175
$925/mo
↓ 0.5% YoY -20% vs state -21% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,499 · US avg: $1,525
$1,180/mo
↑ 0.7% YoY -21% vs state -23% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,780 · US avg: $1,756
$1,225/mo
↓ 1.4% YoY -31% vs state -30% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $780
$782
+$2 (+0.3%)
1 Bedroom $836
$790
$-46 (-5.5%)
2 Bedroom $930
$925
$-5 (-0.5%)
3 Bedroom $1,172
$1,180
+$8 (+0.7%)
4 Bedroom $1,243
$1,225
$-18 (-1.4%)

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio
16.9%
Affordable
Need $31,280/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
17.1%
Affordable
Need $31,600/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
20%
Affordable
Need $37,000/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
25.5%
Affordable
Need $47,200/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
26.5%
Affordable
Need $49,000/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%20%
McDowell County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $55,527 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View North Carolina rent burden →

Where McDowell sits among every US county

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

$925 higher than 19% of 3,145 counties

$600–$800: 23 counties (1%). Below this entry. $800–$1,000: 1,406 counties (45%). This entry sits in this band. $1,000–$1,200: 723 counties (23%). Above this entry. $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 McDowell compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other North Carolina counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows McDowell is highlighted. Nearby North Carolina counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Wake County ($1,596), Mecklenburg County ($1,538), Durham County ($1,507), Guilford County ($1,213), Cumberland County ($1,113), Forsyth County ($1,082), McDowell County (this county) ($790).

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

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

With a below-average 1-bedroom at $790/mo, most of these North Carolina occupations clear, or miss, the 30% affordability line.

Occupation NC Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $131,000 7.2% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $99,190 9.6% Affordable
Registered Nurses $81,860 11.6% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $80,490 11.8% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $58,030 16.3% Affordable
Electricians $54,070 17.5% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $49,580 19.1% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $49,400 19.2% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $49,390 19.2% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $39,870 23.8% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $39,530 24% Affordable
Janitors & Cleaners $32,630 29.1% Affordable
Retail Salespersons $30,090 31.5% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $28,760 33% Stretched
Teaching Assistants $28,230 33.6% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (North Carolina) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

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

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for McDowell (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 38.1% overall, from $572 to $790. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +12.7% in FY 2023, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.

$500$600$700$800$900 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $790
McDowell County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↓5.5% $782 $790 $925
FY 2025 ↑11.3% $780 $836 $930
FY 2024 ↑11.6% $713 $751 $856
FY 2023 ↑12.7% $541 $673 $771
FY 2022 ↑1.5% $593 $597 $724
FY 2021 ↑2.8% $584 $588 $693
FY 2020 $569 $572 $671
Total change (6yr): +38.1%
Annualized: +5.5%/yr
1 BR: $572 → $790

Part of the Marion, NC Micro Area

McDowell County is a central county of the Marion, NC micropolitan statistical area.

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for McDowell County, both outside North Carolina 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 NC (FY2026).

Greene County
TN · 2 BR $925/mo
Monroe County
TN · 2 BR $925/mo
Natchitoches Parish
LA · 2 BR $925/mo
Dyer County
TN · 2 BR $925/mo

Similar rent burden

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

Jackson County
OH · 20% of income · 2 BR $973/mo
Newberry County
SC · 20% of income · 2 BR $994/mo
Miller County
GA · 20% of income · 2 BR $973/mo
Franklin County
NE · 20% of income · 2 BR $961/mo

Nearby Counties in North Carolina

Largest counties by population in North Carolina

Showing the 8 largest of 99 other counties in North Carolina.

Wake County
1 BR: $1,596/mo Pop: 1,132,103
Mecklenburg County
1 BR: $1,538/mo Pop: 1,115,403
Guilford County
1 BR: $1,213/mo Pop: 539,557
Forsyth County
1 BR: $1,082/mo Pop: 383,739
Cumberland County
1 BR: $1,113/mo Pop: 335,207
Durham County
1 BR: $1,507/mo Pop: 325,101
Buncombe County
1 BR: $1,429/mo Pop: 269,449
Union County
1 BR: $1,538/mo Pop: 240,109
View all counties in North Carolina →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in McDowell County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in McDowell County is $790 per month. A 2-bedroom is $925 and a studio is $782.
How does McDowell County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in McDowell County is 18% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $790 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does McDowell County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, McDowell County's 2-bedroom FMR of $925 ranks #599 most affordable among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the lower-rent quarter of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in McDowell County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $31,600 ($2,633/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in McDowell County.
Is rent going up or down in McDowell County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in McDowell County decreased by 5.5% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $836 to $790.
Which jobs can afford rent in McDowell County? ▼
Based on North Carolina BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $790/mo. 12 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in McDowell County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in McDowell County went from $572 in FY 2020 to $790 in FY 2026, a total change of +38.1% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in McDowell County? ▼
In McDowell County, the FY 2026 FMR of $790/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 McDowell County? ▼
For McDowell County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($790/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.