County FMR · HUD FY2026
Menard County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Menard County, TX - 19% below the US average.
- $778
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $973
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +3.5%
- YoY change
- -19%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Menard is the 48th cheapest of 254 counties in Texas by 2-bedroom FMR.
- #48
- cheapest of 254 in Texas (2BR)
- -17%
- vs the state average
- $31,120
- income to afford it (30% rule)
- +3.5%
- YoY, FY2025→2026
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (7.2%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (34.6%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Menard County, TX. Verify with HUD →
The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Menard County, Texas is $778 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $973/mo and a studio is $756/mo. This is 19% lower than the national average of $959 and 17% below the Texas average of $935.
Rent increased3.5% from FY 2025 ($752), outpacing inflation. To afford rent here, a household needs at least $31,120/year based on the 30% affordability rule.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Texas. Population: 1,964.
What these rents mean for Menard County
The Menard County FMR area applies to all ZIP codes inside the county boundary, and Texas's housing authorities use it as the baseline for Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. See how FMR is calculated for the full 40th-percentile methodology and payment-standard rules.
Compared to the rest of the country, a 1-bedroom here is 19% below the US average of $959 and 17% lower than the Texas state average of $935. Year-over-year, the 1-bedroom FMR moved from$752 in FY 2025 to $778 in FY 2026 - a change of +3.5%, which outpaces typical consumer inflation.
At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $778, affording it under the 30%-of-income rule takes $31,120 per year (about $2,593/month) in household income, and a 2-bedroom at $973 pushes that threshold even higher. With a population of 1,964 and a county median household income of $48,191, the arithmetic here directly shapes which wage earners can rent without being cost-burdened.
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $732 | $756 | +$24 (+3.3%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $752 | $778 | +$26 (+3.5%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $933 | $973 | +$40 (+4.3%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,307 | $1,353 | +$46 (+3.5%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,395 | $1,432 | +$37 (+2.7%) |
Affordability Snapshot
Based on the standard that rent should not exceed 30% of gross income:
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Menard 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.
Menard County 2-bedroom rent burden
Where Menard sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$973 higher than 31% 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 Menard compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Texas counties
- Dallas
Dallas County
$1,648 1BR FMR / mo
- Collin
Collin County
$1,648 1BR FMR / mo
- Travis
Travis County
$1,562 1BR FMR / mo
- Tarrant
Tarrant County
$1,473 1BR FMR / mo
- Harris
Harris County
$1,323 1BR FMR / mo
- Bexar
Bexar County
$1,177 1BR FMR / mo
- Menard
Menard County
$778 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Menard is highlighted. Nearby Texas counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Dallas County ($1,648), Collin County ($1,648), Travis County ($1,562), Tarrant County ($1,473), Harris County ($1,323), Bexar County ($1,177), Menard County (this county) ($778).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $778/mo compares to Texas salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | TX Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $130,500 | 7.2% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $100,290 | 9.3% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $90,010 | 10.4% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $80,000 | 11.7% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $76,350 | 12.2% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $61,380 | 15.2% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $59,700 | 15.6% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $56,920 | 16.4% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $53,070 | 17.6% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $43,920 | 21.3% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $39,100 | 23.9% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $31,230 | 29.9% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $30,130 | 31% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $27,630 | 33.8% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $27,000 | 34.6% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Menard County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Menard (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 36.5% overall, from $570 to $778. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 10.8% (FY 2024).
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑3.5% | $756 | $778 | $973 |
| FY 2025 ↑3.2% | $732 | $752 | $933 |
| FY 2024 ↑10.8% | $705 | $729 | $905 |
| FY 2023 ↑9.7% | $623 | $658 | $826 |
| FY 2022 ↑3.1% | $560 | $600 | $757 |
| FY 2021 ↑2.1% | $538 | $582 | $734 |
| FY 2020 | $529 | $570 | $714 |
Where Menard County Ranks in Texas
Menard County is not part of any federally-designated metropolitan or micropolitan statistical area -- an independent rental market not administratively tied to a larger urban core. By 2-bedroom FMR, it ranks #48 of 254 counties in Texas. Nearest by rank: Lamar County ($973), Lamb County ($973), Leon County ($973), Limestone County ($973), Lipscomb County ($973), Madison County ($973), Marion County ($973), Maverick County ($973), Menard County (this county) ($973), Mills County ($973), Morris County ($973), Motley County ($973), Newton County ($973), Pecos County ($973), Rains County ($973), Red River County ($973), Refugio County ($973).
Nearby Counties in Texas
Largest counties by population in Texas
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Menard County? ▼
How does Menard County rent compare to the national average? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Menard County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Menard County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Menard County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Menard County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Menard County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Menard County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Menard's FY2026 Fair Market Rent as HUD's affordability benchmark, not a market quote.
- Budget to roughly 30% of income: the FY2026 1-bedroom FMR of $778 implies about $31,120/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Compare this county against nearby metros and states before signing a lease. Compare areas
- See where it sits on the national rent map. View rankings
Fair Market Rent is HUD's 40th-percentile policy benchmark used to set Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. Actual asking rents in Menard can run higher or lower, and HUD updates FMRs once a year. This page is informational and not financial or relocation advice.
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.
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.