County FMR · HUD FY2026

Mercer County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Mercer County, NJ - 61% above the US average.

$1,545
1-bedroom FMR
$1,950
2-bedroom FMR
-3.7%
YoY change
+61%
vs US avg

The verdict

Mercer is the 9th cheapest of 21 counties in New Jersey by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #126 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties.

#126
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#9
cheapest of 21 in New Jersey (2BR)
-12%
vs the state average
$61,800
income to afford it (30% rule)

General and Operations Managers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (12.4%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (55.7%).

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Mercer County, NJ. Verify with HUD →

HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Mercer County, New Jersey at $1,545 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,950/mo and a studio is $1,344/mo. This is 61% higher than the national average of $959 and 12% below the New Jersey average of $1,759.

Rent decreased3.7% from FY 2025 ($1,605), declining against the trend. Clearing the 30% rule here takes $61,800/year, a high bar relative to most US counties.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in New Jersey. Population: 383,732. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+3.9%, Census ACS). That's in line with New Jersey's statewide growth of +4.3% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area MERCER·COUNTY·NJ·NJ

Mercer County, NJ: $1,545/mo 1BR · #126 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA NJ
  • 1BR-FMR $1,545
  • 2BR-FMR $1,950
  • RANK-UPPER #126
  • YOY-DOWN -3.7%
  • VSUS-HIGH +61%
  • VS-ST-LOW -12% NJ
  • INC-ROOM 19%
  • POP-MAJOR 384K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Bergen County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $1,391–$1,700
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Bergen ($479 1BR gap)

Read with: Understanding rent burden

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $1,599 · US avg: $893
$1,344/mo
↓ 3.4% YoY -16% vs state +51% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $1,759 · US avg: $959
$1,545/mo
↓ 3.7% YoY -12% vs state +61% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $2,132 · US avg: $1,175
$1,950/mo
↓ 3.8% YoY -9% vs state +66% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $2,658 · US avg: $1,525
$2,338/mo
↓ 4.3% YoY -12% vs state +53% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $3,005 · US avg: $1,756
$2,670/mo
↓ 2.8% YoY -11% vs state +52% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $1,391
$1,344
$-47 (-3.4%)
1 Bedroom $1,605
$1,545
$-60 (-3.7%)
2 Bedroom $2,028
$1,950
$-78 (-3.8%)
3 Bedroom $2,443
$2,338
$-105 (-4.3%)
4 Bedroom $2,747
$2,670
$-77 (-2.8%)

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio
16.7%
Affordable
Need $53,760/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
19.2%
Affordable
Need $61,800/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
24.3%
Affordable
Need $78,000/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
29.1%
Affordable
Need $93,520/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
33.3%
Burdened
Need $106,800/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%24.3%
Mercer County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $96,333 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View New Jersey rent burden →

Where Mercer sits among every US county

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

$1,950 Top 4% higher than 96% 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 Mercer compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other New Jersey counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Mercer is highlighted. Nearby New Jersey counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Hudson County ($2,458), Bergen County ($2,024), Middlesex County ($1,978), Monmouth County ($1,889), Ocean County ($1,889), Essex County ($1,822), Mercer County (this county) ($1,545).

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 $1,545/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using New Jersey BLS wages?

Occupation NJ Salary Rent Burden Verdict
General & Operations Managers $149,990 12.4% Affordable
Software Developers $132,400 14% Affordable
Registered Nurses $102,730 18% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $101,340 18.3% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $89,030 20.8% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $77,150 24% Affordable
Electricians $73,090 25.4% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $64,720 28.6% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $62,790 29.5% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $46,740 39.7% Stretched
Pharmacy Technicians $38,890 47.7% Stretched
Janitors & Cleaners $37,320 49.7% Stretched
Teaching Assistants $35,620 52% Unaffordable
Retail Salespersons $35,630 52% Unaffordable
Fast Food & Counter Workers $33,290 55.7% Unaffordable
Salaries: BLS OES (New Jersey) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

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

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Mercer (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 37.0% overall, from $1,128 to $1,545. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +17.3% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.

$1,000$1,200$1,400$1,600$1,800 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $1,545
Mercer County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↓3.7% $1,344 $1,545 $1,950
FY 2025 ↑3.5% $1,391 $1,605 $2,028
FY 2024 ↑17.3% $1,354 $1,550 $1,998
FY 2023 ↑7.7% $1,158 $1,321 $1,732
FY 2022 ↑4.8% $1,072 $1,226 $1,613
FY 2021 ↑3.7% $1,015 $1,170 $1,539
FY 2020 $949 $1,128 $1,456
Total change (6yr): +37.0%
Annualized: +5.4%/yr
1 BR: $1,128 → $1,545

Part of the Trenton-Princeton, NJ Metro Area

Mercer County is a central county of the Trenton-Princeton, NJ metropolitan statistical area.

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Mercer County, both outside New Jersey 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 NJ (FY2026).

Sarasota County
FL · 2 BR $1,958/mo
Manatee County
FL · 2 BR $1,958/mo
Thurston County
WA · 2 BR $1,960/mo
Lee County
FL · 2 BR $1,961/mo

Similar rent burden

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

Clark County
WA · 24.3% of income · 2 BR $1,922/mo
El Paso County
TX · 24.3% of income · 2 BR $1,191/mo
San Patricio County
TX · 24.3% of income · 2 BR $1,366/mo
Wilcox County
GA · 24.3% of income · 2 BR $973/mo

Nearby Counties in New Jersey

Largest counties by population in New Jersey

Showing the 8 largest of 20 other counties in New Jersey.

Bergen County
1 BR: $2,024/mo Pop: 953,243
Middlesex County
1 BR: $1,978/mo Pop: 860,147
Essex County
1 BR: $1,822/mo Pop: 853,374
Hudson County
1 BR: $2,458/mo Pop: 712,029
Monmouth County
1 BR: $1,889/mo Pop: 643,064
Ocean County
1 BR: $1,889/mo Pop: 638,691
Union County
1 BR: $1,822/mo Pop: 572,079
Camden County
1 BR: $1,520/mo Pop: 522,581
View all counties in New Jersey →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Mercer County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Mercer County is $1,545 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,950 and a studio is $1,344.
How does Mercer County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Mercer County is 61% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,545 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Mercer County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Mercer County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,950 ranks #126 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 Mercer County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $61,800 ($5,150/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Mercer County.
Is rent going up or down in Mercer County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Mercer County decreased by 3.7% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,605 to $1,545.
Which jobs can afford rent in Mercer County? ▼
Based on New Jersey BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like General and Operations Managers, Software Developers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $1,545/mo. 9 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Mercer County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Mercer County went from $1,128 in FY 2020 to $1,545 in FY 2026, a total change of +37.0% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Mercer County? ▼
In Mercer County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,545/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 Mercer County? ▼
For Mercer County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,545/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.