County FMR · HUD FY2026
Monroe County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Monroe County, TN - 20% below the US average.
- $764
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $925
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +3.8%
- YoY change
- -20%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Monroe is the 25th cheapest of 95 counties in Tennessee by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #599 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties.
- #599
- most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #25
- cheapest of 95 in Tennessee (2BR)
- -17%
- vs the state average
- $30,560
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (7.8%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (32.9%); 13 of 15 common occupations here can afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding the 30% threshold.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Monroe County, TN. Verify with HUD →
HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Monroe County, Tennessee at $764 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $925/mo and a studio is $684/mo. This is 20% lower than the national average of $959 and 17% below the Tennessee average of $924.
Rent increased3.8% from FY 2025 ($736), outpacing inflation. The 30% affordability floor is comparatively reachable here at $30,560/year.
Observed renter burden: 38.8% of the 5,356 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.
Market slack: The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 2.5%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
Local labor market: The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 3.9% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Tennessee. Population: 46,489. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+2.6%, Census ACS). That's slower than Tennessee's statewide growth of +5.0% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area MONROE·COUNTY·TN·TN
Monroe County, TN: $764/mo 1BR · #599 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA TN
- 1BR-FMR $764
- 2BR-FMR $925
- RANK-MID #599
- YOY-UP +3.8%
- VSUS-BELOW -20%
- VS-ST-LOW -17% TN
- INC-ROOM 16%
- POP-SMALL 46K
- PHOTO-NEAR Shelby County
- VOUCH-90-110 $688–$840
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Shelby ($390 1BR gap)
Read with: Section 8 housing guide
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $661 | $684 | +$23 (+3.5%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $736 | $764 | +$28 (+3.8%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $899 | $925 | +$26 (+2.9%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,251 | $1,220 | $-31 (-2.5%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,285 | $1,225 | $-60 (-4.7%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Monroe 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.
Where Monroe sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$925 higher than 19% 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 Monroe compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Tennessee counties
- Davidson
Davidson County
$1,578 1BR FMR / mo
- Rutherford
Rutherford County
$1,578 1BR FMR / mo
- Williamson
Williamson County
$1,578 1BR FMR / mo
- Hamilton
Hamilton County
$1,263 1BR FMR / mo
- Knox
Knox County
$1,184 1BR FMR / mo
- Shelby
Shelby County
$1,154 1BR FMR / mo
- Monroe
Monroe County
$764 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Monroe is highlighted. Nearby Tennessee counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Davidson County ($1,578), Rutherford County ($1,578), Williamson County ($1,578), Hamilton County ($1,263), Knox County ($1,184), Shelby County ($1,154), Monroe County (this county) ($764).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
With a below-average 1-bedroom at $764/mo, most of these Tennessee occupations clear, or miss, the 30% affordability line.
| Occupation | TN Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $117,340 | 7.8% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $102,850 | 8.9% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $79,030 | 11.6% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $75,500 | 12.1% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $59,410 | 15.4% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $59,190 | 15.5% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $55,610 | 16.5% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $55,270 | 16.6% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $52,690 | 17.4% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $40,130 | 22.8% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $38,130 | 24% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $31,220 | 29.4% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $30,770 | 29.8% | Affordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $28,030 | 32.7% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $27,840 | 32.9% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Monroe County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Monroe (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 35.2% overall, from $565 to $764. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +14.2% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑3.8% | $684 | $764 | $925 |
| FY 2025 ↑7.4% | $661 | $736 | $899 |
| FY 2024 ↑14.2% | $584 | $685 | $861 |
| FY 2023 ↑7.9% | $499 | $600 | $747 |
| FY 2022 ↓2.1% | $453 | $556 | $682 |
| FY 2021 ↑0.5% | $437 | $568 | $663 |
| FY 2020 | $423 | $565 | $649 |
Where Monroe County Ranks in Tennessee
Monroe 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 #25 of 95 counties in Tennessee. Nearest by rank: Jackson County ($925), Johnson County ($925), Lake County ($925), Lauderdale County ($925), Lewis County ($925), Lincoln County ($925), McNairy County ($925), Meigs County ($925), Monroe County (this county) ($925), Moore County ($925), Obion County ($925), Overton County ($925), Perry County ($925), Rhea County ($925), Scott County ($925), Van Buren County ($925), Wayne County ($925).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Monroe County, both outside Tennessee 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 TN (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside TN).
Nearby Counties in Tennessee
Largest counties by population in Tennessee
Showing the 8 largest of 94 other counties in Tennessee.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Monroe County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Monroe County is $764 per month. A 2-bedroom is $925 and a studio is $684.
How does Monroe County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Monroe County is 20% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $764 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Monroe County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Monroe 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 Monroe County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $30,560 ($2,547/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Monroe County.
Is rent going up or down in Monroe County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Monroe County increased by 3.8% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $736 to $764.
Which jobs can afford rent in Monroe County?
Based on Tennessee BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $764/mo. 13 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Monroe County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Monroe County went from $565 in FY 2020 to $764 in FY 2026, a total change of +35.2% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Monroe County?
In Monroe County, the FY 2026 FMR of $764/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 Monroe County?
For Monroe County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($764/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Monroe County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 2.5%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
What is the unemployment rate in Monroe County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 3.9% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Monroe's FY2026 Fair Market Rent as HUD's affordability benchmark, not a single market quote.
- Budget to roughly 30% of income: the FY2026 1-bedroom FMR of $764 implies about $30,560/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Tennessee counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Shelby
- See where Monroe ranks nationally on rent. National rankings
Fair Market Rent is HUD's 40th-percentile policy benchmark used to set Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. Actual asking rents can run higher or lower, and HUD updates FMRs once a year. This site is informational and not financial or relocation advice.
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.