County FMR · HUD FY2026

Montgomery County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Montgomery County, TN - 14% above the US average.

$1,094
1-bedroom FMR
$1,346
2-bedroom FMR
+12.1%
YoY change
+14%
vs US avg

The verdict

Montgomery is the 20th most expensive of 95 counties in Tennessee by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #660 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 12.1% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.

#660
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#20
most expensive of 95 in Tennessee (2BR)
+18%
vs the state average
$43,760
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (11.2%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (47.2%).

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Montgomery County, TN. Verify with HUD →

Montgomery County, Tennessee carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,094 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,346/mo and a studio is $1,090/mo. That's 14% above the national benchmark of $959 and 18% above the Tennessee average of $924.

Rent increased12.1% from FY 2025 ($976), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $43,760/year for a 1-bedroom.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Tennessee. Population: 222,305. Population grew 16.1% over the past five years (Census ACS) - among the faster-growing counties nationally, a trend that typically adds upward pressure on rents. That's faster than Tennessee's statewide growth of +5.0% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area MONTGOMERY·COUNTY·TN·TN

Montgomery County, TN: $1,094/mo 1BR · #660 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA TN
  • 1BR-FMR $1,094
  • 2BR-FMR $1,346
  • RANK-MID #660
  • YOY-SURGE +12.1%
  • VSUS-ABOVE +14%
  • VS-ST-HIGH +18% TN
  • INC-ROOM 18%
  • POP-MID 222K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Shelby County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $985–$1,203
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Shelby ($60 1BR gap)

Read with: How Fair Market Rent works

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $882 · US avg: $893
$1,090/mo
↑ 19.0% YoY +24% vs state +22% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $924 · US avg: $959
$1,094/mo
↑ 12.1% YoY +18% vs state +14% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,118 · US avg: $1,175
$1,346/mo
↑ 9.5% YoY +20% vs state +15% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,445 · US avg: $1,525
$1,871/mo
↑ 8.7% YoY +29% vs state +23% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,644 · US avg: $1,756
$2,258/mo
↑ 9.4% YoY +37% vs state +29% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $916
$1,090
+$174 (+19.0%)
1 Bedroom $976
$1,094
+$118 (+12.1%)
2 Bedroom $1,229
$1,346
+$117 (+9.5%)
3 Bedroom $1,722
$1,871
+$149 (+8.7%)
4 Bedroom $2,064
$2,258
+$194 (+9.4%)

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio
18.1%
Affordable
Need $43,600/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
18.1%
Affordable
Need $43,760/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
22.3%
Affordable
Need $53,840/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
31%
Burdened
Need $74,840/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
37.4%
Burdened
Need $90,320/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%22.3%
Montgomery County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $72,365 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Tennessee rent burden →

Where Montgomery sits among every US county

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

$1,346 Top 21% higher than 79% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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 Montgomery compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Tennessee counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Montgomery 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), Montgomery County (this county) ($1,094).

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

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

How a 1-bedroom at $1,094/mo compares to Tennessee salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).

Occupation TN Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $117,340 11.2% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $102,850 12.8% Affordable
Registered Nurses $79,030 16.6% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $75,500 17.4% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $59,410 22.1% Affordable
Electricians $59,190 22.2% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $55,610 23.6% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $55,270 23.8% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $52,690 24.9% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $40,130 32.7% Stretched
Pharmacy Technicians $38,130 34.4% Stretched
Janitors & Cleaners $31,220 42% Stretched
Retail Salespersons $30,770 42.7% Stretched
Teaching Assistants $28,030 46.8% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $27,840 47.2% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (Tennessee) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

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

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Montgomery (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 58.3% overall, from $691 to $1,094. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 28.0% (FY 2024), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.

$600$700$800$900$1,000$1,100$1,200 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $1,094
Montgomery County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑12.1% $1,090 $1,094 $1,346
FY 2025 ↑0.6% $916 $976 $1,229
FY 2024 ↑28.0% $887 $970 $1,246
FY 2023 ↑7.2% $699 $758 $985
FY 2022 ↑2.6% $634 $707 $910
FY 2021 ↓0.3% $576 $689 $872
FY 2020 $578 $691 $869
Total change (6yr): +58.3%
Annualized: +8.0%/yr
1 BR: $691 → $1,094

Part of the Clarksville, TN-KY Metro Area

Montgomery County is a central county of the Clarksville, TN-KY metropolitan statistical area, alongside 3 other metro-area counties.

Montgomery County ranks #3 of 4 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Christian County ($1,094), Trigg County ($1,094), Montgomery County (this county) ($1,094), Stewart County ($815).

Christian County
1 BR: $1,094/mo
Trigg County
1 BR: $1,094/mo
Montgomery County (this county)
1 BR: $1,094/mo
Stewart County
1 BR: $815/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Montgomery 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).

Christian County
KY · 2 BR $1,346/mo
Okeechobee County
FL · 2 BR $1,346/mo
Trigg County
KY · 2 BR $1,346/mo
Sherman County
OR · 2 BR $1,346/mo

Similar rent burden

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

Valley County
MT · 22.3% of income · 2 BR $1,200/mo
Smith County
TX · 22.3% of income · 2 BR $1,338/mo
Pitt County
NC · 22.3% of income · 2 BR $1,095/mo
Roosevelt County
NM · 22.3% of income · 2 BR $975/mo

Nearby Counties in Tennessee

Largest counties by population in Tennessee

Showing the 8 largest of 94 other counties in Tennessee.

Shelby County
1 BR: $1,154/mo Pop: 926,440
Davidson County
1 BR: $1,578/mo Pop: 709,786
Knox County
1 BR: $1,184/mo Pop: 481,406
Hamilton County
1 BR: $1,263/mo Pop: 367,193
Rutherford County
1 BR: $1,578/mo Pop: 343,727
Williamson County
1 BR: $1,578/mo Pop: 248,897
Sumner County
1 BR: $1,578/mo Pop: 196,845
Sullivan County
1 BR: $818/mo Pop: 158,722
View all counties in Tennessee →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Montgomery County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Montgomery County is $1,094 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,346 and a studio is $1,090.
How does Montgomery County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Montgomery County is 14% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,094 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Montgomery County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Montgomery County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,346 ranks #660 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the upper-rent quarter of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Montgomery County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $43,760 ($3,647/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Montgomery County.
Is rent going up or down in Montgomery County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Montgomery County increased by 12.1% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $976 to $1,094.
Which jobs can afford rent in Montgomery 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 $1,094/mo. 9 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Montgomery County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Montgomery County went from $691 in FY 2020 to $1,094 in FY 2026, a total change of +58.3% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Montgomery County? ▼
In Montgomery County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,094/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 Montgomery County? ▼
For Montgomery County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,094/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.