County FMR · HUD FY2026

Natrona County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Natrona County, WY - 11% below the US average.

$852
1-bedroom FMR
$1,082
2-bedroom FMR
-1.8%
YoY change
-11%
vs US avg

The verdict

Natrona is the 6th most expensive of 23 counties in Wyoming by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,352 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties.

#1,352
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#6
most expensive of 23 in Wyoming (2BR)
+3%
vs the state average
$34,080
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (9.1%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (36.3%); 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 Natrona County, WY. Verify with HUD →

The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Natrona County, Wyoming is $852 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $1,082/mo and a studio is $767/mo. This is 11% lower than the national average of $959 and 3% above the Wyoming average of $824.

Rent decreased1.8% from FY 2025 ($868), declining against the trend. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $34,080/year for a 1-bedroom.

Observed renter burden: 41.5% of the 8,798 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 Wyoming. Population: 79,506. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-1.1%, Census ACS). That's in line with Wyoming's statewide growth of -0.4% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area NATRONA·COUNTY·WY·WY

Natrona County, WY: $852/mo 1BR · #1352 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA WY
  • 1BR-FMR $852
  • 2BR-FMR $1,082
  • RANK-MID #1,352
  • YOY-FLAT -1.8%
  • VSUS-BELOW -11%
  • VS-ST-NEAR +3% WY
  • INC-ROOM 14%
  • POP-MID 80K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Laramie County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $767–$937
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Laramie ($65 1BR gap)

Read with: How Fair Market Rent works

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $785 · US avg: $893
$767/mo
↑ 1.6% YoY -2% vs state -14% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $824 · US avg: $959
$852/mo
↓ 1.8% YoY +3% vs state -11% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,044 · US avg: $1,175
$1,082/mo
↑ 1.9% YoY +4% vs state -8% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,399 · US avg: $1,525
$1,505/mo
↑ 1.1% YoY +8% vs state -1% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,719 · US avg: $1,756
$1,815/mo
↑ 2.9% YoY +6% vs state +3% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $755
$767
+$12 (+1.6%)
1 Bedroom $868
$852
$-16 (-1.8%)
2 Bedroom $1,062
$1,082
+$20 (+1.9%)
3 Bedroom $1,488
$1,505
+$17 (+1.1%)
4 Bedroom $1,764
$1,815
+$51 (+2.9%)

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio
12.9%
Affordable
Need $30,680/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
14.4%
Affordable
Need $34,080/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
18.2%
Affordable
Need $43,280/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
25.3%
Affordable
Need $60,200/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
30.6%
Burdened
Need $72,600/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%18.2%
Natrona County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $71,247 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Wyoming rent burden →

Where Natrona sits among every US county

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

$1,082 higher than 57% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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 Natrona compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Wyoming counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Natrona is highlighted. Nearby Wyoming counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Laramie County ($917), Campbell County ($896), Sheridan County ($860), Sweetwater County ($854), Natrona County (this county) ($852), Albany County ($786), Fremont County ($753).

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

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

How a 1-bedroom at $852/mo compares to Wyoming salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).

Occupation WY Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $112,590 9.1% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $94,900 10.8% Affordable
Registered Nurses $81,790 12.5% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $77,400 13.2% Affordable
Electricians $73,450 13.9% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $65,180 15.7% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $61,560 16.6% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $60,270 17% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $49,980 20.5% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $46,490 22% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $39,360 26% Affordable
Janitors & Cleaners $35,580 28.7% Affordable
Teaching Assistants $34,410 29.7% Affordable
Retail Salespersons $31,450 32.5% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $28,200 36.3% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (Wyoming) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

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

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Natrona (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 9.2% overall, from $780 to $852. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 19.5% (FY 2024), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.

$700$750$800$850$900$950 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $852
Natrona County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↓1.8% $767 $852 $1,082
FY 2025 ↓2.8% $755 $868 $1,062
FY 2024 ↑19.5% $759 $893 $1,070
FY 2023 ↑2.6% $619 $747 $884
FY 2022 ↓1.2% $605 $728 $856
FY 2021 ↓5.5% $593 $737 $868
FY 2020 $612 $780 $924
Total change (6yr): +9.2%
Annualized: +1.5%/yr
1 BR: $780 → $852

Part of the Casper, WY Metro Area

Natrona County is a central county of the Casper, WY metropolitan statistical area.

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Natrona County, both outside Wyoming 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 WY (FY2026).

Mobile County
AL · 2 BR $1,083/mo
Steuben County
NY · 2 BR $1,081/mo
Franklin County
KY · 2 BR $1,083/mo
Malheur County
OR · 2 BR $1,081/mo

Similar rent burden

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

Van Buren County
MI · 18.2% of income · 2 BR $1,016/mo
Winona County
MN · 18.2% of income · 2 BR $1,066/mo
Monroe County
WI · 18.2% of income · 2 BR $1,036/mo
Matanuska-Susitna Borough
AK · 18.2% of income · 2 BR $1,376/mo

Nearby Counties in Wyoming

Largest counties by population in Wyoming

Showing the 8 largest of 22 other counties in Wyoming.

Laramie County
1 BR: $917/mo Pop: 100,316
Campbell County
1 BR: $896/mo Pop: 46,857
Sweetwater County
1 BR: $854/mo Pop: 42,079
Fremont County
1 BR: $753/mo Pop: 39,402
Albany County
1 BR: $786/mo Pop: 37,525
Sheridan County
1 BR: $860/mo Pop: 31,176
Park County
1 BR: $734/mo Pop: 29,878
Teton County
1 BR: $1,260/mo Pop: 23,346
View all counties in Wyoming →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Natrona County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Natrona County is $852 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,082 and a studio is $767.
How does Natrona County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Natrona County is 11% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $852 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Natrona County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Natrona County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,082 ranks #1,352 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the middle half of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Natrona County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $34,080 ($2,840/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Natrona County.
Is rent going up or down in Natrona County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Natrona County decreased by 1.8% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $868 to $852.
Which jobs can afford rent in Natrona County? ▼
Based on Wyoming BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $852/mo. 13 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Natrona County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Natrona County went from $780 in FY 2020 to $852 in FY 2026, a total change of +9.2% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Natrona County? ▼
In Natrona County, the FY 2026 FMR of $852/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 Natrona County? ▼
For Natrona County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($852/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.