County FMR · HUD FY2026
Orange County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Orange County, NC - 57% above the US average.
- $1,507
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,711
- 2-bedroom FMR
- -7.9%
- YoY change
- +57%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Orange is the 5th most expensive of 100 counties in North Carolina by 2-bedroom FMR; rent here has fallen 7.9% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.
- #5
- most expensive of 100 in North Carolina (2BR)
- +54%
- vs the state average
- $60,280
- income to afford it (30% rule)
- -7.9%
- YoY, FY2025→2026
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (13.8%), while Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary spend the most (64.1%); only 4 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 Orange County, NC. Verify with HUD →
Orange County, North Carolina carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,507 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,711/mo and a studio is $1,417/mo. That's 57% above the national benchmark of $959 and 54% above the North Carolina average of $981.
Rent decreased7.9% from FY 2025 ($1,637), declining against the trend. To afford rent here, a household needs at least $60,280/year based on the 30% affordability rule.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in North Carolina. Population: 145,919. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+3.0%, Census ACS). That's in line with North Carolina's statewide growth of +4.2% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Orange County
The Orange County FMR area applies to all ZIP codes inside the county boundary, and North Carolina'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 57% above the US average of $959 and 54% higher than the North Carolina state average of $981. The 1-bedroom FMR went from$1,637 in FY 2025 to $1,507 in FY 2026 - a change of -7.9%, which is unusual and suggests softening demand or revised HUD sampling.
At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $1,507, affording it under the 30%-of-income rule takes $60,280 per year (about $5,023/month) in household income, and a 2-bedroom at $1,711 pushes that threshold even higher. With a population of 145,919 and a county median household income of $88,553, 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 | $1,548 | $1,417 | $-131 (-8.5%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $1,637 | $1,507 | $-130 (-7.9%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,872 | $1,711 | $-161 (-8.6%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $2,334 | $2,117 | $-217 (-9.3%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $2,807 | $2,527 | $-280 (-10.0%) |
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 Orange 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.
Orange County 2-bedroom rent burden
Where Orange sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,711 Top 9% higher than 91% 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 Orange compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other North Carolina counties
- Wake
Wake County
$1,596 1BR FMR / mo
- Mecklenburg
Mecklenburg County
$1,538 1BR FMR / mo
- Orange
Orange County
$1,507 1BR FMR / mo
- Durham
Durham County
$1,507 1BR FMR / mo
- Guilford
Guilford County
$1,213 1BR FMR / mo
- Cumberland
Cumberland County
$1,113 1BR FMR / mo
- Forsyth
Forsyth County
$1,082 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Orange is highlighted. Nearby North Carolina counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Wake County ($1,596), Mecklenburg County ($1,538), Orange County (this county) ($1,507), Durham County ($1,507), Guilford County ($1,213), Cumberland County ($1,113), Forsyth County ($1,082).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $1,507/mo compares to North Carolina salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | NC Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $131,000 | 13.8% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $99,190 | 18.2% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $81,860 | 22.1% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $80,490 | 22.5% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $58,030 | 31.2% | Stretched |
| Electricians | $54,070 | 33.4% | Stretched |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $49,580 | 36.5% | Stretched |
| Elementary School Teachers | $49,400 | 36.6% | Stretched |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $49,390 | 36.6% | Stretched |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $39,870 | 45.4% | Stretched |
| Customer Service Representatives | $39,530 | 45.7% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $32,630 | 55.4% | Unaffordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $30,090 | 60.1% | Unaffordable |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $28,760 | 62.9% | Unaffordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $28,230 | 64.1% | Unaffordable |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Orange County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Orange (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 61.3% overall, from $934 to $1,507. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 25.0% (FY 2024), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↓7.9% | $1,417 | $1,507 | $1,711 |
| FY 2025 ↑15.4% | $1,548 | $1,637 | $1,872 |
| FY 2024 ↑25.0% | $1,385 | $1,418 | $1,631 |
| FY 2023 ↑10.1% | $1,128 | $1,134 | $1,315 |
| FY 2022 ↑5.7% | $1,024 | $1,030 | $1,199 |
| FY 2021 ↑4.3% | $972 | $974 | $1,134 |
| FY 2020 | $919 | $934 | $1,088 |
Part of the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC Metro Area
Orange County is a central county of the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metropolitan statistical area, alongside 3 other metro-area counties.
Orange County ranks #3 of 4 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Durham County ($1,507), Chatham County ($1,507), Orange County (this county) ($1,507), Person County ($744).
Nearby Counties in North Carolina
Largest counties by population in North Carolina
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Orange County? ▼
How does Orange County rent compare to the national average? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Orange County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Orange County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Orange County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Orange County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Orange County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Orange County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Orange'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 $1,507 implies about $60,280/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 Orange 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.