County FMR · HUD FY2026
Pacific County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Pacific County, WA - 3% below the US average.
- $926
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,134
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +7.8%
- YoY change
- -3%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Pacific is the 9th cheapest of 39 counties in Washington by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,195 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 7.8% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.
- #1,195
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #9
- cheapest of 39 in Washington (2BR)
- -22%
- vs the state average
- $37,040
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (6.7%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (30.2%); 14 of 15 common occupations here can afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding the 30% threshold; nearby Washington counties range as much as 80% apart in 1-bedroom FMR, so the county line itself can matter for renters comparing options.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Pacific County, WA. Verify with HUD →
The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Pacific County, Washington is $926 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $1,134/mo and a studio is $796/mo. This is 3% lower than the national average of $959 and 22% below the Washington average of $1,180.
Rent increased7.8% from FY 2025 ($859), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $37,040/year for a 1-bedroom.
Observed renter burden: 42.0% of the 2,021 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 3.9%, 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 6.3% over the past 12 months, well above the national norm, a headwind for household budgets that can also soften local rent growth.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Washington. Population: 23,396. Population grew 11.6% 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 Washington's statewide growth of +6.1% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area PACIFIC·COUNTY·WA·WA
Pacific County, WA: $926/mo 1BR · #1195 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA WA
- 1BR-FMR $926
- 2BR-FMR $1,134
- RANK-MID #1,195
- YOY-SURGE +7.8%
- VSUS-NEAR -3%
- VS-ST-LOW -22% WA
- INC-ROOM 18%
- POP-SMALL 23K
- PHOTO-NEAR King County
- VOUCH-90-110 $833–$1,019
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: King ($1,220 1BR gap)
Read with: How Fair Market Rent works
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $773 | $796 | +$23 (+3.0%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $859 | $926 | +$67 (+7.8%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,105 | $1,134 | +$29 (+2.6%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,488 | $1,557 | +$69 (+4.6%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,856 | $1,902 | +$46 (+2.5%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Pacific 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 Pacific sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,134 Top 38% higher than 62% 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 Pacific compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Washington counties
- King
King County
$2,146 1BR FMR / mo
- Snohomish
Snohomish County
$2,146 1BR FMR / mo
- Thurston
Thurston County
$1,682 1BR FMR / mo
- Clark
Clark County
$1,677 1BR FMR / mo
- Pierce
Pierce County
$1,605 1BR FMR / mo
- Spokane
Spokane County
$1,193 1BR FMR / mo
- Pacific
Pacific County
$926 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Pacific is highlighted. Nearby Washington counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: King County ($2,146), Snohomish County ($2,146), Thurston County ($1,682), Clark County ($1,677), Pierce County ($1,605), Spokane County ($1,193), Pacific County (this county) ($926).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $926/mo compares to Washington salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | WA Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $166,910 | 6.7% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $130,240 | 8.5% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $112,180 | 9.9% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $102,640 | 10.8% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $99,110 | 11.2% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $96,530 | 11.5% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $96,180 | 11.6% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $78,010 | 14.2% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $63,760 | 17.4% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $56,140 | 19.8% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $49,150 | 22.6% | Affordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $47,210 | 23.5% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $43,720 | 25.4% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $38,350 | 29% | Affordable |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $36,820 | 30.2% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Pacific County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Pacific (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 34.2% overall, from $690 to $926. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 10.7% (FY 2023).
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑7.8% | $796 | $926 | $1,134 |
| FY 2025 ↑1.5% | $773 | $859 | $1,105 |
| FY 2024 ↑6.0% | $754 | $846 | $1,112 |
| FY 2023 ↑10.7% | $702 | $798 | $1,050 |
| FY 2022 ↑9.9% | $631 | $721 | $949 |
| FY 2021 ↓4.9% | $571 | $656 | $865 |
| FY 2020 | $592 | $690 | $909 |
Where Pacific County Ranks in Washington
Pacific 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 #9 of 39 counties in Washington. Nearest by rank: Okanogan County ($1,043), Garfield County ($1,047), Columbia County ($1,052), Pend Oreille County ($1,099), Stevens County ($1,131), Adams County ($1,133), Pacific County (this county) ($1,134), Wahkiakum County ($1,137), Whitman County ($1,169), Grays Harbor County ($1,216), Asotin County ($1,220), Grant County ($1,232), Clallam County ($1,266).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Pacific County, both outside Washington 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 WA (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside WA).
Nearby Counties in Washington
Largest counties by population in Washington
Showing the 8 largest of 38 other counties in Washington.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Pacific County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Pacific County is $926 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,134 and a studio is $796.
How does Pacific County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Pacific County is 3% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $926 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Pacific County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Pacific County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,134 ranks #1,195 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 Pacific County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $37,040 ($3,087/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Pacific County.
Is rent going up or down in Pacific County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Pacific County increased by 7.8% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $859 to $926.
Which jobs can afford rent in Pacific County?
Based on Washington BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $926/mo. 14 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Pacific County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Pacific County went from $690 in FY 2020 to $926 in FY 2026, a total change of +34.2% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Pacific County?
In Pacific County, the FY 2026 FMR of $926/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 Pacific County?
For Pacific County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($926/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Pacific County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 3.9%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
What is the unemployment rate in Pacific County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 6.3% over the past 12 months, well above the national norm, a headwind for household budgets that can also soften local rent growth.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Pacific'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 $926 implies about $37,040/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Washington counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs King
- See where Pacific 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.