County FMR · HUD FY2026
Palm Beach County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Palm Beach County, FL - 98% above the US average.
- $1,901
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $2,254
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +3.9%
- YoY change
- +98%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Palm Beach is the 4th most expensive of 67 counties in Florida by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #63 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties.
- #63
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #4
- most expensive of 67 in Florida (2BR)
- +47%
- vs the state average
- $76,040
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (18%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (81.5%); only 5 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 Palm Beach County, FL. Verify with HUD →
The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Palm Beach County, Florida is $1,901 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $2,254/mo and a studio is $1,788/mo. This is 98% higher than the national average of $959 and 47% above the Florida average of $1,296.
Rent increased3.9% from FY 2025 ($1,830), outpacing inflation. Clearing the 30% rule here takes $76,040/year, a high bar relative to most US counties.
Observed renter burden: 57.4% of the 179,932 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 6.9%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
Local labor market: The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 4.5% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Florida. Population: 1,494,805. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+4.2%, Census ACS). That's slower than Florida's statewide growth of +6.5% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area PALM·BEACH·COUNTY·FL·FL
Palm Beach County, FL: $1,901/mo 1BR · #63 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA FL
- 1BR-FMR $1,901
- 2BR-FMR $2,254
- RANK-UPPER #63
- YOY-UP +3.9%
- VSUS-HIGH +98%
- VS-ST-HIGH +47% FL
- INC-EDGE 28%
- POP-MEGA 1.5M
- PHOTO-NEAR Miami-Dade County
- VOUCH-90-110 $1,711–$2,091
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Miami-Dade ($94 1BR gap)
Read with: Understanding rent burden
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,639 | $1,788 | +$149 (+9.1%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $1,830 | $1,901 | +$71 (+3.9%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $2,187 | $2,254 | +$67 (+3.1%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $2,856 | $2,920 | +$64 (+2.2%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $3,415 | $3,388 | $-27 (-0.8%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Palm Beach 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 Palm Beach sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$2,254 Top 2% higher than 98% 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 Palm Beach compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Florida counties
- Miami-Dade
Miami-Dade County
$1,995 1BR FMR / mo
- Palm Beach
Palm Beach County
$1,901 1BR FMR / mo
- Broward
Broward County
$1,900 1BR FMR / mo
- Orange
Orange County
$1,731 1BR FMR / mo
- Hillsborough
Hillsborough County
$1,696 1BR FMR / mo
- Pinellas
Pinellas County
$1,696 1BR FMR / mo
- Duval
Duval County
$1,382 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Palm Beach is highlighted. Nearby Florida counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Miami-Dade County ($1,995), Palm Beach County (this county) ($1,901), Broward County ($1,900), Orange County ($1,731), Hillsborough County ($1,696), Pinellas County ($1,696), Duval County ($1,382).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
Against a high local FMR of $1,901/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using Florida BLS wages?
| Occupation | FL Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $126,550 | 18% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $100,750 | 22.6% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $82,850 | 27.5% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $78,470 | 29.1% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $76,190 | 29.9% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $60,280 | 37.8% | Stretched |
| Elementary School Teachers | $55,550 | 41.1% | Stretched |
| Electricians | $53,100 | 43% | Stretched |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $50,000 | 45.6% | Stretched |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $39,640 | 57.5% | Unaffordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $38,890 | 58.7% | Unaffordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $31,950 | 71.4% | Unaffordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $31,540 | 72.3% | Unaffordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $30,230 | 75.5% | Unaffordable |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $27,990 | 81.5% | Unaffordable |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Palm Beach County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Palm Beach (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 57.4% overall, from $1,208 to $1,901. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 20.7% (FY 2023), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑3.9% | $1,788 | $1,901 | $2,254 |
| FY 2025 ↓1.1% | $1,639 | $1,830 | $2,187 |
| FY 2024 ↑20.4% | $1,573 | $1,851 | $2,226 |
| FY 2023 ↑20.7% | $1,258 | $1,538 | $1,881 |
| FY 2022 ↑8.0% | $1,049 | $1,274 | $1,578 |
| FY 2021 ↓2.3% | $983 | $1,180 | $1,468 |
| FY 2020 | $1,015 | $1,208 | $1,506 |
Part of the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL Metro Area
Palm Beach County is a central county of the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL metropolitan statistical area, alongside 2 other metro-area counties.
Palm Beach County ranks #2 of 3 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Miami-Dade County ($1,995), Palm Beach County (this county) ($1,901), Broward County ($1,900).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Palm Beach County, both outside Florida 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 FL (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside FL).
Nearby Counties in Florida
Largest counties by population in Florida
Showing the 8 largest of 66 other counties in Florida.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Palm Beach County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Palm Beach County is $1,901 per month. A 2-bedroom is $2,254 and a studio is $1,788.
How does Palm Beach County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Palm Beach County is 98% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,901 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Palm Beach County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Palm Beach County's 2-bedroom FMR of $2,254 ranks #63 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the highest-rent tenth of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Palm Beach County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $76,040 ($6,337/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Palm Beach County.
Is rent going up or down in Palm Beach County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Palm Beach County increased by 3.9% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,830 to $1,901.
Which jobs can afford rent in Palm Beach County?
Based on Florida BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $1,901/mo. 5 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Palm Beach County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Palm Beach County went from $1,208 in FY 2020 to $1,901 in FY 2026, a total change of +57.4% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Palm Beach County?
In Palm Beach County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,901/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 Palm Beach County?
For Palm Beach County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,901/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Palm Beach County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 6.9%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
What is the unemployment rate in Palm Beach County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 4.5% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Palm Beach'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 $1,901 implies about $76,040/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Florida counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Miami-Dade
- See where Palm Beach 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.