County FMR · HUD FY2026
Palo Alto County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Palo Alto County, IA - 27% below the US average.
- $700
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $919
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +4.8%
- YoY change
- -27%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Palo Alto is the 41st cheapest of 99 counties in Iowa by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #504 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties.
- #504
- most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #41
- cheapest of 99 in Iowa (2BR)
- -11%
- vs the state average
- $28,000
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (7.6%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (29.6%); 15 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 Palo Alto County, IA. Verify with HUD →
Palo Alto County, Iowa carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $700 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $919/mo and a studio is $682/mo. That's 27% below the national benchmark of $959 and 11% below the Iowa average of $788.
Rent increased4.8% from FY 2025 ($668), outpacing inflation. The 30% affordability floor is comparatively reachable here at $28,000/year.
Observed renter burden: 33.0% of the 908 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 7.1%, 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 2.7% over the past 12 months, a tight labor market that typically supports steadier rent demand.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Iowa. Population: 8,938. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-1.7%, Census ACS). That's slower than Iowa's statewide growth of +2.0% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area PALO·ALTO·COUNTY·IA·IA
Palo Alto County, IA: $700/mo 1BR · #504 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA IA
- 1BR-FMR $700
- 2BR-FMR $919
- RANK-MID #504
- YOY-UP +4.8%
- VSUS-LOW -27%
- VS-ST-LOW -11% IA
- INC-ROOM 12%
- POP-SMALL 9K
- PHOTO-NEAR Polk County
- VOUCH-90-110 $630–$770
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Polk ($409 1BR gap)
Read with: Section 8 housing guide
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $646 | $682 | +$36 (+5.6%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $668 | $700 | +$32 (+4.8%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $877 | $919 | +$42 (+4.8%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,158 | $1,222 | +$64 (+5.5%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,163 | $1,227 | +$64 (+5.5%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Palo Alto 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 Palo Alto sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$919 higher than 16% 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 Palo Alto compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Iowa counties
- Polk
Polk County
$1,109 1BR FMR / mo
- Johnson
Johnson County
$961 1BR FMR / mo
- Scott
Scott County
$928 1BR FMR / mo
- Woodbury
Woodbury County
$925 1BR FMR / mo
- Linn
Linn County
$816 1BR FMR / mo
- Black Hawk
Black Hawk County
$801 1BR FMR / mo
- Palo Alto
Palo Alto County
$700 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Palo Alto is highlighted. Nearby Iowa counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Polk County ($1,109), Johnson County ($961), Scott County ($928), Woodbury County ($925), Linn County ($816), Black Hawk County ($801), Palo Alto County (this county) ($700).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
With a below-average 1-bedroom at $700/mo, most of these Iowa occupations clear, or miss, the 30% affordability line.
| Occupation | IA Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $109,850 | 7.6% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $80,620 | 10.4% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $76,960 | 10.9% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $74,290 | 11.3% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $73,900 | 11.4% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $62,880 | 13.4% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $55,540 | 15.1% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $55,080 | 15.3% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $53,280 | 15.8% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $44,990 | 18.7% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $41,380 | 20.3% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $36,130 | 23.2% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $30,030 | 28% | Affordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $28,500 | 29.5% | Affordable |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $28,400 | 29.6% | Affordable |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Palo Alto County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Palo Alto (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 34.1% overall, from $522 to $700. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 8.6% (FY 2024).
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑4.8% | $682 | $700 | $919 |
| FY 2025 ↑1.8% | $646 | $668 | $877 |
| FY 2024 ↑8.6% | $630 | $656 | $862 |
| FY 2023 ↑7.5% | $581 | $604 | $795 |
| FY 2022 ↑3.5% | $534 | $562 | $739 |
| FY 2021 ↑4.0% | $519 | $543 | $715 |
| FY 2020 | $497 | $522 | $687 |
Where Palo Alto County Ranks in Iowa
Palo Alto 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 #41 of 99 counties in Iowa. Nearest by rank: Lyon County ($919), Mitchell County ($919), Monona County ($919), Monroe County ($919), Montgomery County ($919), O'Brien County ($919), Osceola County ($919), Page County ($919), Palo Alto County (this county) ($919), Pocahontas County ($919), Ringgold County ($919), Sac County ($919), Shelby County ($919), Taylor County ($919), Union County ($919), Van Buren County ($919), Wayne County ($919).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Palo Alto County, both outside Iowa 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 IA (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside IA).
Nearby Counties in Iowa
Largest counties by population in Iowa
Showing the 8 largest of 98 other counties in Iowa.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Palo Alto County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Palo Alto County is $700 per month. A 2-bedroom is $919 and a studio is $682.
How does Palo Alto County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Palo Alto County is 27% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $700 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Palo Alto County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Palo Alto County's 2-bedroom FMR of $919 ranks #504 most affordable among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the lower-rent quarter of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Palo Alto County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $28,000 ($2,333/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Palo Alto County.
Is rent going up or down in Palo Alto County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Palo Alto County increased by 4.8% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $668 to $700.
Which jobs can afford rent in Palo Alto County?
Based on Iowa BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $700/mo. 15 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Palo Alto County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Palo Alto County went from $522 in FY 2020 to $700 in FY 2026, a total change of +34.1% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Palo Alto County?
In Palo Alto County, the FY 2026 FMR of $700/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 Palo Alto County?
For Palo Alto County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($700/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Palo Alto County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 7.1%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
What is the unemployment rate in Palo Alto County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 2.7% over the past 12 months, a tight labor market that typically supports steadier rent demand.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Palo Alto'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 $700 implies about $28,000/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Iowa counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Polk
- See where Palo Alto 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.