County FMR · HUD FY2026
Payne County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Payne County, OK - 12% below the US average.
- $847
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,035
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +3.0%
- YoY change
- -12%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Payne is the 17th most expensive of 77 counties in Oklahoma by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,541 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties.
- #1,541
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #17
- most expensive of 77 in Oklahoma (2BR)
- +7%
- vs the state average
- $33,880
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (9.5%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (43.1%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Payne County, OK. Verify with HUD →
Payne County, Oklahoma carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $847 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,035/mo and a studio is $784/mo. That's 12% below the national benchmark of $959 and 7% above the Oklahoma average of $791.
Rent increased3.0% from FY 2025 ($822), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $33,880/year for a 1-bedroom.
Observed renter burden: 55.3% of the 15,875 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 9.0%, 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 3.9% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Oklahoma. Population: 82,058. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+1.0%, Census ACS). That's in line with Oklahoma's statewide growth of +2.0% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area PAYNE·COUNTY·OK·OK
Payne County, OK: $847/mo 1BR · #1541 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA OK
- 1BR-FMR $847
- 2BR-FMR $1,035
- RANK-MID #1,541
- YOY-UP +3.0%
- VSUS-BELOW -12%
- VS-ST-NEAR +7% OK
- INC-MID 21%
- POP-MID 82K
- PHOTO-NEAR Oklahoma County
- VOUCH-90-110 $762–$932
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Oklahoma ($170 1BR gap)
Read with: How Fair Market Rent works
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $767 | $784 | +$17 (+2.2%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $822 | $847 | +$25 (+3.0%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,014 | $1,035 | +$21 (+2.1%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,421 | $1,439 | +$18 (+1.3%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,527 | $1,568 | +$41 (+2.7%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Payne 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 Payne sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,035 higher than 51% 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 Payne compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Oklahoma counties
- Oklahoma
Oklahoma County
$1,017 1BR FMR / mo
- Cleveland
Cleveland County
$1,017 1BR FMR / mo
- Canadian
Canadian County
$1,017 1BR FMR / mo
- Tulsa
Tulsa County
$987 1BR FMR / mo
- Rogers
Rogers County
$987 1BR FMR / mo
- Payne
Payne County
$847 1BR FMR / mo
- Comanche
Comanche County
$784 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Payne is highlighted. Nearby Oklahoma counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Oklahoma County ($1,017), Cleveland County ($1,017), Canadian County ($1,017), Tulsa County ($987), Rogers County ($987), Payne County (this county) ($847), Comanche County ($784).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $847/mo compares to Oklahoma salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | OK Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $107,420 | 9.5% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $81,160 | 12.5% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $80,620 | 12.6% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $76,820 | 13.2% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $60,050 | 16.9% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $57,360 | 17.7% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $51,920 | 19.6% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $50,200 | 20.2% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $47,470 | 21.4% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $38,200 | 26.6% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $37,570 | 27.1% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $30,590 | 33.2% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $29,580 | 34.4% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $26,830 | 37.9% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $23,590 | 43.1% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Payne County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Payne (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 31.5% overall, from $644 to $847. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 7.5% (FY 2024).
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑3.0% | $784 | $847 | $1,035 |
| FY 2025 ↑2.4% | $767 | $822 | $1,014 |
| FY 2024 ↑7.5% | $744 | $803 | $976 |
| FY 2023 ↑3.6% | $698 | $747 | $897 |
| FY 2022 ↑4.8% | $682 | $721 | $856 |
| FY 2021 ↑6.8% | $668 | $688 | $825 |
| FY 2020 | $640 | $644 | $784 |
Part of the Stillwater, OK Micro Area
Payne County is a central county of the Stillwater, OK micropolitan statistical area.
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Payne County, both outside Oklahoma 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 OK (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside OK).
Nearby Counties in Oklahoma
Largest counties by population in Oklahoma
Showing the 8 largest of 76 other counties in Oklahoma.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Payne County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Payne County is $847 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,035 and a studio is $784.
How does Payne County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Payne County is 12% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $847 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Payne County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Payne County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,035 ranks #1,541 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 Payne County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $33,880 ($2,823/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Payne County.
Is rent going up or down in Payne County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Payne County increased by 3.0% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $822 to $847.
Which jobs can afford rent in Payne County?
Based on Oklahoma BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, Registered Nurses, General and Operations Managers can afford a 1-bedroom at $847/mo. 11 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Payne County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Payne County went from $644 in FY 2020 to $847 in FY 2026, a total change of +31.5% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Payne County?
In Payne County, the FY 2026 FMR of $847/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 Payne County?
For Payne County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($847/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Payne County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 9.0%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
What is the unemployment rate in Payne County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 3.9% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Payne'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 $847 implies about $33,880/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Oklahoma counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Oklahoma
- See where Payne 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.