County FMR · HUD FY2026

Penobscot County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Penobscot County, ME - 11% above the US average.

$1,061
1-bedroom FMR
$1,392
2-bedroom FMR
+20.6%
YoY change
+11%
vs US avg

The verdict

Penobscot is the 6th cheapest of 16 counties in Maine by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #598 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 20.6% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.

#598
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#6
cheapest of 16 in Maine (2BR)
-8%
vs the state average
$42,440
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (11.2%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (37.1%).

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Penobscot County, ME. Verify with HUD →

Penobscot County, Maine carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,061 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,392/mo and a studio is $982/mo. That's 11% above the national benchmark of $959 and 8% below the Maine average of $1,153.

Rent increased20.6% from FY 2025 ($880), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $42,440/year for a 1-bedroom.

Observed renter burden: 44.1% of the 19,249 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.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Maine. Population: 783. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+1.2%, Census ACS). That's slower than Maine's statewide growth of +3.3% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area PENOBSCOT·COUNTY·ME·ME

Penobscot County, ME: $1,061/mo 1BR · #598 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA ME
  • 1BR-FMR $1,061
  • 2BR-FMR $1,392
  • RANK-MID #598
  • YOY-SURGE +20.6%
  • VSUS-ABOVE +11%
  • VS-ST-NEAR -8% ME
  • INC-MID 20%
  • POP-SMALL 783
  • PHOTO-NEAR Androscoggin Count
  • VOUCH-90-110 $955–$1,167
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Androscoggin ($157 1BR gap)

Read with: How Fair Market Rent works

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $1,080 · US avg: $893
$982/mo
↑ 17.0% YoY -9% vs state +10% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $1,153 · US avg: $959
$1,061/mo
↑ 20.6% YoY -8% vs state +11% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,448 · US avg: $1,175
$1,392/mo
↑ 20.5% YoY -4% vs state +18% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,917 · US avg: $1,525
$1,799/mo
↑ 23.6% YoY -6% vs state +18% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $2,133 · US avg: $1,756
$2,010/mo
↑ 16.7% YoY -6% vs state +14% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $839
$982
+$143 (+17.0%)
1 Bedroom $880
$1,061
+$181 (+20.6%)
2 Bedroom $1,155
$1,392
+$237 (+20.5%)
3 Bedroom $1,455
$1,799
+$344 (+23.6%)
4 Bedroom $1,723
$2,010
+$287 (+16.7%)

Rent Burden Analysis

How much of household income goes to rent in Penobscot County. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.

Studio
18.6%
Affordable
Need $39,280/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
20.1%
Affordable
Need $42,440/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
26.4%
Affordable
Need $55,680/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
34.1%
Burdened
Need $71,960/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
38.1%
Burdened
Need $80,400/yr for 30% rule
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.

0%100%National avg22%26.4%
Penobscot County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $63,248 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Maine rent burden →

Where Penobscot sits among every US county

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties

$1,392 Top 19% higher than 81% of 3,145 counties

$600–$800: 23 counties (1%). Below this entry. $800–$1,000: 1,406 counties (45%). Below this entry. $1,000–$1,200: 723 counties (23%). Below this entry. $1,200–$1,400: 417 counties (13%). This entry sits in this band. $1,400–$1,600: 181 counties (6%). Above this entry. $1,600–$1,800: 172 counties (5%). Above this entry. $1,800–$2,000: 108 counties (3%). Above this entry. $2,000–$2,200: 29 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,200–$2,400: 40 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,400–$2,600: 13 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,600–$2,800: 9 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,800–$3,000: 15 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,000–$3,200: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,200–$3,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,400–$3,600: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,600–$3,800: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,800–$4,000: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,000–$4,200: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,200–$4,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. This county $600 $4,400 every US county, bucketed by value

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 Penobscot compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Maine counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Penobscot is highlighted. Nearby Maine counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: York County ($1,412), Knox County ($1,270), Androscoggin County ($1,218), Waldo County ($1,163), Kennebec County ($1,090), Somerset County ($1,083), Penobscot County (this county) ($1,061).

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) As of FY2026

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

How a 1-bedroom at $1,061/mo compares to Maine salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).

Occupation ME Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $113,800 11.2% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $96,740 13.2% Affordable
Registered Nurses $82,860 15.4% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $77,680 16.4% Affordable
Electricians $67,820 18.8% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $65,330 19.5% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $62,300 20.4% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $58,510 21.8% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $51,930 24.5% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $45,240 28.1% Affordable
Teaching Assistants $43,870 29% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $40,950 31.1% Stretched
Janitors & Cleaners $38,560 33% Stretched
Retail Salespersons $36,460 34.9% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $34,360 37.1% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (Maine) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

7-year Fair Market Rent history for Penobscot County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Penobscot (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 72.2% overall, from $616 to $1,061. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +20.6% in FY 2026, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.

$500$600$700$800$900$1,000$1,100 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $1,061
Penobscot County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑20.6% $982 $1,061 $1,392
FY 2025 ↑10.8% $839 $880 $1,155
FY 2024 ↑6.3% $740 $794 $1,043
FY 2023 ↑3.8% $718 $747 $983
FY 2022 ↑9.4% $660 $720 $948
FY 2021 ↑6.8% $595 $658 $867
FY 2020 $594 $616 $811
Total change (6yr): +72.2%
Annualized: +9.5%/yr
1 BR: $616 → $1,061

Part of the Bangor, ME Metro Area

Penobscot County is a central county of the Bangor, ME metropolitan statistical area.

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Penobscot County, both outside Maine 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 ME (FY2026).

Onondaga County
NY · 2 BR $1,392/mo
Oswego County
NY · 2 BR $1,392/mo
Madison County
NY · 2 BR $1,392/mo
Mineral County
NV · 2 BR $1,393/mo

Similar rent burden

Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside ME).

Oktibbeha County
MS · 26.4% of income · 2 BR $957/mo
Bernalillo County
NM · 26.4% of income · 2 BR $1,464/mo
Coos County
NH · 26.4% of income · 2 BR $1,287/mo
Union County
NJ · 26.4% of income · 2 BR $2,205/mo

Nearby Counties in Maine

Largest counties by population in Maine

Showing the 8 largest of 15 other counties in Maine.

Androscoggin County
1 BR: $1,218/mo Pop: 24,294
Waldo County
1 BR: $1,163/mo Pop: 6,985
York County
1 BR: $1,412/mo Pop: 2,695
Somerset County
1 BR: $1,083/mo Pop: 2,570
Kennebec County
1 BR: $1,090/mo Pop: 2,358
Knox County
1 BR: $1,270/mo Pop: 1,502
Cumberland County
1 BR: $1,397/mo Pop: 1,178
Washington County
1 BR: $954/mo Pop: 1,077
View all counties in Maine →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Penobscot County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Penobscot County is $1,061 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,392 and a studio is $982.
How does Penobscot County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Penobscot County is 11% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,061 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Penobscot County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Penobscot County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,392 ranks #598 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the upper-rent quarter of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Penobscot County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $42,440 ($3,537/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Penobscot County.
Is rent going up or down in Penobscot County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Penobscot County increased by 20.6% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $880 to $1,061.
Which jobs can afford rent in Penobscot County? ▼
Based on Maine BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $1,061/mo. 11 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Penobscot County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Penobscot County went from $616 in FY 2020 to $1,061 in FY 2026, a total change of +72.2% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Penobscot County? ▼
In Penobscot County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,061/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 Penobscot County? ▼
For Penobscot County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,061/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).

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.

All federal data sources used on this page
  • HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) - county-level fair-market rent estimates by bedroom count. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
  • HUD Income Limits - area median income for affordability calculations. huduser.gov/datasets/il
  • HUD Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) - rent burden and housing-cost distribution. huduser.gov/datasets/cp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - county and metro housing characteristics + median rent. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • BLS Consumer Price Index, Rent of Primary Residence - rent inflation by metro. bls.gov/cpi
  • IRS Migration Data (SOI) - interstate migration aggregates affecting county demand. irs.gov/statistics/migration
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics - state-level median wages by occupation, used for job affordability analysis. bls.gov/oes

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.