County FMR · HUD FY2026

Pima County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Pima County, AZ - 13% above the US average.

$1,081
1-bedroom FMR
$1,402
2-bedroom FMR
+2.8%
YoY change
+13%
vs US avg

The verdict

Pima is the 6th most expensive of 15 counties in Arizona by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #566 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties.

#566
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#6
most expensive of 15 in Arizona (2BR)
-6%
vs the state average
$43,240
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (10.1%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (39.2%); nearby Arizona counties range as much as 64% apart in 1-bedroom FMR, so the county line itself can matter for renters comparing options.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Pima County, AZ. Verify with HUD →

Pima County, Arizona carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,081 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,402/mo and a studio is $967/mo. That's 13% above the national benchmark of $959 and 6% below the Arizona average of $1,151.

Rent increased2.8% from FY 2025 ($1,052), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $43,240/year for a 1-bedroom.

Observed renter burden: 48.5% of the 151,661 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 Arizona. Population: 1,042,393. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+3.0%, Census ACS). That's slower than Arizona's statewide growth of +4.6% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area PIMA·COUNTY·AZ·AZ

Pima County, AZ: $1,081/mo 1BR · #566 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA AZ
  • 1BR-FMR $1,081
  • 2BR-FMR $1,402
  • RANK-MID #566
  • YOY-UP +2.8%
  • VSUS-ABOVE +13%
  • VS-ST-NEAR -6% AZ
  • INC-ROOM 19%
  • POP-MEGA 1.0M
  • PHOTO-NEAR Maricopa County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $973–$1,189
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Maricopa ($502 1BR gap)

Read with: How Fair Market Rent works

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $1,053 · US avg: $893
$967/mo
↑ 2.8% YoY -8% vs state +8% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $1,151 · US avg: $959
$1,081/mo
↑ 2.8% YoY -6% vs state +13% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,419 · US avg: $1,175
$1,402/mo
↑ 2.1% YoY -1% vs state +19% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,889 · US avg: $1,525
$1,950/mo
↑ 1.4% YoY +3% vs state +28% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $2,158 · US avg: $1,756
$2,245/mo
↑ 0.6% YoY +4% vs state +28% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $941
$967
+$26 (+2.8%)
1 Bedroom $1,052
$1,081
+$29 (+2.8%)
2 Bedroom $1,373
$1,402
+$29 (+2.1%)
3 Bedroom $1,924
$1,950
+$26 (+1.4%)
4 Bedroom $2,232
$2,245
+$13 (+0.6%)

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio
17.1%
Affordable
Need $38,680/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
19.1%
Affordable
Need $43,240/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
24.8%
Affordable
Need $56,080/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
34.4%
Burdened
Need $78,000/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
39.7%
Burdened
Need $89,800/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%24.8%
Pima County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $67,929 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Arizona rent burden →

Where Pima sits among every US county

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

$1,402 Top 18% higher than 82% 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%). Below this entry. $1,400–$1,600: 181 counties (6%). This entry sits in this band. $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 Pima compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Arizona counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Pima is highlighted. Nearby Arizona counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Coconino County ($1,727), Maricopa County ($1,583), Pinal County ($1,583), Yavapai County ($1,309), Pima County (this county) ($1,081), Mohave County ($1,060), Yuma County ($1,053).

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

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

How a 1-bedroom at $1,081/mo compares to Arizona salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).

Occupation AZ Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $128,690 10.1% Affordable
Registered Nurses $96,890 13.4% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $90,000 14.4% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $79,370 16.3% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $78,620 16.5% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $61,220 21.2% Affordable
Electricians $59,480 21.8% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $53,690 24.2% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $50,980 25.4% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $47,620 27.2% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $43,440 29.9% Affordable
Janitors & Cleaners $36,140 35.9% Stretched
Retail Salespersons $35,320 36.7% Stretched
Teaching Assistants $34,550 37.5% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $33,060 39.2% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (Arizona) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

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

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Pima (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 49.9% overall, from $721 to $1,081. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +17.3% in FY 2023, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.

$700$800$900$1,000$1,100 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $1,081
Pima County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑2.8% $967 $1,081 $1,402
FY 2025 ↑3.3% $941 $1,052 $1,373
FY 2024 ↑14.0% $906 $1,018 $1,337
FY 2023 ↑17.3% $786 $893 $1,175
FY 2022 ↑4.5% $665 $761 $1,001
FY 2021 ↑1.0% $633 $728 $959
FY 2020 $618 $721 $949
Total change (6yr): +49.9%
Annualized: +7.0%/yr
1 BR: $721 → $1,081

Part of the Tucson, AZ Metro Area

Pima County is a central county of the Tucson, AZ metropolitan statistical area.

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Pima County, both outside Arizona 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 AZ (FY2026).

Kenosha County
WI · 2 BR $1,402/mo
Fallon County
MT · 2 BR $1,401/mo
Lincoln County
ME · 2 BR $1,403/mo
Curry County
OR · 2 BR $1,400/mo

Similar rent burden

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

Sanders County
MT · 24.8% of income · 2 BR $1,115/mo
Lenoir County
NC · 24.8% of income · 2 BR $925/mo
Wayne County
KY · 24.8% of income · 2 BR $866/mo
Okfuskee County
OK · 24.7% of income · 2 BR $937/mo

Nearby Counties in Arizona

Largest counties by population in Arizona

Showing the 8 largest of 14 other counties in Arizona.

Maricopa County
1 BR: $1,583/mo Pop: 4,430,871
Pinal County
1 BR: $1,583/mo Pop: 433,338
Yavapai County
1 BR: $1,309/mo Pop: 237,830
Mohave County
1 BR: $1,060/mo Pop: 214,229
Yuma County
1 BR: $1,053/mo Pop: 204,374
Coconino County
1 BR: $1,727/mo Pop: 144,705
Cochise County
1 BR: $1,111/mo Pop: 125,504
Navajo County
1 BR: $1,026/mo Pop: 107,110
View all counties in Arizona →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Pima County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Pima County is $1,081 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,402 and a studio is $967.
How does Pima County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Pima County is 13% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,081 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Pima County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Pima County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,402 ranks #566 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 Pima County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $43,240 ($3,603/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Pima County.
Is rent going up or down in Pima County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Pima County increased by 2.8% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,052 to $1,081.
Which jobs can afford rent in Pima County? ▼
Based on Arizona BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, Registered Nurses, General and Operations Managers can afford a 1-bedroom at $1,081/mo. 11 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Pima County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Pima County went from $721 in FY 2020 to $1,081 in FY 2026, a total change of +49.9% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Pima County? ▼
In Pima County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,081/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 Pima County? ▼
For Pima County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,081/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.