County FMR · HUD FY2026

Piscataquis County Fair Market Rent

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

$1,081
1-bedroom FMR
$1,419
2-bedroom FMR
+26.1%
YoY change
+13%
vs US avg

The verdict

Piscataquis is the 8th most expensive of 16 counties in Maine by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #535 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 26.1% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.

#535
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#8
most expensive of 16 in Maine (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 (11.4%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (37.8%).

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

The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Piscataquis County, Maine is $1,081 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $1,419/mo and a studio is $978/mo. This is 13% higher than the national average of $959 and 6% below the Maine average of $1,153.

Rent increased26.1% from FY 2025 ($857), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $43,240/year for a 1-bedroom.

Observed renter burden: 30.3% of the 1,872 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: 646. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+1.4%, Census ACS). That's slower than Maine's statewide growth of +3.3% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area PISCATAQUIS·COUNTY·ME·ME

Piscataquis County, ME: $1,081/mo 1BR · #535 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA ME
  • 1BR-FMR $1,081
  • 2BR-FMR $1,419
  • RANK-MID #535
  • YOY-SURGE +26.1%
  • VSUS-ABOVE +13%
  • VS-ST-NEAR -6% ME
  • INC-MID 23%
  • POP-SMALL 646
  • PHOTO-NEAR Androscoggin Count
  • VOUCH-90-110 $973–$1,189
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Androscoggin ($137 1BR gap)

Read with: How Fair Market Rent works

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $1,080 · US avg: $893
$978/mo
↑ 26.8% YoY -9% vs state +10% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $1,153 · US avg: $959
$1,081/mo
↑ 26.1% YoY -6% vs state +13% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,448 · US avg: $1,175
$1,419/mo
↑ 26.2% YoY -2% vs state +21% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,917 · US avg: $1,525
$1,701/mo
↑ 25.6% YoY -11% vs state +12% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $2,133 · US avg: $1,756
$1,879/mo
↑ 25.4% YoY -12% vs state +7% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $771
$978
+$207 (+26.8%)
1 Bedroom $857
$1,081
+$224 (+26.1%)
2 Bedroom $1,124
$1,419
+$295 (+26.2%)
3 Bedroom $1,354
$1,701
+$347 (+25.6%)
4 Bedroom $1,499
$1,879
+$380 (+25.4%)

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio
21.2%
Affordable
Need $39,120/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
23.5%
Affordable
Need $43,240/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
30.8%
Burdened
Need $56,760/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
37%
Burdened
Need $68,040/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
40.8%
Burdened
Need $75,160/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%30.8%
Piscataquis County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $55,234 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Maine rent burden →

Where Piscataquis sits among every US county

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

$1,419 Top 17% higher than 83% 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 Piscataquis compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Maine counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Piscataquis 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), Piscataquis County (this county) ($1,081).

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 Maine salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).

Occupation ME Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $113,800 11.4% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $96,740 13.4% Affordable
Registered Nurses $82,860 15.7% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $77,680 16.7% Affordable
Electricians $67,820 19.1% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $65,330 19.9% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $62,300 20.8% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $58,510 22.2% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $51,930 25% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $45,240 28.7% Affordable
Teaching Assistants $43,870 29.6% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $40,950 31.7% Stretched
Janitors & Cleaners $38,560 33.6% Stretched
Retail Salespersons $36,460 35.6% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $34,360 37.8% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (Maine) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

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

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Piscataquis (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 73.5% overall, from $623 to $1,081. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 26.1% (FY 2026), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.

$400$600$800$1,000$1,200 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $1,081
Piscataquis County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑26.1% $978 $1,081 $1,419
FY 2025 ↑9.6% $771 $857 $1,124
FY 2024 ↑18.3% $697 $782 $1,028
FY 2023 ↑7.5% $657 $661 $860
FY 2022 ↓0.5% $611 $615 $767
FY 2021 ↓0.8% $484 $618 $734
FY 2020 $528 $623 $714
Total change (6yr): +73.5%
Annualized: +9.6%/yr
1 BR: $623 → $1,081

Where Piscataquis County Ranks in Maine

Piscataquis 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 #9 of 16 counties in Maine. Nearest by rank: Franklin County ($1,322), Penobscot County ($1,392), Lincoln County ($1,403), Kennebec County ($1,416), Piscataquis County (this county) ($1,419), Waldo County ($1,438), Hancock County ($1,501), Knox County ($1,526), Sagadahoc County ($1,577).

Franklin County
2 BR: $1,322/mo
Penobscot County
2 BR: $1,392/mo
Lincoln County
2 BR: $1,403/mo
Kennebec County
2 BR: $1,416/mo
Piscataquis County (this county)
2 BR: $1,419/mo
Waldo County
2 BR: $1,438/mo
Hancock County
2 BR: $1,501/mo
Knox County
2 BR: $1,526/mo
Sagadahoc County
2 BR: $1,577/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Piscataquis 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).

Yellowstone County
MT · 2 BR $1,417/mo
Churchill County
NV · 2 BR $1,421/mo
Carbon County
MT · 2 BR $1,417/mo
Bartholomew County
IN · 2 BR $1,415/mo

Similar rent burden

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

McIntosh County
GA · 30.8% of income · 2 BR $1,293/mo
Newport News city
VA · 30.8% of income · 2 BR $1,713/mo
Franklin County
MA · 30.8% of income · 2 BR $1,866/mo
Luna County
NM · 30.8% of income · 2 BR $973/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 Piscataquis County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Piscataquis County is $1,081 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,419 and a studio is $978.
How does Piscataquis County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Piscataquis County is 13% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,081 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Piscataquis County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Piscataquis County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,419 ranks #535 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 Piscataquis 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 Piscataquis County.
Is rent going up or down in Piscataquis County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Piscataquis County increased by 26.1% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $857 to $1,081.
Which jobs can afford rent in Piscataquis 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 $1,081/mo. 11 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Piscataquis County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Piscataquis County went from $623 in FY 2020 to $1,081 in FY 2026, a total change of +73.5% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Piscataquis County? ▼
In Piscataquis 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 Piscataquis County? ▼
For Piscataquis 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.