County FMR · HUD FY2026

Plymouth County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Plymouth County, MA - 84% above the US average.

$1,761
1-bedroom FMR
$2,311
2-bedroom FMR
+6.6%
YoY change
+84%
vs US avg

The verdict

Plymouth is the 6th most expensive of 14 counties in Massachusetts by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #63 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 6.6% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.

#63
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#6
most expensive of 14 in Massachusetts (2BR)
-2%
vs the state average
$70,440
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (14%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (60.3%); nearby Massachusetts counties range as much as 79% apart in 1-bedroom FMR, so the county line itself can matter for renters comparing options.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Plymouth County, MA. Verify with HUD →

Plymouth County, Massachusetts carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,761 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $2,311/mo and a studio is $1,631/mo. That's 84% above the national benchmark of $959 and 2% below the Massachusetts average of $1,796.

Rent increased6.6% from FY 2025 ($1,652), outpacing inflation. Clearing the 30% rule here takes $70,440/year, a high bar relative to most US counties.

Observed renter burden: 51.3% of the 44,980 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 Massachusetts. Population: 17,008. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+3.9%, Census ACS). That's faster than Massachusetts's statewide growth of +2.4% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area PLYMOUTH·COUNTY·MA·MA

Plymouth County, MA: $1,761/mo 1BR · #63 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA MA
  • 1BR-FMR $1,761
  • 2BR-FMR $2,311
  • RANK-UPPER #63
  • YOY-SURGE +6.6%
  • VSUS-HIGH +84%
  • VS-ST-NEAR -2% MA
  • INC-ROOM 19%
  • POP-SMALL 17K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Suffolk County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $1,585–$1,937
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Suffolk ($715 1BR gap)

Read with: Understanding rent burden

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $1,696 · US avg: $893
$1,631/mo
↑ 1.5% YoY -4% vs state +83% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $1,796 · US avg: $959
$1,761/mo
↑ 6.6% YoY -2% vs state +84% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $2,261 · US avg: $1,175
$2,311/mo
↑ 7.2% YoY +2% vs state +97% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $2,823 · US avg: $1,525
$2,889/mo
↑ 5.8% YoY +2% vs state +89% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $3,188 · US avg: $1,756
$3,060/mo
↑ 3.6% YoY -4% vs state +74% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $1,607
$1,631
+$24 (+1.5%)
1 Bedroom $1,652
$1,761
+$109 (+6.6%)
2 Bedroom $2,155
$2,311
+$156 (+7.2%)
3 Bedroom $2,730
$2,889
+$159 (+5.8%)
4 Bedroom $2,953
$3,060
+$107 (+3.6%)

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio
17.8%
Affordable
Need $65,240/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
19.3%
Affordable
Need $70,440/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
25.3%
Affordable
Need $92,440/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
31.6%
Burdened
Need $115,560/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
33.5%
Burdened
Need $122,400/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%25.3%
Plymouth County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $109,698 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Massachusetts rent burden →

Where Plymouth sits among every US county

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

$2,311 Top 2% higher than 98% 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%). Below this entry. $1,600–$1,800: 172 counties (5%). Below this entry. $1,800–$2,000: 108 counties (3%). Below this entry. $2,000–$2,200: 29 counties (1%). Below this entry. $2,200–$2,400: 40 counties (1%). This entry sits in this band. $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 Plymouth compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Massachusetts counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Plymouth is highlighted. Nearby Massachusetts counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Suffolk County ($2,476), Middlesex County ($2,476), Essex County ($2,476), Barnstable County ($1,846), Plymouth County (this county) ($1,761), Hampshire County ($1,580), Hampden County ($1,382).

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

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

Against a high local FMR of $1,761/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using Massachusetts BLS wages?

Occupation MA Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $150,520 14% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $123,850 17.1% Affordable
Registered Nurses $101,970 20.7% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $96,580 21.9% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $83,260 25.4% Affordable
Electricians $82,120 25.7% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $78,610 26.9% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $74,990 28.2% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $60,630 34.9% Stretched
Customer Service Representatives $48,060 44% Stretched
Pharmacy Technicians $44,640 47.3% Stretched
Janitors & Cleaners $44,570 47.4% Stretched
Teaching Assistants $37,920 55.7% Unaffordable
Retail Salespersons $36,320 58.2% Unaffordable
Fast Food & Counter Workers $35,060 60.3% Unaffordable
Salaries: BLS OES (Massachusetts) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

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

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Plymouth (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 51.8% overall, from $1,160 to $1,761. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 11.0% (FY 2025).

$1,000$1,200$1,400$1,600$1,800 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $1,761
Plymouth County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑6.6% $1,631 $1,761 $2,311
FY 2025 ↑11.0% $1,607 $1,652 $2,155
FY 2024 ↑5.2% $1,393 $1,488 $1,955
FY 2023 ↑8.1% $1,246 $1,415 $1,863
FY 2022 ↑10.6% $1,145 $1,309 $1,723
FY 2021 ↑2.1% $1,029 $1,184 $1,560
FY 2020 $1,064 $1,160 $1,528
Total change (6yr): +51.8%
Annualized: +7.2%/yr
1 BR: $1,160 → $1,761

Part of the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH Metro Area

Plymouth County is a central county of the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metropolitan statistical area, alongside 6 other metro-area counties.

Plymouth County ranks #5 of 7 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Suffolk County ($2,476), Middlesex County ($2,476), Essex County ($2,476), Norfolk County ($1,761), Plymouth County (this county) ($1,761), Rockingham County ($1,730), Strafford County ($1,677).

Suffolk County
1 BR: $2,476/mo
Middlesex County
1 BR: $2,476/mo
Essex County
1 BR: $2,476/mo
Norfolk County
1 BR: $1,761/mo
Plymouth County (this county)
1 BR: $1,761/mo
Rockingham County
1 BR: $1,730/mo
Strafford County
1 BR: $1,677/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Plymouth County, both outside Massachusetts 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 MA (FY2026).

Bergen County
NJ · 2 BR $2,324/mo
Passaic County
NJ · 2 BR $2,324/mo
Monmouth County
NJ · 2 BR $2,328/mo
Ocean County
NJ · 2 BR $2,328/mo

Similar rent burden

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

Breathitt County
KY · 25.3% of income · 2 BR $866/mo
Orangeburg County
SC · 25.3% of income · 2 BR $910/mo
Santa Cruz County
AZ · 25.3% of income · 2 BR $1,129/mo
Johnson County
TX · 25.3% of income · 2 BR $1,723/mo

Nearby Counties in Massachusetts

Largest counties by population in Massachusetts

Showing the 8 largest of 13 other counties in Massachusetts.

Suffolk County
1 BR: $2,476/mo Pop: 663,972
Barnstable County
1 BR: $1,846/mo Pop: 49,232
Hampshire County
1 BR: $1,580/mo Pop: 35,472
Hampden County
1 BR: $1,382/mo Pop: 28,510
Middlesex County
1 BR: $2,476/mo Pop: 23,961
Essex County
1 BR: $2,476/mo Pop: 17,277
Nantucket County
1 BR: $2,425/mo Pop: 14,299
Bristol County
1 BR: $1,230/mo Pop: 10,563
View all counties in Massachusetts →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Plymouth County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Plymouth County is $1,761 per month. A 2-bedroom is $2,311 and a studio is $1,631.
How does Plymouth County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Plymouth County is 84% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,761 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Plymouth County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Plymouth County's 2-bedroom FMR of $2,311 ranks #63 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the highest-rent tenth of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Plymouth County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $70,440 ($5,870/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Plymouth County.
Is rent going up or down in Plymouth County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Plymouth County increased by 6.6% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,652 to $1,761.
Which jobs can afford rent in Plymouth County? ▼
Based on Massachusetts BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $1,761/mo. 8 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Plymouth County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Plymouth County went from $1,160 in FY 2020 to $1,761 in FY 2026, a total change of +51.8% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Plymouth County? ▼
In Plymouth County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,761/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 Plymouth County? ▼
For Plymouth County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,761/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.