County FMR · HUD FY2026
Polk County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Polk County, GA - 19% below the US average.
- $776
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,018
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +9.0%
- YoY change
- -19%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Polk is the 71st cheapest of 159 counties in Georgia by 2-bedroom FMR; rent here has climbed 9.0% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.
- #71
- cheapest of 159 in Georgia (2BR)
- -24%
- vs the state average
- $31,040
- income to afford it (30% rule)
- +9.0%
- YoY, FY2025→2026
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (7.2%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (35.4%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Polk County, GA. Verify with HUD →
Polk County, Georgia carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $776 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,018/mo and a studio is $771/mo. That's 19% below the national benchmark of $959 and 24% below the Georgia average of $1,023.
Rent increased9.0% from FY 2025 ($712), outpacing inflation. To afford rent here, a household needs at least $31,040/year based on the 30% affordability rule.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Georgia. Population: 43,019. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+4.2%, Census ACS). That's in line with Georgia's statewide growth of +5.1% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Polk County
The Polk County FMR area applies to all ZIP codes inside the county boundary, and Georgia's housing authorities use it as the baseline for Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. See how FMR is calculated for the full 40th-percentile methodology and payment-standard rules.
Compared to the rest of the country, a 1-bedroom here is 19% below the US average of $959 and 24% lower than the Georgia state average of $1,023. The 1-bedroom FMR went from$712 in FY 2025 to $776 in FY 2026 - a change of +9.0%, which outpaces typical consumer inflation.
At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $776, affording it under the 30%-of-income rule takes $31,040 per year (about $2,587/month) in household income, and a 2-bedroom at $1,018 pushes that threshold even higher. With a population of 43,019 and a county median household income of $55,308, the arithmetic here directly shapes which wage earners can rent without being cost-burdened.
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $707 | $771 | +$64 (+9.1%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $712 | $776 | +$64 (+9.0%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $934 | $1,018 | +$84 (+9.0%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,177 | $1,290 | +$113 (+9.6%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,238 | $1,348 | +$110 (+8.9%) |
Affordability Snapshot
Based on the standard that rent should not exceed 30% of gross income:
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Polk 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.
Polk County 2-bedroom rent burden
Where Polk sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,018 higher than 49% 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 Polk compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Georgia counties
- Fulton
Fulton County
$1,660 1BR FMR / mo
- Gwinnett
Gwinnett County
$1,660 1BR FMR / mo
- Cobb
Cobb County
$1,660 1BR FMR / mo
- DeKalb
DeKalb County
$1,660 1BR FMR / mo
- Clayton
Clayton County
$1,660 1BR FMR / mo
- Chatham
Chatham County
$1,533 1BR FMR / mo
- Polk
Polk County
$776 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Polk is highlighted. Nearby Georgia counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Fulton County ($1,660), Gwinnett County ($1,660), Cobb County ($1,660), DeKalb County ($1,660), Clayton County ($1,660), Chatham County ($1,533), Polk County (this county) ($776).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $776/mo compares to Georgia salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | GA Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $128,920 | 7.2% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $99,800 | 9.3% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $86,560 | 10.8% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $80,100 | 11.6% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $63,490 | 14.7% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $58,860 | 15.8% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $56,350 | 16.5% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $56,570 | 16.5% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $55,120 | 16.9% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $39,030 | 23.9% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $38,390 | 24.3% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $33,130 | 28.1% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $29,770 | 31.3% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $27,860 | 33.4% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $26,310 | 35.4% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Polk County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Polk (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 40.1% overall, from $554 to $776. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +12.5% in FY 2023, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑9.0% | $771 | $776 | $1,018 |
| FY 2025 ↑1.3% | $707 | $712 | $934 |
| FY 2024 ↑11.9% | $699 | $703 | $924 |
| FY 2023 ↑12.5% | $623 | $628 | $826 |
| FY 2022 ↑2.2% | $554 | $558 | $734 |
| FY 2021 ↓1.4% | $542 | $546 | $719 |
| FY 2020 | $551 | $554 | $730 |
Part of the Cedartown, GA Micro Area
Polk County is a central county of the Cedartown, GA micropolitan statistical area.
Nearby Counties in Georgia
Largest counties by population in Georgia
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Polk County? ▼
How does Polk County rent compare to the national average? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Polk County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Polk County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Polk County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Polk County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Polk County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Polk County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Polk's FY2026 Fair Market Rent as HUD's affordability benchmark, not a market quote.
- Budget to roughly 30% of income: the FY2026 1-bedroom FMR of $776 implies about $31,040/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Compare this county against nearby metros and states before signing a lease. Compare areas
- See where it sits on the national rent map. View rankings
Fair Market Rent is HUD's 40th-percentile policy benchmark used to set Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. Actual asking rents in Polk can run higher or lower, and HUD updates FMRs once a year. This page is informational and not financial or relocation advice.
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.
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.