County FMR · HUD FY2026
Poweshiek County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Poweshiek County, IA - 11% below the US average.
- $853
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $988
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +1.5%
- YoY change
- -11%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Poweshiek is the 28th most expensive of 99 counties in Iowa by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,385 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties.
- #1,385
- most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #28
- most expensive of 99 in Iowa (2BR)
- +8%
- vs the state average
- $34,120
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (9.3%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (36%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Poweshiek County, IA. Verify with HUD →
Poweshiek County, Iowa carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $853 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $988/mo and a studio is $733/mo. That's 11% below the national benchmark of $959 and 8% above the Iowa average of $788.
Rent increased1.5% from FY 2025 ($840), roughly tracking inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $34,120/year for a 1-bedroom.
Observed renter burden: 38.9% of the 2,284 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.
Market slack: The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 2.1%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
Local labor market: The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 3.1% over the past 12 months, a tight labor market that typically supports steadier rent demand.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Iowa. Population: 18,608. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-0.1%, Census ACS). That's slower than Iowa's statewide growth of +2.0% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area POWESHIEK·COUNTY·IA·IA
Poweshiek County, IA: $853/mo 1BR · #1385 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA IA
- 1BR-FMR $853
- 2BR-FMR $988
- RANK-MID #1,385
- YOY-FLAT +1.5%
- VSUS-BELOW -11%
- VS-ST-HIGH +8% IA
- INC-ROOM 16%
- POP-SMALL 19K
- PHOTO-NEAR Polk County
- VOUCH-90-110 $768–$938
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Polk ($256 1BR gap)
Read with: How Fair Market Rent works
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $688 | $733 | +$45 (+6.5%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $840 | $853 | +$13 (+1.5%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $934 | $988 | +$54 (+5.8%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,234 | $1,303 | +$69 (+5.6%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,238 | $1,308 | +$70 (+5.7%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Poweshiek 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.
Where Poweshiek sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$988 higher than 44% 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 Poweshiek compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Iowa counties
- Polk
Polk County
$1,109 1BR FMR / mo
- Johnson
Johnson County
$961 1BR FMR / mo
- Scott
Scott County
$928 1BR FMR / mo
- Woodbury
Woodbury County
$925 1BR FMR / mo
- Poweshiek
Poweshiek County
$853 1BR FMR / mo
- Linn
Linn County
$816 1BR FMR / mo
- Black Hawk
Black Hawk County
$801 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Poweshiek is highlighted. Nearby Iowa counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Polk County ($1,109), Johnson County ($961), Scott County ($928), Woodbury County ($925), Poweshiek County (this county) ($853), Linn County ($816), Black Hawk County ($801).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $853/mo compares to Iowa salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | IA Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $109,850 | 9.3% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $80,620 | 12.7% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $76,960 | 13.3% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $74,290 | 13.8% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $73,900 | 13.9% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $62,880 | 16.3% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $55,540 | 18.4% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $55,080 | 18.6% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $53,280 | 19.2% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $44,990 | 22.8% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $41,380 | 24.7% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $36,130 | 28.3% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $30,030 | 34.1% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $28,500 | 35.9% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $28,400 | 36% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Poweshiek County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Poweshiek (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 53.7% overall, from $555 to $853. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +14.4% in FY 2023, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑1.5% | $733 | $853 | $988 |
| FY 2025 ↑4.2% | $688 | $840 | $934 |
| FY 2024 ↑10.6% | $661 | $806 | $905 |
| FY 2023 ↑14.4% | $616 | $729 | $843 |
| FY 2022 ↑8.1% | $577 | $637 | $798 |
| FY 2021 ↑6.1% | $555 | $589 | $765 |
| FY 2020 | $529 | $555 | $731 |
Where Poweshiek County Ranks in Iowa
Poweshiek 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 #72 of 99 counties in Iowa. Nearest by rank: Marshall County ($959), Lee County ($962), Washington County ($962), Cedar County ($966), Sioux County ($971), Lucas County ($975), Bremer County ($978), Plymouth County ($980), Poweshiek County (this county) ($988), Hamilton County ($994), Jasper County ($1,008), Buena Vista County ($1,010), Marion County ($1,016), Boone County ($1,026), Davis County ($1,043), Black Hawk County ($1,051), Grundy County ($1,051).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Poweshiek County, both outside Iowa 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 IA (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside IA).
Nearby Counties in Iowa
Largest counties by population in Iowa
Showing the 8 largest of 98 other counties in Iowa.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Poweshiek County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Poweshiek County is $853 per month. A 2-bedroom is $988 and a studio is $733.
How does Poweshiek County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Poweshiek County is 11% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $853 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Poweshiek County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Poweshiek County's 2-bedroom FMR of $988 ranks #1,385 most affordable among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the middle half of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Poweshiek County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $34,120 ($2,843/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Poweshiek County.
Is rent going up or down in Poweshiek County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Poweshiek County increased by 1.5% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $840 to $853.
Which jobs can afford rent in Poweshiek County?
Based on Iowa BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $853/mo. 12 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Poweshiek County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Poweshiek County went from $555 in FY 2020 to $853 in FY 2026, a total change of +53.7% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Poweshiek County?
In Poweshiek County, the FY 2026 FMR of $853/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 Poweshiek County?
For Poweshiek County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($853/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Poweshiek County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 2.1%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
What is the unemployment rate in Poweshiek County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 3.1% over the past 12 months, a tight labor market that typically supports steadier rent demand.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Poweshiek's FY2026 Fair Market Rent as HUD's affordability benchmark, not a single market quote.
- Budget to roughly 30% of income: the FY2026 1-bedroom FMR of $853 implies about $34,120/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Iowa counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Polk
- See where Poweshiek ranks nationally on rent. National rankings
Fair Market Rent is HUD's 40th-percentile policy benchmark used to set Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. Actual asking rents can run higher or lower, and HUD updates FMRs once a year. This site is informational and not financial or relocation advice.
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.