County FMR · HUD FY2026

Ramsey County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Ramsey County, MN - 47% above the US average.

$1,405
1-bedroom FMR
$1,709
2-bedroom FMR
+1.7%
YoY change
+47%
vs US avg

The verdict

Ramsey is the 5th most expensive of 87 counties in Minnesota by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #314 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties.

#314
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#5
most expensive of 87 in Minnesota (2BR)
+56%
vs the state average
$56,200
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (13.5%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (52.8%).

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Ramsey County, MN. Verify with HUD →

Ramsey County, Minnesota carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,405 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,709/mo and a studio is $1,242/mo. That's 47% above the national benchmark of $959 and 56% above the Minnesota average of $899.

Rent increased1.7% from FY 2025 ($1,381), roughly tracking inflation. A household needs about $56,200/year to stay under the 30% rent-to-income line.

Observed renter burden: 48.5% of the 85,371 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 Minnesota. Population: 547,202. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+0.5%, Census ACS). That's slower than Minnesota's statewide growth of +3.4% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area RAMSEY·COUNTY·MN·MN

Ramsey County, MN: $1,405/mo 1BR · #314 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA MN
  • 1BR-FMR $1,405
  • 2BR-FMR $1,709
  • RANK-UPPER #314
  • YOY-FLAT +1.7%
  • VSUS-HIGH +47%
  • VS-ST-HIGH +56% MN
  • INC-MID 21%
  • POP-MAJOR 547K
  • PHOTO-FINISH Hennepin County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $1,265–$1,546
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Hennepin ($0 1BR gap)

Read with: Understanding rent burden

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $809 · US avg: $893
$1,242/mo
↑ 1.8% YoY +54% vs state +39% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $899 · US avg: $959
$1,405/mo
↑ 1.7% YoY +56% vs state +47% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,125 · US avg: $1,175
$1,709/mo
↑ 1.4% YoY +52% vs state +45% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,483 · US avg: $1,525
$2,262/mo
↑ 0.8% YoY +53% vs state +48% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,698 · US avg: $1,756
$2,531/mo
↑ 0.7% YoY +49% vs state +44% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $1,220
$1,242
+$22 (+1.8%)
1 Bedroom $1,381
$1,405
+$24 (+1.7%)
2 Bedroom $1,685
$1,709
+$24 (+1.4%)
3 Bedroom $2,244
$2,262
+$18 (+0.8%)
4 Bedroom $2,513
$2,531
+$18 (+0.7%)

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio
18.4%
Affordable
Need $49,680/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
20.8%
Affordable
Need $56,200/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
25.3%
Affordable
Need $68,360/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
33.5%
Burdened
Need $90,480/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
37.5%
Burdened
Need $101,240/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%
Ramsey County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $81,004 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Minnesota rent burden →

Where Ramsey sits among every US county

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

$1,709 Top 10% higher than 90% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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 Ramsey compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Minnesota counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Ramsey is highlighted. Nearby Minnesota counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Ramsey County (this county) ($1,405), Hennepin County ($1,405), Dakota County ($1,405), Anoka County ($1,405), Washington County ($1,405), Olmsted County ($1,189), St. Louis County ($978).

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 $1,405/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using Minnesota BLS wages?

Occupation MN Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $124,540 13.5% Affordable
Registered Nurses $100,870 16.7% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $96,130 17.5% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $83,310 20.2% Affordable
Electricians $81,430 20.7% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $81,100 20.8% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $67,320 25% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $63,120 26.7% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $61,090 27.6% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $48,560 34.7% Stretched
Customer Service Representatives $47,470 35.5% Stretched
Janitors & Cleaners $38,320 44% Stretched
Teaching Assistants $38,160 44.2% Stretched
Retail Salespersons $35,310 47.7% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $31,950 52.8% Unaffordable
Salaries: BLS OES (Minnesota) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

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

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Ramsey (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 44.7% overall, from $971 to $1,405. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +15.5% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.

$900$1,000$1,100$1,200$1,300$1,400$1,500 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $1,405
Ramsey County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑1.7% $1,242 $1,405 $1,709
FY 2025 ↑4.1% $1,220 $1,381 $1,685
FY 2024 ↑15.5% $1,174 $1,327 $1,622
FY 2023 ↑6.6% $1,007 $1,149 $1,410
FY 2022 ↑2.3% $932 $1,078 $1,329
FY 2021 ↑8.5% $898 $1,054 $1,308
FY 2020 $820 $971 $1,214
Total change (6yr): +44.7%
Annualized: +6.4%/yr
1 BR: $971 → $1,405

Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI Metro Area

Ramsey County is a central county of the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metropolitan statistical area, alongside 14 other metro-area counties.

Ramsey County ranks #13 of 15 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Hennepin County ($1,405), Dakota County ($1,405), Anoka County ($1,405), Washington County ($1,405), Scott County ($1,405), Wright County ($1,405), Carver County ($1,405), Sherburne County ($1,405), St. Croix County ($1,405), Chisago County ($1,405), Pierce County ($1,405), Isanti County ($1,405), Ramsey County (this county) ($1,405), Mille Lacs County ($856), Le Sueur County ($822).

Hennepin County
1 BR: $1,405/mo
Dakota County
1 BR: $1,405/mo
Anoka County
1 BR: $1,405/mo
Washington County
1 BR: $1,405/mo
Scott County
1 BR: $1,405/mo
Wright County
1 BR: $1,405/mo
Carver County
1 BR: $1,405/mo
Sherburne County
1 BR: $1,405/mo
St. Croix County
1 BR: $1,405/mo
Chisago County
1 BR: $1,405/mo
Pierce County
1 BR: $1,405/mo
Isanti County
1 BR: $1,405/mo
Ramsey County (this county)
1 BR: $1,405/mo
Show all 15 counties in this metro area
Mille Lacs County
1 BR: $856/mo
Le Sueur County
1 BR: $822/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Ramsey County, both outside Minnesota 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 MN (FY2026).

Brevard County
FL · 2 BR $1,709/mo
St. Croix County
WI · 2 BR $1,709/mo
Pierce County
WI · 2 BR $1,709/mo
Gates County
NC · 2 BR $1,709/mo

Similar rent burden

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

Clay County
MS · 25.3% of income · 2 BR $842/mo
Cheatham County
TN · 25.3% of income · 2 BR $1,730/mo
Pocahontas County
WV · 25.3% of income · 2 BR $869/mo
Lehigh County
PA · 25.3% of income · 2 BR $1,634/mo

Nearby Counties in Minnesota

Largest counties by population in Minnesota

Showing the 8 largest of 86 other counties in Minnesota.

Hennepin County
1 BR: $1,405/mo Pop: 1,270,787
Dakota County
1 BR: $1,405/mo Pop: 439,179
Anoka County
1 BR: $1,405/mo Pop: 363,985
Washington County
1 BR: $1,405/mo Pop: 268,651
St. Louis County
1 BR: $978/mo Pop: 200,122
Olmsted County
1 BR: $1,189/mo Pop: 162,307
Stearns County
1 BR: $919/mo Pop: 158,622
Scott County
1 BR: $1,405/mo Pop: 151,347
View all counties in Minnesota →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Ramsey County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Ramsey County is $1,405 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,709 and a studio is $1,242.
How does Ramsey County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Ramsey County is 47% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,405 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Ramsey County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Ramsey County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,709 ranks #314 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 Ramsey County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $56,200 ($4,683/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Ramsey County.
Is rent going up or down in Ramsey County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Ramsey County increased by 1.7% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,381 to $1,405.
Which jobs can afford rent in Ramsey County? ▼
Based on Minnesota BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, Registered Nurses, General and Operations Managers can afford a 1-bedroom at $1,405/mo. 9 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Ramsey County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Ramsey County went from $971 in FY 2020 to $1,405 in FY 2026, a total change of +44.7% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Ramsey County? ▼
In Ramsey County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,405/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 Ramsey County? ▼
For Ramsey County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,405/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.