County FMR · HUD FY2026
Saguache County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Saguache County, CO - 17% below the US average.
- $797
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $975
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +7.6%
- YoY change
- -17%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Saguache is the 7th cheapest of 64 counties in Colorado by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,322 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 7.6% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.
- #1,322
- most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #7
- cheapest of 64 in Colorado (2BR)
- -31%
- vs the state average
- $31,880
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (7.1%), while Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary spend the most (30.5%); 14 of 15 common occupations here can afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding the 30% threshold.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Saguache County, CO. Verify with HUD →
Saguache County, Colorado carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $797 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $975/mo and a studio is $748/mo. That's 17% below the national benchmark of $959 and 31% below the Colorado average of $1,161.
Rent increased7.6% from FY 2025 ($741), outpacing inflation. The 30% affordability floor is comparatively reachable here at $31,880/year.
Observed renter burden: 39.2% of the 813 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 2.4%, 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 4.6% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Colorado. Population: 6,454. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+0.7%, Census ACS). That's slower than Colorado's statewide growth of +5.1% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area SAGUACHE·COUNTY·CO·CO
Saguache County, CO: $797/mo 1BR · #1322 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA CO
- 1BR-FMR $797
- 2BR-FMR $975
- RANK-MID #1,322
- YOY-SURGE +7.6%
- VSUS-BELOW -17%
- VS-ST-LOW -31% CO
- INC-ROOM 18%
- POP-SMALL 6K
- PHOTO-NEAR El Paso County
- VOUCH-90-110 $717–$877
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: El Paso ($667 1BR gap)
Read with: Section 8 housing guide
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $736 | $748 | +$12 (+1.6%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $741 | $797 | +$56 (+7.6%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $973 | $975 | +$2 (+0.2%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,177 | $1,295 | +$118 (+10.0%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,296 | $1,529 | +$233 (+18.0%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Saguache 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 Saguache sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$975 higher than 42% 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 Saguache compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Colorado counties
- Denver
Denver County
$1,754 1BR FMR / mo
- Arapahoe
Arapahoe County
$1,754 1BR FMR / mo
- Jefferson
Jefferson County
$1,754 1BR FMR / mo
- Adams
Adams County
$1,754 1BR FMR / mo
- Douglas
Douglas County
$1,754 1BR FMR / mo
- El Paso
El Paso County
$1,464 1BR FMR / mo
- Saguache
Saguache County
$797 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Saguache is highlighted. Nearby Colorado counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Denver County ($1,754), Arapahoe County ($1,754), Jefferson County ($1,754), Adams County ($1,754), Douglas County ($1,754), El Paso County ($1,464), Saguache County (this county) ($797).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
With a below-average 1-bedroom at $797/mo, most of these Colorado occupations clear, or miss, the 30% affordability line.
| Occupation | CO Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $134,540 | 7.1% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $130,340 | 7.3% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $96,520 | 9.9% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $96,100 | 10% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $90,030 | 10.6% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $73,380 | 13% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $62,090 | 15.4% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $61,550 | 15.5% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $60,260 | 15.9% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $48,070 | 19.9% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $46,020 | 20.8% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $37,270 | 25.7% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $36,960 | 25.9% | Affordable |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $35,440 | 27% | Affordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $31,390 | 30.5% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Saguache County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Saguache (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 47.0% overall, from $542 to $797. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 18.1% (FY 2024), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑7.6% | $748 | $797 | $975 |
| FY 2025 ↓10.0% | $736 | $741 | $973 |
| FY 2024 ↑18.1% | $817 | $823 | $1,081 |
| FY 2023 ↑2.3% | $693 | $697 | $918 |
| FY 2022 ↑17.8% | $676 | $681 | $896 |
| FY 2021 ↑6.6% | $574 | $578 | $762 |
| FY 2020 | $539 | $542 | $714 |
Where Saguache County Ranks in Colorado
Saguache 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 #7 of 64 counties in Colorado. Nearest by rank: Baca County ($973), Conejos County ($973), Costilla County ($973), Otero County ($973), Prowers County ($973), Sedgwick County ($973), Saguache County (this county) ($975), Jackson County ($989), Alamosa County ($999), Rio Blanco County ($1,009), Huerfano County ($1,013), Lincoln County ($1,016), Bent County ($1,019), Cheyenne County ($1,044), Phillips County ($1,054).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Saguache County, both outside Colorado 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 CO (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside CO).
Nearby Counties in Colorado
Largest counties by population in Colorado
Showing the 8 largest of 63 other counties in Colorado.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Saguache County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Saguache County is $797 per month. A 2-bedroom is $975 and a studio is $748.
How does Saguache County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Saguache County is 17% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $797 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Saguache County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Saguache County's 2-bedroom FMR of $975 ranks #1,322 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 Saguache County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $31,880 ($2,657/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Saguache County.
Is rent going up or down in Saguache County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Saguache County increased by 7.6% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $741 to $797.
Which jobs can afford rent in Saguache County?
Based on Colorado BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $797/mo. 14 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Saguache County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Saguache County went from $542 in FY 2020 to $797 in FY 2026, a total change of +47.0% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Saguache County?
In Saguache County, the FY 2026 FMR of $797/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 Saguache County?
For Saguache County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($797/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Saguache County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 2.4%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
What is the unemployment rate in Saguache County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 4.6% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Saguache'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 $797 implies about $31,880/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Colorado counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs El Paso
- See where Saguache 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.