County FMR · HUD FY2026

Saline County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Saline County, KS - 20% below the US average.

$770
1-bedroom FMR
$1,009
2-bedroom FMR
+0.7%
YoY change
-20%
vs US avg

The verdict

Saline is the 24th most expensive of 105 counties in Kansas by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,479 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties.

#1,479
most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#24
most expensive of 105 in Kansas (2BR)
+2%
vs the state average
$30,800
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (8.7%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (34.2%); 13 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 Saline County, KS. Verify with HUD →

The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Saline County, Kansas is $770 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $1,009/mo and a studio is $765/mo. This is 20% lower than the national average of $959 and 2% above the Kansas average of $753.

Rent increased0.7% from FY 2025 ($765), roughly tracking inflation. The 30% affordability floor is comparatively reachable here at $30,800/year.

Observed renter burden: 41.7% of the 7,405 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 Kansas. Population: 54,160. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-2.1%, Census ACS). That's slower than Kansas's statewide growth of +1.0% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area SALINE·COUNTY·KS·KS

Saline County, KS: $770/mo 1BR · #1479 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA KS
  • 1BR-FMR $770
  • 2BR-FMR $1,009
  • RANK-MID #1,479
  • YOY-FLAT +0.7%
  • VSUS-BELOW -20%
  • VS-ST-NEAR +2% KS
  • INC-ROOM 15%
  • POP-MID 54K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Johnson County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $693–$847
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Johnson ($427 1BR gap)

Read with: Section 8 housing guide

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $702 · US avg: $893
$765/mo
↑ 0.7% YoY +9% vs state -14% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $753 · US avg: $959
$770/mo
↑ 0.7% YoY +2% vs state -20% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $947 · US avg: $1,175
$1,009/mo
↑ 1.2% YoY +7% vs state -14% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,223 · US avg: $1,525
$1,222/mo
↑ 1.7% YoY -0% vs state -20% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,397 · US avg: $1,756
$1,336/mo
↑ 1.1% YoY -4% vs state -24% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $760
$765
+$5 (+0.7%)
1 Bedroom $765
$770
+$5 (+0.7%)
2 Bedroom $997
$1,009
+$12 (+1.2%)
3 Bedroom $1,201
$1,222
+$21 (+1.7%)
4 Bedroom $1,322
$1,336
+$14 (+1.1%)

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio
14.5%
Affordable
Need $30,600/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
14.6%
Affordable
Need $30,800/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
19.1%
Affordable
Need $40,360/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
23.2%
Affordable
Need $48,880/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
25.3%
Affordable
Need $53,440/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%19.1%
Saline County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $63,316 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Kansas rent burden →

Where Saline sits among every US county

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

$1,009 higher than 47% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $1,200–$1,400: 417 counties (13%). Above this entry. $1,400–$1,600: 181 counties (6%). Above this entry. $1,600–$1,800: 172 counties (5%). Above this entry. $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 Saline compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Kansas counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Saline is highlighted. Nearby Kansas counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Johnson County ($1,197), Wyandotte County ($1,197), Leavenworth County ($1,197), Douglas County ($1,006), Sedgwick County ($849), Shawnee County ($820), Saline County (this county) ($770).

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

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

With a below-average 1-bedroom at $770/mo, most of these Kansas occupations clear, or miss, the 30% affordability line.

Occupation KS Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $106,660 8.7% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $85,600 10.8% Affordable
Registered Nurses $78,060 11.8% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $76,400 12.1% Affordable
Electricians $61,830 14.9% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $56,940 16.2% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $56,610 16.3% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $50,820 18.2% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $48,910 18.9% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $39,210 23.6% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $38,330 24.1% Affordable
Janitors & Cleaners $32,690 28.3% Affordable
Retail Salespersons $31,670 29.2% Affordable
Teaching Assistants $27,960 33% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $27,000 34.2% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (Kansas) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

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

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Saline (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 28.3% overall, from $600 to $770. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +14.1% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.

$550$600$650$700$750$800$850 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $770
Saline County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑0.7% $765 $770 $1,009
FY 2025 ↓3.7% $760 $765 $997
FY 2024 ↑14.1% $730 $794 $1,025
FY 2023 ↑10.0% $612 $696 $900
FY 2022 ↑3.8% $552 $633 $831
FY 2021 ↑1.7% $546 $610 $804
FY 2020 $523 $600 $790
Total change (6yr): +28.3%
Annualized: +4.2%/yr
1 BR: $600 → $770

Part of the Salina, KS Micro Area

Saline County is a central county of the Salina, KS micropolitan statistical area, alongside 1 other micro-area county.

Saline County ranks #1 of 2 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Saline County (this county) ($770), Ottawa County ($711).

Saline County (this county)
1 BR: $770/mo
Ottawa County
1 BR: $711/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Saline County, both outside Kansas 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 KS (FY2026).

Henderson County
TX · 2 BR $1,009/mo
Kershaw County
SC · 2 BR $1,009/mo
Murray County
GA · 2 BR $1,009/mo
Scott County
IN · 2 BR $1,009/mo

Similar rent burden

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

Greene County
AR · 19.1% of income · 2 BR $905/mo
Sheridan County
WY · 19.1% of income · 2 BR $1,129/mo
Keya Paha County
NE · 19.1% of income · 2 BR $961/mo
Hayes County
NE · 19.1% of income · 2 BR $961/mo

Nearby Counties in Kansas

Largest counties by population in Kansas

Showing the 8 largest of 104 other counties in Kansas.

Johnson County
1 BR: $1,197/mo Pop: 610,742
Sedgwick County
1 BR: $849/mo Pop: 522,700
Shawnee County
1 BR: $820/mo Pop: 178,625
Wyandotte County
1 BR: $1,197/mo Pop: 167,989
Douglas County
1 BR: $1,006/mo Pop: 119,094
Leavenworth County
1 BR: $1,197/mo Pop: 82,050
Riley County
1 BR: $875/mo Pop: 72,105
Butler County
1 BR: $849/mo Pop: 67,618
View all counties in Kansas →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Saline County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Saline County is $770 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,009 and a studio is $765.
How does Saline County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Saline County is 20% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $770 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Saline County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Saline County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,009 ranks #1,479 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 Saline County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $30,800 ($2,567/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Saline County.
Is rent going up or down in Saline County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Saline County increased by 0.7% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $765 to $770.
Which jobs can afford rent in Saline County? ▼
Based on Kansas BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $770/mo. 13 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Saline County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Saline County went from $600 in FY 2020 to $770 in FY 2026, a total change of +28.3% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Saline County? ▼
In Saline County, the FY 2026 FMR of $770/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 Saline County? ▼
For Saline County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($770/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.