County FMR · HUD FY2026
Saline County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Saline County, NE - 24% below the US average.
- $732
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $961
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +1.8%
- YoY change
- -24%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Saline is the 38th most expensive of 93 counties in Nebraska by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #882 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties.
- #882
- most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #38
- most expensive of 93 in Nebraska (2BR)
- -7%
- vs the state average
- $29,280
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (7.5%), while Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary spend the most (31.6%); 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 Saline County, NE. Verify with HUD →
Saline County, Nebraska carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $732 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $961/mo and a studio is $666/mo. That's 24% below the national benchmark of $959 and 7% below the Nebraska average of $791.
Rent increased1.8% from FY 2025 ($719), roughly tracking inflation. The 30% affordability floor is comparatively reachable here at $29,280/year.
Observed renter burden: 36.5% of the 1,362 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 3.5%, 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 3.5% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Nebraska. Population: 14,275. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+2.5%, Census ACS). That's in line with Nebraska's statewide growth of +3.2% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area SALINE·COUNTY·NE·NE
Saline County, NE: $732/mo 1BR · #882 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA NE
- 1BR-FMR $732
- 2BR-FMR $961
- RANK-MID #882
- YOY-FLAT +1.8%
- VSUS-BELOW -24%
- VS-ST-NEAR -7% NE
- INC-ROOM 11%
- POP-SMALL 14K
- PHOTO-NEAR Douglas County
- VOUCH-90-110 $659–$805
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Douglas ($416 1BR gap)
Read with: Section 8 housing guide
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $622 | $666 | +$44 (+7.1%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $719 | $732 | +$13 (+1.8%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $907 | $961 | +$54 (+6.0%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,271 | $1,337 | +$66 (+5.2%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,449 | $1,446 | $-3 (-0.2%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Saline 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 Saline sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$961 higher than 28% 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 Saline compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Nebraska counties
- Douglas
Douglas County
$1,148 1BR FMR / mo
- Sarpy
Sarpy County
$1,148 1BR FMR / mo
- Hall
Hall County
$978 1BR FMR / mo
- Lancaster
Lancaster County
$926 1BR FMR / mo
- Buffalo
Buffalo County
$863 1BR FMR / mo
- Dodge
Dodge County
$861 1BR FMR / mo
- Saline
Saline County
$732 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Saline is highlighted. Nearby Nebraska counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Douglas County ($1,148), Sarpy County ($1,148), Hall County ($978), Lancaster County ($926), Buffalo County ($863), Dodge County ($861), Saline County (this county) ($732).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
With a below-average 1-bedroom at $732/mo, most of these Nebraska occupations clear, or miss, the 30% affordability line.
| Occupation | NE Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $116,420 | 7.5% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $82,570 | 10.6% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $81,020 | 10.8% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $72,160 | 12.2% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $69,980 | 12.6% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $61,700 | 14.2% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $61,410 | 14.3% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $60,020 | 14.6% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $57,940 | 15.2% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $41,400 | 21.2% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $40,790 | 21.5% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $35,820 | 24.5% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $30,350 | 28.9% | Affordable |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $29,420 | 29.9% | Affordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $27,840 | 31.6% | Stretched |
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 18.8% overall, from $616 to $732. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 7.8% (FY 2023).
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑1.8% | $666 | $732 | $961 |
| FY 2025 ↑3.6% | $622 | $719 | $907 |
| FY 2024 ↑4.5% | $591 | $694 | $872 |
| FY 2023 ↑7.8% | $562 | $664 | $827 |
| FY 2022 ↓1.1% | $531 | $616 | $793 |
| FY 2021 ↑1.1% | $542 | $623 | $821 |
| FY 2020 | $528 | $616 | $811 |
Where Saline County Ranks in Nebraska
Saline 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 #56 of 93 counties in Nebraska. Nearest by rank: Pawnee County ($961), Perkins County ($961), Phelps County ($961), Pierce County ($961), Polk County ($961), Red Willow County ($961), Richardson County ($961), Rock County ($961), Saline County (this county) ($961), Sheridan County ($961), Sherman County ($961), Sioux County ($961), Thayer County ($961), Thomas County ($961), Thurston County ($961), Valley County ($961), Wayne County ($961).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Saline County, both outside Nebraska 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 NE (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside NE).
Nearby Counties in Nebraska
Largest counties by population in Nebraska
Showing the 8 largest of 92 other counties in Nebraska.
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 $732 per month. A 2-bedroom is $961 and a studio is $666.
How does Saline County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Saline County is 24% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $732 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 $961 ranks #882 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 $29,280 ($2,440/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 1.8% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $719 to $732.
Which jobs can afford rent in Saline County?
Based on Nebraska BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $732/mo. 14 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 $616 in FY 2020 to $732 in FY 2026, a total change of +18.8% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Saline County?
In Saline County, the FY 2026 FMR of $732/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 ($732/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Saline County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 3.5%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
What is the unemployment rate in Saline County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 3.5% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Saline'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 $732 implies about $29,280/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Nebraska counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Douglas
- See where Saline 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.