County FMR · HUD FY2026
Sampson County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Sampson County, NC - 16% below the US average.
- $806
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $925
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +1.1%
- YoY change
- -16%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Sampson is the 20th cheapest of 100 counties in North Carolina by 2-bedroom FMR.
- #20
- cheapest of 100 in North Carolina (2BR)
- -18%
- vs the state average
- $32,240
- income to afford it (30% rule)
- +1.1%
- YoY, FY2025→2026
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (7.4%), while Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary spend the most (34.3%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Sampson County, NC. Verify with HUD →
Sampson County, North Carolina carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $806 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $925/mo and a studio is $663/mo. That's 16% below the national benchmark of $959 and 18% below the North Carolina average of $981.
Rent increased1.1% from FY 2025 ($797), roughly tracking inflation. To afford rent here, a household needs at least $32,240/year based on the 30% affordability rule.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in North Carolina. Population: 59,317. Population declined 6.8% over the past five years (Census ACS), a trend that can ease rental-market pressure over time even as FMR reflects recent rent levels. That's slower than North Carolina's statewide growth of +4.2% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Sampson County
The Sampson County FMR area applies to all ZIP codes inside the county boundary, and North Carolina's housing authorities use it as the baseline for Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. See how FMR is calculated for the full 40th-percentile methodology and payment-standard rules.
Compared to the rest of the country, a 1-bedroom here is 16% below the US average of $959 and 18% lower than the North Carolina state average of $981. The 1-bedroom FMR went from$797 in FY 2025 to $806 in FY 2026 - a change of +1.1%, which tracks roughly with broader price trends.
At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $806, affording it under the 30%-of-income rule takes $32,240 per year (about $2,687/month) in household income, and a 2-bedroom at $925 pushes that threshold even higher. With a population of 59,317 and a county median household income of $53,159, the arithmetic here directly shapes which wage earners can rent without being cost-burdened.
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $709 | $663 | $-46 (-6.5%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $797 | $806 | +$9 (+1.1%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $930 | $925 | $-5 (-0.5%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,131 | $1,109 | $-22 (-1.9%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,337 | $1,302 | $-35 (-2.6%) |
Affordability Snapshot
Based on the standard that rent should not exceed 30% of gross income:
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Sampson 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.
Sampson County 2-bedroom rent burden
Where Sampson sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$925 higher than 19% 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 Sampson compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other North Carolina counties
- Wake
Wake County
$1,596 1BR FMR / mo
- Mecklenburg
Mecklenburg County
$1,538 1BR FMR / mo
- Durham
Durham County
$1,507 1BR FMR / mo
- Guilford
Guilford County
$1,213 1BR FMR / mo
- Cumberland
Cumberland County
$1,113 1BR FMR / mo
- Forsyth
Forsyth County
$1,082 1BR FMR / mo
- Sampson
Sampson County
$806 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Sampson is highlighted. Nearby North Carolina counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Wake County ($1,596), Mecklenburg County ($1,538), Durham County ($1,507), Guilford County ($1,213), Cumberland County ($1,113), Forsyth County ($1,082), Sampson County (this county) ($806).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $806/mo compares to North Carolina salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | NC Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $131,000 | 7.4% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $99,190 | 9.8% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $81,860 | 11.8% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $80,490 | 12% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $58,030 | 16.7% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $54,070 | 17.9% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $49,580 | 19.5% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $49,400 | 19.6% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $49,390 | 19.6% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $39,870 | 24.3% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $39,530 | 24.5% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $32,630 | 29.6% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $30,090 | 32.1% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $28,760 | 33.6% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $28,230 | 34.3% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Sampson County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Sampson (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 57.4% overall, from $512 to $806. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +18.9% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑1.1% | $663 | $806 | $925 |
| FY 2025 ↑9.9% | $709 | $797 | $930 |
| FY 2024 ↑18.9% | $684 | $725 | $856 |
| FY 2023 ↑10.9% | $606 | $610 | $771 |
| FY 2022 ↑4.6% | $547 | $550 | $724 |
| FY 2021 ↑2.7% | $522 | $526 | $693 |
| FY 2020 | $509 | $512 | $671 |
Where Sampson County Ranks in North Carolina
Sampson 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 #20 of 100 counties in North Carolina. Nearest by rank: Lenoir County ($925), Martin County ($925), McDowell County ($925), Mitchell County ($925), Montgomery County ($925), Richmond County ($925), Robeson County ($925), Rutherford County ($925), Sampson County (this county) ($925), Scotland County ($925), Stanly County ($925), Surry County ($925), Swain County ($925), Tyrrell County ($925), Warren County ($925), Washington County ($925), Wilkes County ($925).
Nearby Counties in North Carolina
Largest counties by population in North Carolina
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Sampson County? ▼
How does Sampson County rent compare to the national average? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Sampson County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Sampson County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Sampson County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Sampson County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Sampson County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Sampson County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Sampson's FY2026 Fair Market Rent as HUD's affordability benchmark, not a market quote.
- Budget to roughly 30% of income: the FY2026 1-bedroom FMR of $806 implies about $32,240/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Compare this county against nearby metros and states before signing a lease. Compare areas
- See where it sits on the national rent map. View rankings
Fair Market Rent is HUD's 40th-percentile policy benchmark used to set Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. Actual asking rents in Sampson can run higher or lower, and HUD updates FMRs once a year. This page is informational and not financial or relocation advice.
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.
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.