County FMR · HUD FY2026
Sandusky County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Sandusky County, OH - 17% below the US average.
- $799
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $973
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +11.0%
- YoY change
- -17%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Sandusky is the 27th cheapest of 88 counties in Ohio by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #976 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 11.0% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.
- #976
- most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #27
- cheapest of 88 in Ohio (2BR)
- -8%
- vs the state average
- $31,960
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (8.9%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (34.1%); 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 Sandusky County, OH. Verify with HUD →
Sandusky County, Ohio carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $799 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $973/mo and a studio is $671/mo. That's 17% below the national benchmark of $959 and 8% below the Ohio average of $873.
Rent increased11.0% from FY 2025 ($720), outpacing inflation. The 30% affordability floor is comparatively reachable here at $31,960/year.
Observed renter burden: 36.6% of the 6,285 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 1.9%, 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 4.7% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Ohio. Population: 58,885. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-0.9%, Census ACS). That's slower than Ohio's statewide growth of +1.2% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area SANDUSKY·COUNTY·OH·OH
Sandusky County, OH: $799/mo 1BR · #976 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA OH
- 1BR-FMR $799
- 2BR-FMR $973
- RANK-MID #976
- YOY-SURGE +11.0%
- VSUS-BELOW -17%
- VS-ST-LOW -8% OH
- INC-ROOM 15%
- POP-MID 59K
- PHOTO-NEAR Franklin County
- VOUCH-90-110 $719–$879
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Franklin ($395 1BR gap)
Read with: Section 8 housing guide
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $606 | $671 | +$65 (+10.7%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $720 | $799 | +$79 (+11.0%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $884 | $973 | +$89 (+10.1%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,167 | $1,214 | +$47 (+4.0%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,237 | $1,313 | +$76 (+6.1%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Sandusky 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 Sandusky sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$973 higher than 31% 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 Sandusky compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Ohio counties
- Franklin
Franklin County
$1,194 1BR FMR / mo
- Cuyahoga
Cuyahoga County
$1,058 1BR FMR / mo
- Hamilton
Hamilton County
$1,051 1BR FMR / mo
- Montgomery
Montgomery County
$1,009 1BR FMR / mo
- Summit
Summit County
$985 1BR FMR / mo
- Lucas
Lucas County
$820 1BR FMR / mo
- Sandusky
Sandusky County
$799 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Sandusky is highlighted. Nearby Ohio counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Franklin County ($1,194), Cuyahoga County ($1,058), Hamilton County ($1,051), Montgomery County ($1,009), Summit County ($985), Lucas County ($820), Sandusky County (this county) ($799).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
With a below-average 1-bedroom at $799/mo, most of these Ohio occupations clear, or miss, the 30% affordability line.
| Occupation | OH Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $107,690 | 8.9% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $94,990 | 10.1% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $81,250 | 11.8% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $77,640 | 12.3% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $77,050 | 12.4% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $65,380 | 14.7% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $63,560 | 15.1% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $58,870 | 16.3% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $58,080 | 16.5% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $43,510 | 22% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $37,860 | 25.3% | Affordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $35,380 | 27.1% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $34,710 | 27.6% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $30,440 | 31.5% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $28,100 | 34.1% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Sandusky County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Sandusky (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 42.9% overall, from $559 to $799. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 11.0% (FY 2026).
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑11.0% | $671 | $799 | $973 |
| FY 2025 ↑2.4% | $606 | $720 | $884 |
| FY 2024 ↑8.5% | $587 | $703 | $866 |
| FY 2023 ↑8.4% | $594 | $648 | $804 |
| FY 2022 ↑0.0% | $552 | $598 | $744 |
| FY 2021 ↑7.0% | $557 | $598 | $747 |
| FY 2020 | $519 | $559 | $699 |
Part of the Fremont, OH Micro Area
Sandusky County is a central county of the Fremont, OH micropolitan statistical area.
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Sandusky County, both outside Ohio 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 OH (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside OH).
Nearby Counties in Ohio
Largest counties by population in Ohio
Showing the 8 largest of 87 other counties in Ohio.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Sandusky County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Sandusky County is $799 per month. A 2-bedroom is $973 and a studio is $671.
How does Sandusky County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Sandusky County is 17% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $799 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Sandusky County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Sandusky County's 2-bedroom FMR of $973 ranks #976 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 Sandusky County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $31,960 ($2,663/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Sandusky County.
Is rent going up or down in Sandusky County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Sandusky County increased by 11.0% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $720 to $799.
Which jobs can afford rent in Sandusky County?
Based on Ohio BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $799/mo. 13 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Sandusky County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Sandusky County went from $559 in FY 2020 to $799 in FY 2026, a total change of +42.9% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Sandusky County?
In Sandusky County, the FY 2026 FMR of $799/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 Sandusky County?
For Sandusky County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($799/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Sandusky County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 1.9%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
What is the unemployment rate in Sandusky County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 4.7% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Sandusky'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 $799 implies about $31,960/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Ohio counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Franklin
- See where Sandusky 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.