County FMR · HUD FY2026

Scotland County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Scotland County, NC - 21% below the US average.

Compiled by PlainRent Editorial, Fair Market Rent Editorial Team · May 15, 2026

$755
1-bedroom FMR: $925
2-bedroom FMR: -4.8%
YoY change: -21%
vs US avg

The verdict

Scotland is the 21st cheapest of 100 counties in North Carolina by 2-bedroom FMR.

#21
cheapest of 100 in North Carolina (2BR): -23%
vs the state average: $30,200
income to afford it (30% rule): -4.8%
YoY, FY2025→2026

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (6.9%), while Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary spend the most (32.1%).

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Scotland County, NC. Verify with HUD →

The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Scotland County, North Carolina is $755 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $925/mo and a studio is $750/mo. This is 21% lower than the national average of $959 and 23% below the North Carolina average of $981.

Rent decreased4.8% from FY 2025 ($793), declining against the trend. To afford rent here, a household needs at least $30,200/year based on the 30% affordability rule.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in North Carolina. Population: 34,222. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-2.6%, Census ACS). That's slower than North Carolina's statewide growth of +4.2% over the same period.

What these rents mean for Scotland County

The Scotland 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 21% below the US average of $959 and 23% lower than the North Carolina state average of $981. Year-over-year, the 1-bedroom FMR moved from$793 in FY 2025 to $755 in FY 2026 - a change of -4.8%, which is unusual and suggests softening demand or revised HUD sampling.

At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $755, affording it under the 30%-of-income rule takes $30,200 per year (about $2,517/month) in household income, and a 2-bedroom at $925 pushes that threshold even higher. With a population of 34,222 and a county median household income of $43,500, the arithmetic here directly shapes which wage earners can rent without being cost-burdened.

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio

State avg: $932 · US avg: $893

$750/mo

↓ 4.8% YoY -20% vs state -16% vs US

1 Bedroom

State avg: $981 · US avg: $959

$755/mo

↓ 4.8% YoY -23% vs state -21% vs US

2 Bedroom

State avg: $1,161 · US avg: $1,175

$925/mo

↓ 0.5% YoY -20% vs state -21% vs US

3 Bedroom

State avg: $1,499 · US avg: $1,525

$1,244/mo

↑ 1.3% YoY -17% vs state -18% vs US

4 Bedroom

State avg: $1,780 · US avg: $1,756

$1,249/mo

↑ 1.3% YoY -30% vs state -29% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms	FY 2025	FY 2026	Change	vs State	vs US
Studio	$788	$750	$-38 (-4.8%)	-20%	-16%
1 Bedroom	$793	$755	$-38 (-4.8%)	-23%	-21%
2 Bedroom	$930	$925	$-5 (-0.5%)	-20%	-21%
3 Bedroom	$1,228	$1,244	+$16 (+1.3%)	-17%	-18%
4 Bedroom	$1,233	$1,249	+$16 (+1.3%)	-30%	-29%

Affordability Snapshot

Based on the standard that rent should not exceed 30% of gross income:

Required annual income for 1 BR

$30,200

$2,517/month gross

Required annual income for 2 BR

$37,000

$3,083/month gross

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio

20.7%

Affordable

Need $30,000/yr for 30% rule

1 Bedroom

20.8%

Affordable

Need $30,200/yr for 30% rule

2 Bedroom

25.5%

Affordable

Need $37,000/yr for 30% rule

3 Bedroom

34.3%

Burdened

Need $49,760/yr for 30% rule

4 Bedroom

34.5%

Burdened

Need $49,960/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.

Scotland County 2-bedroom rent burden

County median income: $43,500 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View North Carolina rent burden →

Where Scotland 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

Wake

$1,596
Mecklenburg

$1,538
Durham

$1,507
Guilford

$1,213
Cumberland

$1,113
Forsyth

$1,082
Scotland

$755

What this shows Scotland 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), Scotland County (this county) ($755).

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

How a 1-bedroom at $755/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	6.9%	Affordable
General & Operations Managers	$99,190	9.1%	Affordable
Registered Nurses	$81,860	11.1%	Affordable
Accountants & Auditors	$80,490	11.3%	Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers	$58,030	15.6%	Affordable
Electricians	$54,070	16.8%	Affordable
Elementary School Teachers	$49,400	18.3%	Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants	$49,390	18.3%	Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers	$49,580	18.3%	Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians	$39,870	22.7%	Affordable
Customer Service Representatives	$39,530	22.9%	Affordable
Janitors & Cleaners	$32,630	27.8%	Affordable
Retail Salespersons	$30,090	30.1%	Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers	$28,760	31.5%	Stretched
Teaching Assistants	$28,230	32.1%	Stretched

Salaries: BLS OES (North Carolina) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

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

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Scotland (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 48.3% overall, from $509 to $755. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 21.3% (FY 2024), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.

Scotland County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026

Year	Studio	1 BR	2 BR	3 BR	4 BR
FY 2026 ↓4.8%	$750	$755	$925	$1,244	$1,249
FY 2025 ↑11.5%	$788	$793	$930	$1,228	$1,233
FY 2024 ↑21.3%	$706	$711	$856	$1,139	$1,140
FY 2023 ↑6.5%	$582	$586	$771	$978	$1,036
FY 2022 ↑4.6%	$547	$550	$724	$912	$982
FY 2021 ↑3.3%	$522	$526	$693	$863	$969
FY 2020	$506	$509	$671	$836	$1,013

Total change (6yr): +48.3%

Annualized: +6.8%/yr

1 BR: $509 → $755

Part of the Laurinburg, NC Micro Area

Scotland County is a central county of the Laurinburg, NC micropolitan statistical area.

Nearby Counties in North Carolina

Largest counties by population in North Carolina

Wake County

1 BR: $1,596/mo Pop: 1,132,103

Mecklenburg County

1 BR: $1,538/mo Pop: 1,115,403

Guilford County

1 BR: $1,213/mo Pop: 539,557

Forsyth County

1 BR: $1,082/mo Pop: 383,739

Cumberland County

1 BR: $1,113/mo Pop: 335,207

Durham County

1 BR: $1,507/mo Pop: 325,101

Buncombe County

1 BR: $1,429/mo Pop: 269,449

Union County

1 BR: $1,538/mo Pop: 240,109

Compare Scotland County against

View all counties in North Carolina →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Scotland County? ▼

The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Scotland County is $755 per month. A 2-bedroom is $925 and a studio is $750.

How does Scotland County rent compare to the national average? ▼

Rent in Scotland County is 21% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $755 compared to $959 nationally.

What income do I need to afford rent in Scotland County? ▼

Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $30,200 ($2,517/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Scotland County.

Is rent going up or down in Scotland County? ▼

The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Scotland County decreased by 4.8% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $793 to $755.

Which jobs can afford rent in Scotland County? ▼

Based on North Carolina BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $755/mo. 12 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.

How much has rent changed in Scotland County over time? ▼

The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Scotland County went from $509 in FY 2020 to $755 in FY 2026, a total change of +48.3% over 6 years.

How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Scotland County? ▼

In Scotland County, the FY 2026 FMR of $755/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 Scotland County? ▼

For Scotland County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($755/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).

What this means for renters

Treat Scotland'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 $755 implies about $30,200/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 Scotland 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.

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.