County FMR · HUD FY2026
Seneca County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Seneca County, NY - 4% below the US average.
- $921
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,169
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +10.3%
- YoY change
- -4%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Seneca is the 19th cheapest of 62 counties in New York by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,069 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 10.3% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.
- #1,069
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #19
- cheapest of 62 in New York (2BR)
- -30%
- vs the state average
- $36,840
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (6.9%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (31.3%); 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 Seneca County, NY. Verify with HUD →
The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Seneca County, New York is $921 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $1,169/mo and a studio is $879/mo. This is 4% lower than the national average of $959 and 30% below the New York average of $1,315.
Rent increased10.3% from FY 2025 ($835), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $36,840/year for a 1-bedroom.
Observed renter burden: 40.6% of the 3,831 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 3.9%, 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 3.9% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in New York. Population: 33,651. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-4.3%, Census ACS). That's slower than New York's statewide growth of +1.3% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area SENECA·COUNTY·NY·NY
Seneca County, NY: $921/mo 1BR · #1069 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA NY
- 1BR-FMR $921
- 2BR-FMR $1,169
- RANK-MID #1,069
- YOY-SURGE +10.3%
- VSUS-NEAR -4%
- VS-ST-LOW -30% NY
- INC-ROOM 17%
- POP-SMALL 34K
- PHOTO-NEAR Kings County
- VOUCH-90-110 $829–$1,013
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Kings ($1,734 1BR gap)
Read with: How Fair Market Rent works
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $820 | $879 | +$59 (+7.2%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $835 | $921 | +$86 (+10.3%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,075 | $1,169 | +$94 (+8.7%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,409 | $1,550 | +$141 (+10.0%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,805 | $1,961 | +$156 (+8.6%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Seneca 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 Seneca sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,169 Top 34% higher than 66% 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 Seneca compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other New York counties
- Kings
Kings County
$2,655 1BR FMR / mo
- Queens
Queens County
$2,655 1BR FMR / mo
- New York
New York County
$2,655 1BR FMR / mo
- Bronx
Bronx County
$2,655 1BR FMR / mo
- Suffolk
Suffolk County
$2,379 1BR FMR / mo
- Nassau
Nassau County
$2,379 1BR FMR / mo
- Seneca $921
Seneca County
$921 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Seneca is highlighted. Nearby New York counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Kings County ($2,655), Queens County ($2,655), New York County ($2,655), Bronx County ($2,655), Suffolk County ($2,379), Nassau County ($2,379), Seneca County (this county) ($921).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $921/mo compares to New York salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | NY Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $161,260 | 6.9% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $129,990 | 8.5% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $105,600 | 10.5% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $101,780 | 10.9% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $93,050 | 11.9% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $82,480 | 13.4% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $77,460 | 14.3% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $66,390 | 16.6% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $60,520 | 18.3% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $47,840 | 23.1% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $40,840 | 27.1% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $39,920 | 27.7% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $37,020 | 29.9% | Affordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $36,600 | 30.2% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $35,270 | 31.3% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Seneca County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Seneca (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 34.5% overall, from $685 to $921. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 10.3% (FY 2026).
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑10.3% | $879 | $921 | $1,169 |
| FY 2025 ↑8.4% | $820 | $835 | $1,075 |
| FY 2024 ↑5.2% | $765 | $770 | $991 |
| FY 2023 ↑6.7% | $727 | $732 | $926 |
| FY 2022 ↓2.1% | $682 | $686 | $851 |
| FY 2021 ↑2.3% | $697 | $701 | $865 |
| FY 2020 | $681 | $685 | $828 |
Part of the Seneca Falls, NY Micro Area
Seneca County is a central county of the Seneca Falls, NY micropolitan statistical area.
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Seneca County, both outside New York 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 NY (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside NY).
Nearby Counties in New York
Largest counties by population in New York
Showing the 8 largest of 61 other counties in New York.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Seneca County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Seneca County is $921 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,169 and a studio is $879.
How does Seneca County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Seneca County is 4% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $921 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Seneca County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Seneca County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,169 ranks #1,069 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the middle half of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Seneca County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $36,840 ($3,070/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Seneca County.
Is rent going up or down in Seneca County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Seneca County increased by 10.3% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $835 to $921.
Which jobs can afford rent in Seneca County?
Based on New York BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $921/mo. 13 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Seneca County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Seneca County went from $685 in FY 2020 to $921 in FY 2026, a total change of +34.5% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Seneca County?
In Seneca County, the FY 2026 FMR of $921/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 Seneca County?
For Seneca County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($921/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Seneca County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 3.9%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
What is the unemployment rate in Seneca County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 3.9% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Seneca'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 $921 implies about $36,840/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- New York counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Kings
- See where Seneca 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.