County FMR · HUD FY2026

Shelby County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Shelby County, OH - 18% below the US average.

$787
1-bedroom FMR
$1,033
2-bedroom FMR
+8.0%
YoY change
-18%
vs US avg

The verdict

Shelby is the 41st most expensive of 88 counties in Ohio by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,573 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 8.0% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.

#1,573
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#41
most expensive of 88 in Ohio (2BR)
-10%
vs the state average
$31,480
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (8.8%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (33.6%); 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 Shelby County, OH. Verify with HUD →

The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Shelby County, Ohio is $787 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $1,033/mo and a studio is $720/mo. This is 18% lower than the national average of $959 and 10% below the Ohio average of $873.

Rent increased8.0% from FY 2025 ($729), outpacing inflation. The 30% affordability floor is comparatively reachable here at $31,480/year.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Ohio. Population: 48,145. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-1.6%, Census ACS). That's slower than Ohio's statewide growth of +1.2% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area SHELBY·COUNTY·OH·OH

Shelby County, OH: $787/mo 1BR · #1573 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA OH
  • 1BR-FMR $787
  • 2BR-FMR $1,033
  • RANK-MID #1,573
  • YOY-SURGE +8.0%
  • VSUS-BELOW -18%
  • VS-ST-LOW -10% OH
  • INC-ROOM 13%
  • POP-SMALL 48K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Franklin County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $708–$866
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Franklin ($407 1BR gap)

Read with: Section 8 housing guide

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $816 · US avg: $893
$720/mo
↑ 9.8% YoY -12% vs state -19% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $873 · US avg: $959
$787/mo
↑ 8.0% YoY -10% vs state -18% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,092 · US avg: $1,175
$1,033/mo
↑ 7.9% YoY -5% vs state -12% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,388 · US avg: $1,525
$1,384/mo
↑ 8.1% YoY -0% vs state -9% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,550 · US avg: $1,756
$1,448/mo
↑ 7.3% YoY -7% vs state -18% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $656
$720
+$64 (+9.8%)
1 Bedroom $729
$787
+$58 (+8.0%)
2 Bedroom $957
$1,033
+$76 (+7.9%)
3 Bedroom $1,280
$1,384
+$104 (+8.1%)
4 Bedroom $1,349
$1,448
+$99 (+7.3%)

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio
11.9%
Affordable
Need $28,800/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
13%
Affordable
Need $31,480/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
17%
Affordable
Need $41,320/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
22.8%
Affordable
Need $55,360/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
23.9%
Affordable
Need $57,920/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.

0%100%National avg22%17%
Shelby County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $72,822 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Ohio rent burden →

Where Shelby sits among every US county

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties

$1,033 higher than 50% of 3,145 counties

$600–$800: 23 counties (1%). Below this entry. $800–$1,000: 1,406 counties (45%). Below this entry. $1,000–$1,200: 723 counties (23%). This entry sits in this band. $1,200–$1,400: 417 counties (13%). Above this entry. $1,400–$1,600: 181 counties (6%). Above this entry. $1,600–$1,800: 172 counties (5%). Above this entry. $1,800–$2,000: 108 counties (3%). Above this entry. $2,000–$2,200: 29 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,200–$2,400: 40 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,400–$2,600: 13 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,600–$2,800: 9 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,800–$3,000: 15 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,000–$3,200: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,200–$3,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,400–$3,600: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,600–$3,800: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,800–$4,000: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,000–$4,200: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,200–$4,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. This county $600 $4,400 every US county, bucketed by value

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 Shelby compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Ohio counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Shelby 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), Shelby County (this county) ($787).

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) As of FY2026

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

With a below-average 1-bedroom at $787/mo, most of these Ohio occupations clear, or miss, the 30% affordability line.

Occupation OH Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $107,690 8.8% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $94,990 9.9% Affordable
Registered Nurses $81,250 11.6% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $77,640 12.2% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $77,050 12.3% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $65,380 14.4% Affordable
Electricians $63,560 14.9% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $58,870 16% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $58,080 16.3% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $43,510 21.7% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $37,860 24.9% Affordable
Teaching Assistants $35,380 26.7% Affordable
Janitors & Cleaners $34,710 27.2% Affordable
Retail Salespersons $30,440 31% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $28,100 33.6% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (Ohio) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

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

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Shelby (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 34.5% overall, from $585 to $787. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 8.0% (FY 2026).

$550$600$650$700$750$800 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $787
Shelby County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑8.0% $720 $787 $1,033
FY 2025 ↑5.5% $656 $729 $957
FY 2024 ↑4.7% $599 $691 $884
FY 2023 ↑7.0% $566 $660 $811
FY 2022 ↑0.5% $521 $617 $740
FY 2021 ↑5.0% $549 $614 $736
FY 2020 $523 $585 $704
Total change (6yr): +34.5%
Annualized: +5.1%/yr
1 BR: $585 → $787

Part of the Sidney, OH Micro Area

Shelby County is a central county of the Sidney, OH micropolitan statistical area.

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Shelby 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).

Genesee County
MI · 2 BR $1,033/mo
Delaware County
NY · 2 BR $1,033/mo
Live Oak County
TX · 2 BR $1,033/mo
Uintah County
UT · 2 BR $1,032/mo

Similar rent burden

Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside OH).

Dubuque County
IA · 17% of income · 2 BR $1,077/mo
Platte County
MO · 17% of income · 2 BR $1,358/mo
Cooper County
MO · 17% of income · 2 BR $958/mo
Manitowoc County
WI · 17% of income · 2 BR $973/mo

Nearby Counties in Ohio

Largest counties by population in Ohio

Showing the 8 largest of 87 other counties in Ohio.

Franklin County
1 BR: $1,194/mo Pop: 1,318,149
Cuyahoga County
1 BR: $1,058/mo Pop: 1,256,620
Hamilton County
1 BR: $1,051/mo Pop: 827,671
Summit County
1 BR: $985/mo Pop: 539,361
Montgomery County
1 BR: $1,009/mo Pop: 536,121
Lucas County
1 BR: $820/mo Pop: 430,014
Butler County
1 BR: $1,051/mo Pop: 388,327
Stark County
1 BR: $846/mo Pop: 374,199
View all counties in Ohio →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Shelby County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Shelby County is $787 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,033 and a studio is $720.
How does Shelby County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Shelby County is 18% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $787 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Shelby County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Shelby County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,033 ranks #1,573 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 Shelby County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $31,480 ($2,623/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Shelby County.
Is rent going up or down in Shelby County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Shelby County increased by 8.0% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $729 to $787.
Which jobs can afford rent in Shelby 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 $787/mo. 13 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Shelby County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Shelby County went from $585 in FY 2020 to $787 in FY 2026, a total change of +34.5% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Shelby County? ▼
In Shelby County, the FY 2026 FMR of $787/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 Shelby County? ▼
For Shelby County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($787/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).

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.