County FMR · HUD FY2026

Smith County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Smith County, MS - 20% below the US average.

$768
1-bedroom FMR
$842
2-bedroom FMR
-8.9%
YoY change
-20%
vs US avg

The verdict

Smith is the 32nd cheapest of 82 counties in Mississippi by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #32 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has fallen 8.9% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.

#32
most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#32
cheapest of 82 in Mississippi (2BR)
-2%
vs the state average
$30,720
income to afford it (30% rule)

General and Operations Managers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (10.4%), while Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary spend the most (42.3%).

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Smith County, MS. Verify with HUD →

HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Smith County, Mississippi at $768 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $842/mo and a studio is $727/mo. This is 20% lower than the national average of $959 and 2% below the Mississippi average of $782.

Rent decreased8.9% from FY 2025 ($843), declining against the trend. The 30% affordability floor is comparatively reachable here at $30,720/year.

Observed renter burden: 24.6% of the 737 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.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Mississippi. Population: 14,310. Population declined 11.6% 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 Mississippi's statewide growth of -1.2% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area SMITH·COUNTY·MS·MS

Smith County, MS: $768/mo 1BR · #32 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA MS
  • 1BR-FMR $768
  • 2BR-FMR $842
  • RANK-LOW #32
  • YOY-DOWN -8.9%
  • VSUS-BELOW -20%
  • VS-ST-NEAR -2% MS
  • INC-ROOM 18%
  • POP-SMALL 14K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Hinds County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $691–$845
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Hinds ($329 1BR gap)

Read with: Section 8 housing guide

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $751 · US avg: $893
$727/mo
↓ 9.9% YoY -3% vs state -19% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $782 · US avg: $959
$768/mo
↓ 8.9% YoY -2% vs state -20% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $924 · US avg: $1,175
$842/mo
↓ 9.8% YoY -9% vs state -28% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,177 · US avg: $1,525
$1,012/mo
↓ 10.0% YoY -14% vs state -34% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,295 · US avg: $1,756
$1,118/mo
↓ 10.0% YoY -14% vs state -36% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $807
$727
$-80 (-9.9%)
1 Bedroom $843
$768
$-75 (-8.9%)
2 Bedroom $933
$842
$-91 (-9.8%)
3 Bedroom $1,124
$1,012
$-112 (-10.0%)
4 Bedroom $1,242
$1,118
$-124 (-10.0%)

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio
17%
Affordable
Need $29,080/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
17.9%
Affordable
Need $30,720/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
19.7%
Affordable
Need $33,680/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
23.6%
Affordable
Need $40,480/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
26.1%
Affordable
Need $44,720/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%19.7%
Smith County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $51,396 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Mississippi rent burden →

Where Smith sits among every US county

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

$842 higher than 1% of 3,145 counties

$600–$800: 23 counties (1%). Below this entry. $800–$1,000: 1,406 counties (45%). This entry sits in this band. $1,000–$1,200: 723 counties (23%). Above this entry. $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 Smith compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Mississippi counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Smith is highlighted. Nearby Mississippi counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: DeSoto County ($1,154), Hinds County ($1,097), Rankin County ($1,097), Madison County ($1,097), Jackson County ($951), Harrison County ($923), Smith County (this county) ($768).

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 $768/mo, most of these Mississippi occupations clear, or miss, the 30% affordability line.

Occupation MS Salary Rent Burden Verdict
General & Operations Managers $88,290 10.4% Affordable
Software Developers $86,460 10.7% Affordable
Registered Nurses $74,470 12.4% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $64,170 14.4% Affordable
Electricians $57,300 16.1% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $50,700 18.2% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $48,440 19% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $45,610 20.2% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $39,120 23.6% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $38,210 24.1% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $35,580 25.9% Affordable
Retail Salespersons $27,810 33.1% Stretched
Janitors & Cleaners $27,610 33.4% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $22,280 41.4% Stretched
Teaching Assistants $21,790 42.3% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (Mississippi) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

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

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Smith (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 53.9% overall, from $499 to $768. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 25.7% (FY 2023), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.

$400$500$600$700$800$900 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $768
Smith County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↓8.9% $727 $768 $842
FY 2025 ↑4.9% $807 $843 $933
FY 2024 ↑19.3% $775 $804 $903
FY 2023 ↑25.7% $643 $674 $766
FY 2022 ↑3.3% $532 $536 $705
FY 2021 ↑4.0% $451 $519 $684
FY 2020 $428 $499 $657
Total change (6yr): +53.9%
Annualized: +7.5%/yr
1 BR: $499 → $768

Where Smith County Ranks in Mississippi

Smith 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 #32 of 82 counties in Mississippi. Nearest by rank: Monroe County ($842), Montgomery County ($842), Neshoba County ($842), Newton County ($842), Noxubee County ($842), Prentiss County ($842), Quitman County ($842), Sharkey County ($842), Smith County (this county) ($842), Sunflower County ($842), Tallahatchie County ($842), Tippah County ($842), Tishomingo County ($842), Washington County ($842), Wayne County ($842), Webster County ($842), Wilkinson County ($842).

Monroe County
2 BR: $842/mo
Montgomery County
2 BR: $842/mo
Neshoba County
2 BR: $842/mo
Newton County
2 BR: $842/mo
Noxubee County
2 BR: $842/mo
Prentiss County
2 BR: $842/mo
Quitman County
2 BR: $842/mo
Sharkey County
2 BR: $842/mo
Smith County (this county)
2 BR: $842/mo
Sunflower County
2 BR: $842/mo
Tallahatchie County
2 BR: $842/mo
Tippah County
2 BR: $842/mo
Tishomingo County
2 BR: $842/mo
Washington County
2 BR: $842/mo
Wayne County
2 BR: $842/mo
Webster County
2 BR: $842/mo
Wilkinson County
2 BR: $842/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Smith County, both outside Mississippi 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 MS (FY2026).

Wilcox County
AL · 2 BR $843/mo
Cherokee County
AL · 2 BR $844/mo
Butler County
AL · 2 BR $837/mo
Dallas County
AL · 2 BR $836/mo

Similar rent burden

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

Bullitt County
KY · 19.7% of income · 2 BR $1,272/mo
Queen Anne's County
MD · 19.7% of income · 2 BR $1,857/mo
Cimarron County
OK · 19.7% of income · 2 BR $937/mo
Faulk County
SD · 19.7% of income · 2 BR $950/mo

Nearby Counties in Mississippi

Largest counties by population in Mississippi

Showing the 8 largest of 81 other counties in Mississippi.

Hinds County
1 BR: $1,097/mo Pop: 226,541
Harrison County
1 BR: $923/mo Pop: 208,748
DeSoto County
1 BR: $1,154/mo Pop: 186,214
Rankin County
1 BR: $1,097/mo Pop: 157,185
Jackson County
1 BR: $951/mo Pop: 143,721
Madison County
1 BR: $1,097/mo Pop: 109,257
Lee County
1 BR: $852/mo Pop: 83,343
Forrest County
1 BR: $888/mo Pop: 77,917
View all counties in Mississippi →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Smith County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Smith County is $768 per month. A 2-bedroom is $842 and a studio is $727.
How does Smith County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Smith County is 20% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $768 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Smith County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Smith County's 2-bedroom FMR of $842 ranks #32 most affordable among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the lowest-rent tenth of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Smith County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $30,720 ($2,560/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Smith County.
Is rent going up or down in Smith County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Smith County decreased by 8.9% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $843 to $768.
Which jobs can afford rent in Smith County? ▼
Based on Mississippi BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like General and Operations Managers, Software Developers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $768/mo. 11 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Smith County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Smith County went from $499 in FY 2020 to $768 in FY 2026, a total change of +53.9% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Smith County? ▼
In Smith County, the FY 2026 FMR of $768/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 Smith County? ▼
For Smith County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($768/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.