South Central Connecticut Planning Region Fair Market Rent

What these rents mean for South Central Connecticut Planning Region

HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule sets the South Central Connecticut Planning Region Connecticut 1-bedroom at $1,591, with a studio at $1,372, 2-bedroom at $1,969, 3-bedroom at $2,433, and 4-bedroom at $2,872. These figures represent the 40th percentile of gross rents, meaning 60% of standard-quality rental units in this HUD area cost more. The South Central Connecticut Planning Region FMR area applies to all ZIP codes inside the county boundary, and Connecticut's housing authorities use it as the baseline when setting Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher payment standards (typically 90%–110% of FMR).

Compared to the rest of the country, a 1-bedroom here is 66% above the US average of $959 and 0% higher than the Connecticut state average of $1,590. Historical FMR comparisons help renters anticipate how voucher payment standards and federal subsidy ceilings adjust over time.

For budgeting, the traditional 30% affordability rule says rent should not exceed 30% of gross household income. At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $1,591, that implies a household income of $63,640 per year (about $5,303/month) to stay affordable, a 2-bedroom at $1,969 pushes that threshold even higher. With a population of 5,280 and a county median household income of $86,266, the arithmetic here directly shapes which wage earners can rent without being cost-burdened. Rent-burdened households (paying more than 30% of income) and severely burdened households (above 50%) face a sharply higher risk of housing instability, and this county's numbers set the benchmark for assessing that risk.