County FMR · HUD FY2026

St. Francois County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for St. Francois County, MO - 28% below the US average.

$689
1-bedroom FMR
$904
2-bedroom FMR
+5.7%
YoY change
-28%
vs US avg

The verdict

St. Francois is the 52nd most expensive of 116 counties in Missouri by 2-bedroom FMR; rent here has climbed 5.7% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.

#52
most expensive of 116 in Missouri (2BR)
-11%
vs the state average
$27,560
income to afford it (30% rule)
+5.7%
YoY, FY2025→2026

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (7.2%), while Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary spend the most (28.5%); 15 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 St. Francois County, MO. Verify with HUD →

St. Francois County, Missouri carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $689 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $904/mo and a studio is $684/mo. That's 28% below the national benchmark of $959 and 11% below the Missouri average of $777.

Rent increased5.7% from FY 2025 ($652), outpacing inflation. To afford rent here, a household needs at least $27,560/year based on the 30% affordability rule.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Missouri. Population: 66,814. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+0.8%, Census ACS). That's in line with Missouri's statewide growth of +1.3% over the same period.

What these rents mean for St. Francois County

The St. Francois County FMR area applies to all ZIP codes inside the county boundary, and Missouri'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 28% below the US average of $959 and 11% lower than the Missouri state average of $777. The 1-bedroom FMR went from$652 in FY 2025 to $689 in FY 2026 - a change of +5.7%, which outpaces typical consumer inflation.

At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $689, affording it under the 30%-of-income rule takes $27,560 per year (about $2,297/month) in household income, and a 2-bedroom at $904 pushes that threshold even higher. With a population of 66,814 and a county median household income of $54,813, the arithmetic here directly shapes which wage earners can rent without being cost-burdened.

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $734 · US avg: $893
$684/mo
↑ 7.9% YoY -7% vs state -23% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $777 · US avg: $959
$689/mo
↑ 5.7% YoY -11% vs state -28% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $972 · US avg: $1,175
$904/mo
↑ 5.6% YoY -7% vs state -23% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,268 · US avg: $1,525
$1,169/mo
↑ 3.2% YoY -8% vs state -23% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,460 · US avg: $1,756
$1,197/mo
↑ 5.3% YoY -18% vs state -32% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $634
$684
+$50 (+7.9%)
1 Bedroom $652
$689
+$37 (+5.7%)
2 Bedroom $856
$904
+$48 (+5.6%)
3 Bedroom $1,133
$1,169
+$36 (+3.2%)
4 Bedroom $1,137
$1,197
+$60 (+5.3%)

Affordability Snapshot

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

Required annual income for 1 BR
$27,560
$2,297/month gross
Required annual income for 2 BR
$36,160
$3,013/month gross

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio
15%
Affordable
Need $27,360/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
15.1%
Affordable
Need $27,560/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
19.8%
Affordable
Need $36,160/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
25.6%
Affordable
Need $46,760/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
26.2%
Affordable
Need $47,880/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.

St. Francois County 2-bedroom rent burden

0%100%National avg22%19.8%
St. Francois County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $54,813 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Missouri rent burden →

Where St. Francois sits among every US county

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

$904 higher than 13% 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 St. Francois compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Missouri counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows St. Francois is highlighted. Nearby Missouri counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Jackson County ($1,197), Clay County ($1,197), St. Louis County ($995), St. Charles County ($995), St. Louis city ($995), Greene County ($883), St. Francois County (this county) ($689).

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

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

How a 1-bedroom at $689/mo compares to Missouri salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).

Occupation MO Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $114,550 7.2% Affordable
Registered Nurses $79,770 10.4% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $77,410 10.7% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $73,210 11.3% Affordable
Electricians $70,950 11.7% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $60,720 13.6% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $58,730 14.1% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $50,540 16.4% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $48,250 17.1% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $41,850 19.8% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $37,990 21.8% Affordable
Janitors & Cleaners $34,080 24.3% Affordable
Retail Salespersons $31,250 26.5% Affordable
Fast Food & Counter Workers $29,310 28.2% Affordable
Teaching Assistants $29,060 28.5% Affordable
Salaries: BLS OES (Missouri) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

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

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for St. Francois (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 43.2% overall, from $481 to $689. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 8.9% (FY 2024).

$450$500$550$600$650$700 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $689
St. Francois County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑5.7% $684 $689 $904
FY 2025 ↑4.7% $634 $652 $856
FY 2024 ↑8.9% $617 $623 $819
FY 2023 ↑6.3% $555 $572 $753
FY 2022 ↑6.3% $505 $538 $708
FY 2021 ↑5.2% $460 $506 $667
FY 2020 $413 $481 $634
Total change (6yr): +43.2%
Annualized: +6.2%/yr
1 BR: $481 → $689

Part of the Farmington, MO Micro Area

St. Francois County is a central county of the Farmington, MO micropolitan statistical area.

Nearby Counties in Missouri

Largest counties by population in Missouri

St. Louis County
1 BR: $995/mo Pop: 999,703
Jackson County
1 BR: $1,197/mo Pop: 715,526
St. Charles County
1 BR: $995/mo Pop: 406,262
Greene County
1 BR: $883/mo Pop: 299,188
St. Louis city
1 BR: $995/mo Pop: 298,018
Clay County
1 BR: $1,197/mo Pop: 253,085
Jefferson County
1 BR: $995/mo Pop: 226,984
Boone County
1 BR: $1,011/mo Pop: 184,043
View all counties in Missouri →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in St. Francois County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in St. Francois County is $689 per month. A 2-bedroom is $904 and a studio is $684.
How does St. Francois County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in St. Francois County is 28% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $689 compared to $959 nationally.
What income do I need to afford rent in St. Francois County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $27,560 ($2,297/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in St. Francois County.
Is rent going up or down in St. Francois County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in St. Francois County increased by 5.7% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $652 to $689.
Which jobs can afford rent in St. Francois County? ▼
Based on Missouri BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, Registered Nurses, General and Operations Managers can afford a 1-bedroom at $689/mo. 15 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in St. Francois County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in St. Francois County went from $481 in FY 2020 to $689 in FY 2026, a total change of +43.2% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in St. Francois County? ▼
In St. Francois County, the FY 2026 FMR of $689/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 St. Francois County? ▼
For St. Francois County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($689/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).

What this means for renters

Treat St. Francois'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 $689 implies about $27,560/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 St. Francois 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.