County FMR · HUD FY2026

St. Mary's County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for St. Mary's County, MD - 74% above the US average.

$1,672
1-bedroom FMR
$1,833
2-bedroom FMR
+3.0%
YoY change
+74%
vs US avg

The verdict

St. Mary's is the 12th cheapest of 24 counties in Maryland by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #189 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties.

#189
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#12
cheapest of 24 in Maryland (2BR)
+19%
vs the state average
$66,880
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (14.6%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (64.3%); only 6 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. Mary's County, MD. Verify with HUD →

HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for St. Mary's County, Maryland at $1,672 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,833/mo and a studio is $1,394/mo. This is 74% higher than the national average of $959 and 19% above the Maryland average of $1,404.

Rent increased3.0% from FY 2025 ($1,624), outpacing inflation. Clearing the 30% rule here takes $66,880/year, a high bar relative to most US counties.

Observed renter burden: 42.1% of the 11,418 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 Maryland. Population: 113,814. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+2.5%, Census ACS). That's in line with Maryland's statewide growth of +2.8% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area ST·MARY·S·COUNTY·MD·MD

St. Mary's County, MD: $1,672/mo 1BR · #189 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA MD
  • 1BR-FMR $1,672
  • 2BR-FMR $1,833
  • RANK-UPPER #189
  • YOY-UP +3.0%
  • VSUS-HIGH +74%
  • VS-ST-HIGH +19% MD
  • INC-ROOM 18%
  • POP-MID 114K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Montgomery County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $1,505–$1,839
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Montgomery ($343 1BR gap)

Read with: Understanding rent burden

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $1,314 · US avg: $893
$1,394/mo
↓ 6.6% YoY +6% vs state +56% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $1,404 · US avg: $959
$1,672/mo
↑ 3.0% YoY +19% vs state +74% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,657 · US avg: $1,175
$1,833/mo
↑ 0.1% YoY +11% vs state +56% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $2,133 · US avg: $1,525
$2,264/mo
↓ 0.9% YoY +6% vs state +48% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $2,449 · US avg: $1,756
$2,889/mo
↑ 2.5% YoY +18% vs state +65% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $1,493
$1,394
$-99 (-6.6%)
1 Bedroom $1,624
$1,672
+$48 (+3.0%)
2 Bedroom $1,831
$1,833
+$2 (+0.1%)
3 Bedroom $2,285
$2,264
$-21 (-0.9%)
4 Bedroom $2,818
$2,889
+$71 (+2.5%)

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio
14.6%
Affordable
Need $55,760/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
17.5%
Affordable
Need $66,880/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
19.2%
Affordable
Need $73,320/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
23.7%
Affordable
Need $90,560/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
30.3%
Burdened
Need $115,560/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%19.2%
St. Mary's County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $114,580 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Maryland rent burden →

Where St. Mary's sits among every US county

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

$1,833 Top 6% higher than 94% 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%). Below this entry. $1,200–$1,400: 417 counties (13%). Below this entry. $1,400–$1,600: 181 counties (6%). Below this entry. $1,600–$1,800: 172 counties (5%). Below this entry. $1,800–$2,000: 108 counties (3%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Mary's compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Maryland counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows St. Mary's is highlighted. Nearby Maryland counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Montgomery County ($2,015), Prince George's County ($2,015), St. Mary's County (this county) ($1,672), Baltimore County ($1,511), Anne Arundel County ($1,511), Baltimore city ($1,511), Howard County ($1,511).

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

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

Against a high local FMR of $1,672/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using Maryland BLS wages?

Occupation MD Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $137,890 14.6% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $105,320 19.1% Affordable
Registered Nurses $96,830 20.7% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $84,890 23.6% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $77,440 25.9% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $74,720 26.9% Affordable
Electricians $65,650 30.6% Stretched
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $63,560 31.6% Stretched
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $57,180 35.1% Stretched
Pharmacy Technicians $43,100 46.6% Stretched
Customer Service Representatives $40,310 49.8% Stretched
Janitors & Cleaners $36,090 55.6% Unaffordable
Teaching Assistants $35,700 56.2% Unaffordable
Retail Salespersons $34,310 58.5% Unaffordable
Fast Food & Counter Workers $31,200 64.3% Unaffordable
Salaries: BLS OES (Maryland) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

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

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for St. Mary's (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 53.3% overall, from $1,091 to $1,672. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +17.5% in FY 2023, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.

$1,000$1,200$1,400$1,600$1,800 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $1,672
St. Mary's County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑3.0% $1,394 $1,672 $1,833
FY 2025 ↑8.8% $1,493 $1,624 $1,831
FY 2024 ↑12.8% $1,470 $1,492 $1,755
FY 2023 ↑17.5% $1,304 $1,323 $1,597
FY 2022 ↑2.2% $1,058 $1,126 $1,372
FY 2021 ↑1.0% $891 $1,102 $1,343
FY 2020 $865 $1,091 $1,328
Total change (6yr): +53.3%
Annualized: +7.4%/yr
1 BR: $1,091 → $1,672

Part of the Lexington Park, MD Metro Area

St. Mary's County is a central county of the Lexington Park, MD metropolitan statistical area, alongside 1 other metro-area county.

St. Mary's County ranks #2 of 2 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Calvert County ($1,851), St. Mary's County (this county) ($1,672).

Calvert County
1 BR: $1,851/mo
St. Mary's County (this county)
1 BR: $1,672/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for St. Mary's County, both outside Maryland 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 MD (FY2026).

Cumberland County
ME · 2 BR $1,833/mo
Maricopa County
AZ · 2 BR $1,839/mo
Pinal County
AZ · 2 BR $1,839/mo
Albemarle County
VA · 2 BR $1,824/mo

Similar rent burden

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

Bath County
KY · 19.2% of income · 2 BR $866/mo
Greene County
IN · 19.2% of income · 2 BR $956/mo
Clay County
IL · 19.2% of income · 2 BR $916/mo
Peoria County
IL · 19.2% of income · 2 BR $1,039/mo

Nearby Counties in Maryland

Largest counties by population in Maryland

Showing the 8 largest of 23 other counties in Maryland.

Montgomery County
1 BR: $2,015/mo Pop: 1,056,910
Prince George's County
1 BR: $2,015/mo Pop: 957,189
Baltimore County
1 BR: $1,511/mo Pop: 850,737
Anne Arundel County
1 BR: $1,511/mo Pop: 588,109
Baltimore city
1 BR: $1,511/mo Pop: 584,548
Howard County
1 BR: $1,511/mo Pop: 332,011
Frederick County
1 BR: $2,015/mo Pop: 273,829
Harford County
1 BR: $1,511/mo Pop: 261,059
View all counties in Maryland →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in St. Mary's County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in St. Mary's County is $1,672 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,833 and a studio is $1,394.
How does St. Mary's County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in St. Mary's County is 74% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,672 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does St. Mary's County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, St. Mary's County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,833 ranks #189 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the highest-rent tenth of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in St. Mary's County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $66,880 ($5,573/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in St. Mary's County.
Is rent going up or down in St. Mary's County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in St. Mary's County increased by 3.0% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,624 to $1,672.
Which jobs can afford rent in St. Mary's County? ▼
Based on Maryland BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $1,672/mo. 6 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in St. Mary's County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in St. Mary's County went from $1,091 in FY 2020 to $1,672 in FY 2026, a total change of +53.3% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in St. Mary's County? ▼
In St. Mary's County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,672/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. Mary's County? ▼
For St. Mary's County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,672/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.