County FMR · HUD FY2026

Stark County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Stark County, OH - 12% below the US average.

$846
1-bedroom FMR
$1,086
2-bedroom FMR
+12.1%
YoY change
-12%
vs US avg

The verdict

Stark is the 29th most expensive of 88 counties in Ohio by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,352 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 12.1% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.

#1,352
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#29
most expensive of 88 in Ohio (2BR)
-3%
vs the state average
$33,840
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (9.4%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (36.1%); 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 Stark County, OH. Verify with HUD →

Stark County, Ohio carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $846 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,086/mo and a studio is $749/mo. That's 12% below the national benchmark of $959 and 3% below the Ohio average of $873.

Rent increased12.1% from FY 2025 ($755), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $33,840/year for a 1-bedroom.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Ohio. Population: 374,199. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+0.1%, Census ACS). That's in line with Ohio's statewide growth of +1.2% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area STARK·COUNTY·OH·OH

Stark County, OH: $846/mo 1BR · #1352 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA OH
  • 1BR-FMR $846
  • 2BR-FMR $1,086
  • RANK-MID #1,352
  • YOY-SURGE +12.1%
  • VSUS-BELOW -12%
  • VS-ST-NEAR -3% OH
  • INC-ROOM 15%
  • POP-MAJOR 374K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Franklin County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $761–$931
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Franklin ($348 1BR gap)

Read with: How Fair Market Rent works

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $816 · US avg: $893
$749/mo
↑ 11.6% YoY -8% vs state -16% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $873 · US avg: $959
$846/mo
↑ 12.1% YoY -3% vs state -12% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,092 · US avg: $1,175
$1,086/mo
↑ 11.0% YoY -1% vs state -8% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,388 · US avg: $1,525
$1,371/mo
↑ 11.6% YoY -1% vs state -10% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,550 · US avg: $1,756
$1,451/mo
↑ 11.9% YoY -6% vs state -17% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $671
$749
+$78 (+11.6%)
1 Bedroom $755
$846
+$91 (+12.1%)
2 Bedroom $978
$1,086
+$108 (+11.0%)
3 Bedroom $1,229
$1,371
+$142 (+11.6%)
4 Bedroom $1,297
$1,451
+$154 (+11.9%)

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio
13.7%
Affordable
Need $29,960/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
15.4%
Affordable
Need $33,840/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
19.8%
Affordable
Need $43,440/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
25%
Affordable
Need $54,840/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
26.5%
Affordable
Need $58,040/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%19.8%
Stark County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $65,740 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Ohio rent burden →

Where Stark sits among every US county

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

$1,086 higher than 57% 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 Stark compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Ohio counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Stark 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), Stark County (this county) ($846), Lucas County ($820).

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

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

How a 1-bedroom at $846/mo compares to Ohio salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).

Occupation OH Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $107,690 9.4% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $94,990 10.7% Affordable
Registered Nurses $81,250 12.5% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $77,640 13.1% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $77,050 13.2% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $65,380 15.5% Affordable
Electricians $63,560 16% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $58,870 17.2% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $58,080 17.5% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $43,510 23.3% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $37,860 26.8% Affordable
Teaching Assistants $35,380 28.7% Affordable
Janitors & Cleaners $34,710 29.2% Affordable
Retail Salespersons $30,440 33.4% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $28,100 36.1% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (Ohio) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

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

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Stark (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 46.1% overall, from $579 to $846. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +12.1% in FY 2026, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.

$500$600$700$800$900 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $846
Stark County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑12.1% $749 $846 $1,086
FY 2025 ↑9.4% $671 $755 $978
FY 2024 ↑5.5% $613 $690 $905
FY 2023 ↑12.0% $576 $654 $861
FY 2022 ↑2.5% $510 $584 $768
FY 2021 ↓1.6% $495 $570 $751
FY 2020 $500 $579 $763
Total change (6yr): +46.1%
Annualized: +6.5%/yr
1 BR: $579 → $846

Part of the Canton-Massillon, OH Metro Area

Stark County is a central county of the Canton-Massillon, OH metropolitan statistical area, alongside 1 other metro-area county.

Stark County ranks #2 of 2 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Carroll County ($846), Stark County (this county) ($846).

Carroll County
1 BR: $846/mo
Stark County (this county)
1 BR: $846/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Stark 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).

Madison County
FL · 2 BR $1,086/mo
Cheyenne County
NE · 2 BR $1,086/mo
San Juan County
NM · 2 BR $1,085/mo
Fulton County
NY · 2 BR $1,087/mo

Similar rent burden

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

Will County
IL · 19.8% of income · 2 BR $1,781/mo
Johnson County
NE · 19.8% of income · 2 BR $982/mo
East Feliciana Parish
LA · 19.8% of income · 2 BR $1,204/mo
Wood County
WV · 19.8% of income · 2 BR $928/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
Lorain County
1 BR: $1,058/mo Pop: 313,101
View all counties in Ohio →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Stark County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Stark County is $846 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,086 and a studio is $749.
How does Stark County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Stark County is 12% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $846 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Stark County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Stark County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,086 ranks #1,352 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 Stark County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $33,840 ($2,820/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Stark County.
Is rent going up or down in Stark County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Stark County increased by 12.1% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $755 to $846.
Which jobs can afford rent in Stark 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 $846/mo. 13 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Stark County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Stark County went from $579 in FY 2020 to $846 in FY 2026, a total change of +46.1% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Stark County? ▼
In Stark County, the FY 2026 FMR of $846/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 Stark County? ▼
For Stark County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($846/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.