County FMR · HUD FY2026

Starr County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Starr County, TX - 23% below the US average.

$742
1-bedroom FMR
$973
2-bedroom FMR
+4.4%
YoY change
-23%
vs US avg

The verdict

Starr is the 62nd cheapest of 254 counties in Texas by 2-bedroom FMR.

#62
cheapest of 254 in Texas (2BR)
-21%
vs the state average
$29,680
income to afford it (30% rule)
+4.4%
YoY, FY2025→2026

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (6.8%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (33%); 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 Starr County, TX. Verify with HUD →

HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Starr County, Texas at $742 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $973/mo and a studio is $737/mo. This is 23% lower than the national average of $959 and 21% below the Texas average of $935.

Rent increased4.4% from FY 2025 ($711), outpacing inflation. To afford rent here, a household needs at least $29,680/year based on the 30% affordability rule.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Texas. Population: 65,716. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+3.0%, Census ACS). That's slower than Texas's statewide growth of +6.3% over the same period.

What these rents mean for Starr County

The Starr County FMR area applies to all ZIP codes inside the county boundary, and Texas'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.

Starr County's 1-bedroom rent runs 23% below the US average of $959 and 21% lower than the Texas state average of $935. Over the past year, 1-bedroom rent here shifted from$711 in FY 2025 to $742 in FY 2026 - a change of +4.4%, which outpaces typical consumer inflation.

At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $742, affording it under the 30%-of-income rule takes $29,680 per year (about $2,473/month) in household income, and a 2-bedroom at $973 pushes that threshold even higher. With a population of 65,716 and a county median household income of $38,182, the arithmetic here directly shapes which wage earners can rent without being cost-burdened.

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $887 · US avg: $893
$737/mo
↑ 4.2% YoY -17% vs state -17% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $935 · US avg: $959
$742/mo
↑ 4.4% YoY -21% vs state -23% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,149 · US avg: $1,175
$973/mo
↑ 4.3% YoY -15% vs state -17% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,497 · US avg: $1,525
$1,353/mo
↑ 3.5% YoY -10% vs state -11% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,733 · US avg: $1,756
$1,490/mo
↑ 1.4% YoY -14% vs state -15% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $707
$737
+$30 (+4.2%)
1 Bedroom $711
$742
+$31 (+4.4%)
2 Bedroom $933
$973
+$40 (+4.3%)
3 Bedroom $1,307
$1,353
+$46 (+3.5%)
4 Bedroom $1,470
$1,490
+$20 (+1.4%)

Affordability Snapshot

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

Required annual income for 1 BR
$29,680
$2,473/month gross
Required annual income for 2 BR
$38,920
$3,243/month gross

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio
23.2%
Affordable
Need $29,480/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
23.3%
Affordable
Need $29,680/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
30.6%
Burdened
Need $38,920/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
42.5%
Burdened
Need $54,120/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
46.8%
Burdened
Need $59,600/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.

Starr County 2-bedroom rent burden

0%100%National avg22%30.6%
Starr County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $38,182 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Texas rent burden →

Where Starr sits among every US county

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

$973 higher than 31% 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 Starr compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Texas counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Starr is highlighted. Nearby Texas counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Dallas County ($1,648), Collin County ($1,648), Travis County ($1,562), Tarrant County ($1,473), Harris County ($1,323), Bexar County ($1,177), Starr County (this county) ($742).

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

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

How a 1-bedroom at $742/mo compares to Texas salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).

Occupation TX Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $130,500 6.8% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $100,290 8.9% Affordable
Registered Nurses $90,010 9.9% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $80,000 11.1% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $76,350 11.7% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $61,380 14.5% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $59,700 14.9% Affordable
Electricians $56,920 15.6% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $53,070 16.8% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $43,920 20.3% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $39,100 22.8% Affordable
Janitors & Cleaners $31,230 28.5% Affordable
Retail Salespersons $30,130 29.6% Affordable
Teaching Assistants $27,630 32.2% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $27,000 33% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (Texas) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

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

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Starr (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 31.8% overall, from $563 to $742. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 9.7% (FY 2024).

$550$600$650$700$750$800 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $742
Starr County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑4.4% $737 $742 $973
FY 2025 ↑3.2% $707 $711 $933
FY 2024 ↑9.7% $684 $689 $905
FY 2023 ↑7.9% $623 $628 $826
FY 2022 ↓0.9% $560 $582 $757
FY 2021 ↑4.3% $538 $587 $734
FY 2020 $529 $563 $714
Total change (6yr): +31.8%
Annualized: +4.7%/yr
1 BR: $563 → $742

Part of the Rio Grande City-Roma, TX Micro Area

Starr County is a central county of the Rio Grande City-Roma, TX micropolitan statistical area.

Nearby Counties in Texas

Largest counties by population in Texas

Harris County
1 BR: $1,323/mo Pop: 4,726,177
Dallas County
1 BR: $1,648/mo Pop: 2,604,053
Tarrant County
1 BR: $1,473/mo Pop: 2,113,854
Bexar County
1 BR: $1,177/mo Pop: 2,014,059
Travis County
1 BR: $1,562/mo Pop: 1,289,054
Collin County
1 BR: $1,648/mo Pop: 1,079,153
Denton County
1 BR: $1,648/mo Pop: 914,870
Hidalgo County
1 BR: $847/mo Pop: 873,167
View all counties in Texas →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Starr County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Starr County is $742 per month. A 2-bedroom is $973 and a studio is $737.
How does Starr County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Starr County is 23% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $742 compared to $959 nationally.
What income do I need to afford rent in Starr County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $29,680 ($2,473/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Starr County.
Is rent going up or down in Starr County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Starr County increased by 4.4% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $711 to $742.
Which jobs can afford rent in Starr County? ▼
Based on Texas BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $742/mo. 13 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Starr County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Starr County went from $563 in FY 2020 to $742 in FY 2026, a total change of +31.8% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Starr County? ▼
In Starr County, the FY 2026 FMR of $742/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 Starr County? ▼
For Starr County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($742/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).

What this means for renters

Treat Starr'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 $742 implies about $29,680/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 Starr 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.