County FMR · HUD FY2026

Story County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Story County, IA - 7% above the US average.

$1,026
1-bedroom FMR
$1,153
2-bedroom FMR
+7.9%
YoY change
+7%
vs US avg

The verdict

Story is the 10th most expensive of 99 counties in Iowa by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,132 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 7.9% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.

#1,132
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#10
most expensive of 99 in Iowa (2BR)
+30%
vs the state average
$41,040
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (11.2%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (43.4%).

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Story County, IA. Verify with HUD →

HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Story County, Iowa at $1,026 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,153/mo and a studio is $972/mo. This is 7% higher than the national average of $959 and 30% above the Iowa average of $788.

Rent increased7.9% from FY 2025 ($951), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $41,040/year for a 1-bedroom.

Observed renter burden: 48.4% of the 17,040 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 Iowa. Population: 98,573. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+1.7%, Census ACS). That's in line with Iowa's statewide growth of +2.0% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area STORY·COUNTY·IA·IA

Story County, IA: $1,026/mo 1BR · #1132 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA IA
  • 1BR-FMR $1,026
  • 2BR-FMR $1,153
  • RANK-MID #1,132
  • YOY-SURGE +7.9%
  • VSUS-NEAR +7%
  • VS-ST-HIGH +30% IA
  • INC-ROOM 18%
  • POP-MID 99K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Polk County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $923–$1,129
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Polk ($83 1BR gap)

Read with: How Fair Market Rent works

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $738 · US avg: $893
$972/mo
↑ 11.1% YoY +32% vs state +9% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $788 · US avg: $959
$1,026/mo
↑ 7.9% YoY +30% vs state +7% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $989 · US avg: $1,175
$1,153/mo
↑ 9.2% YoY +17% vs state -2% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,282 · US avg: $1,525
$1,601/mo
↑ 8.5% YoY +25% vs state +5% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,420 · US avg: $1,756
$1,934/mo
↑ 9.1% YoY +36% vs state +10% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $875
$972
+$97 (+11.1%)
1 Bedroom $951
$1,026
+$75 (+7.9%)
2 Bedroom $1,056
$1,153
+$97 (+9.2%)
3 Bedroom $1,476
$1,601
+$125 (+8.5%)
4 Bedroom $1,773
$1,934
+$161 (+9.1%)

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio
16.9%
Affordable
Need $38,880/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
17.8%
Affordable
Need $41,040/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
20.1%
Affordable
Need $46,120/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
27.8%
Affordable
Need $64,040/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
33.6%
Burdened
Need $77,360/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%20.1%
Story County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $69,006 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Iowa rent burden →

Where Story sits among every US county

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

$1,153 Top 36% higher than 64% 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 Story compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Iowa counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Story is highlighted. Nearby Iowa counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Polk County ($1,109), Story County (this county) ($1,026), Johnson County ($961), Scott County ($928), Woodbury County ($925), Linn County ($816), Black Hawk County ($801).

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

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

How a 1-bedroom at $1,026/mo compares to Iowa salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).

Occupation IA Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $109,850 11.2% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $80,620 15.3% Affordable
Registered Nurses $76,960 16% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $74,290 16.6% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $73,900 16.7% Affordable
Electricians $62,880 19.6% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $55,540 22.2% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $55,080 22.4% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $53,280 23.1% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $44,990 27.4% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $41,380 29.8% Affordable
Janitors & Cleaners $36,130 34.1% Stretched
Retail Salespersons $30,030 41% Stretched
Teaching Assistants $28,500 43.2% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $28,400 43.4% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (Iowa) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

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

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Story (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 45.3% overall, from $706 to $1,026. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 8.0% (FY 2023).

$600$700$800$900$1,000$1,100 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $1,026
Story County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑7.9% $972 $1,026 $1,153
FY 2025 ↑3.6% $875 $951 $1,056
FY 2024 ↑6.5% $847 $918 $1,033
FY 2023 ↑8.0% $800 $862 $981
FY 2022 ↑6.1% $787 $798 $943
FY 2021 ↑6.5% $749 $752 $903
FY 2020 $684 $706 $857
Total change (6yr): +45.3%
Annualized: +6.4%/yr
1 BR: $706 → $1,026

Part of the Ames, IA Metro Area

Story County is a central county of the Ames, IA metropolitan statistical area, alongside 1 other metro-area county.

Story County ranks #1 of 2 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Story County (this county) ($1,026), Boone County ($788).

Story County (this county)
1 BR: $1,026/mo
Boone County
1 BR: $788/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Story County, both outside Iowa 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 IA (FY2026).

Warren County
KY · 2 BR $1,153/mo
Jackson County
GA · 2 BR $1,153/mo
La Paz County
AZ · 2 BR $1,153/mo
Edmonson County
KY · 2 BR $1,153/mo

Similar rent burden

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

Cleveland County
OK · 20.1% of income · 2 BR $1,244/mo
Rock County
NE · 20.1% of income · 2 BR $961/mo
Llano County
TX · 20.1% of income · 2 BR $1,097/mo
Hot Spring County
AR · 20.1% of income · 2 BR $880/mo

Nearby Counties in Iowa

Largest counties by population in Iowa

Showing the 8 largest of 98 other counties in Iowa.

Polk County
1 BR: $1,109/mo Pop: 493,378
Linn County
1 BR: $816/mo Pop: 229,308
Scott County
1 BR: $928/mo Pop: 174,315
Johnson County
1 BR: $961/mo Pop: 153,360
Black Hawk County
1 BR: $801/mo Pop: 131,041
Woodbury County
1 BR: $925/mo Pop: 105,526
Dallas County
1 BR: $1,109/mo Pop: 100,367
Dubuque County
1 BR: $841/mo Pop: 98,812
View all counties in Iowa →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Story County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Story County is $1,026 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,153 and a studio is $972.
How does Story County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Story County is 7% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,026 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Story County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Story County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,153 ranks #1,132 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 Story County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $41,040 ($3,420/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Story County.
Is rent going up or down in Story County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Story County increased by 7.9% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $951 to $1,026.
Which jobs can afford rent in Story County? ▼
Based on Iowa BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $1,026/mo. 11 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Story County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Story County went from $706 in FY 2020 to $1,026 in FY 2026, a total change of +45.3% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Story County? ▼
In Story County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,026/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 Story County? ▼
For Story County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,026/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.