County FMR · HUD FY2026
Swain County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Swain County, NC - 15% below the US average.
- $813
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $925
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +6.7%
- YoY change
- -15%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Swain is the 24th cheapest of 100 counties in North Carolina by 2-bedroom FMR; rent here has climbed 6.7% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.
- #24
- cheapest of 100 in North Carolina (2BR)
- -17%
- vs the state average
- $32,520
- income to afford it (30% rule)
- +6.7%
- YoY, FY2025→2026
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (7.4%), while Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary spend the most (34.6%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Swain County, NC. Verify with HUD →
HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Swain County, North Carolina at $813 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $925/mo and a studio is $806/mo. This is 15% lower than the national average of $959 and 17% below the North Carolina average of $981.
Rent increased6.7% from FY 2025 ($762), outpacing inflation. To afford rent here, a household needs at least $32,520/year based on the 30% affordability rule.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in North Carolina. Population: 14,130. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-1.3%, Census ACS). That's slower than North Carolina's statewide growth of +4.2% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Swain County
The Swain County FMR area applies to all ZIP codes inside the county boundary, and North Carolina'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.
Swain County's 1-bedroom rent runs 15% below the US average of $959 and 17% lower than the North Carolina state average of $981. Over the past year, 1-bedroom rent here shifted from$762 in FY 2025 to $813 in FY 2026 - a change of +6.7%, which outpaces typical consumer inflation.
At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $813, affording it under the 30%-of-income rule takes $32,520 per year (about $2,710/month) in household income, and a 2-bedroom at $925 pushes that threshold even higher. With a population of 14,130 and a county median household income of $55,429, the arithmetic here directly shapes which wage earners can rent without being cost-burdened.
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $757 | $806 | +$49 (+6.5%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $762 | $813 | +$51 (+6.7%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $930 | $925 | $-5 (-0.5%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,303 | $1,264 | $-39 (-3.0%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,398 | $1,390 | $-8 (-0.6%) |
Affordability Snapshot
Based on the standard that rent should not exceed 30% of gross income:
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Swain County. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.
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.
Swain County 2-bedroom rent burden
Where Swain sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$925 higher than 19% of 3,145 counties
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 Swain compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other North Carolina counties
- Wake
Wake County
$1,596 1BR FMR / mo
- Mecklenburg
Mecklenburg County
$1,538 1BR FMR / mo
- Durham
Durham County
$1,507 1BR FMR / mo
- Guilford
Guilford County
$1,213 1BR FMR / mo
- Cumberland
Cumberland County
$1,113 1BR FMR / mo
- Forsyth
Forsyth County
$1,082 1BR FMR / mo
- Swain
Swain County
$813 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Swain is highlighted. Nearby North Carolina counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Wake County ($1,596), Mecklenburg County ($1,538), Durham County ($1,507), Guilford County ($1,213), Cumberland County ($1,113), Forsyth County ($1,082), Swain County (this county) ($813).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $813/mo compares to North Carolina salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | NC Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $131,000 | 7.4% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $99,190 | 9.8% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $81,860 | 11.9% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $80,490 | 12.1% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $58,030 | 16.8% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $54,070 | 18% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $49,400 | 19.7% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $49,580 | 19.7% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $49,390 | 19.8% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $39,870 | 24.5% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $39,530 | 24.7% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $32,630 | 29.9% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $30,090 | 32.4% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $28,760 | 33.9% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $28,230 | 34.6% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Swain County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Swain (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 38.0% overall, from $589 to $813. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +16.2% in FY 2025, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑6.7% | $806 | $813 | $925 |
| FY 2025 ↑16.2% | $757 | $762 | $930 |
| FY 2024 ↑5.6% | $652 | $656 | $856 |
| FY 2023 ↑7.3% | $617 | $621 | $771 |
| FY 2022 ↓4.8% | $575 | $579 | $724 |
| FY 2021 ↑3.2% | $589 | $608 | $693 |
| FY 2020 | $573 | $589 | $671 |
Where Swain County Ranks in North Carolina
Swain County is not part of any federally-designated metropolitan or micropolitan statistical area -- an independent rental market not administratively tied to a larger urban core. By 2-bedroom FMR, it ranks #24 of 100 counties in North Carolina. Nearest by rank: Montgomery County ($925), Richmond County ($925), Robeson County ($925), Rutherford County ($925), Sampson County ($925), Scotland County ($925), Stanly County ($925), Surry County ($925), Swain County (this county) ($925), Tyrrell County ($925), Warren County ($925), Washington County ($925), Wilkes County ($925), Cherokee County ($935), Yancey County ($935), Hyde County ($940), Person County ($948).
Nearby Counties in North Carolina
Largest counties by population in North Carolina
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Swain County? ▼
How does Swain County rent compare to the national average? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Swain County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Swain County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Swain County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Swain County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Swain County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Swain County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Swain'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 $813 implies about $32,520/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 Swain 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.
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.