County FMR · HUD FY2026

Talbot County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Talbot County, MD - 34% above the US average.

$1,282
1-bedroom FMR
$1,409
2-bedroom FMR
+2.0%
YoY change
+34%
vs US avg

The verdict

Talbot is the 10th cheapest of 24 counties in Maryland by 2-bedroom FMR.

#10
cheapest of 24 in Maryland (2BR)
-9%
vs the state average
$51,280
income to afford it (30% rule)
+2.0%
YoY, FY2025→2026

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (11.2%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (49.3%).

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Talbot County, MD. Verify with HUD →

The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Talbot County, Maryland is $1,282 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $1,409/mo and a studio is $1,201/mo. This is 34% higher than the national average of $959 and 9% below the Maryland average of $1,404.

Rent increased2.0% from FY 2025 ($1,257), roughly tracking inflation. To afford rent here, a household needs at least $51,280/year based on the 30% affordability rule.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Maryland. Population: 37,663. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+1.3%, Census ACS). That's in line with Maryland's statewide growth of +2.8% over the same period.

What these rents mean for Talbot County

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

Compared to the rest of the country, a 1-bedroom here is 34% above the US average of $959 and 9% lower than the Maryland state average of $1,404. Year-over-year, the 1-bedroom FMR moved from$1,257 in FY 2025 to $1,282 in FY 2026 - a change of +2.0%, which tracks roughly with broader price trends.

At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $1,282, affording it under the 30%-of-income rule takes $51,280 per year (about $4,273/month) in household income, and a 2-bedroom at $1,409 pushes that threshold even higher. With a population of 37,663 and a county median household income of $84,378, the arithmetic here directly shapes which wage earners can rent without being cost-burdened.

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $1,314 · US avg: $893
$1,201/mo
↓ 0.7% YoY -9% vs state +34% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $1,404 · US avg: $959
$1,282/mo
↑ 2.0% YoY -9% vs state +34% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,657 · US avg: $1,175
$1,409/mo
↑ 1.2% YoY -15% vs state +20% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $2,133 · US avg: $1,525
$1,960/mo
↑ 0.5% YoY -8% vs state +29% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $2,449 · US avg: $1,756
$2,364/mo
↑ 1.1% YoY -3% vs state +35% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $1,210
$1,201
$-9 (-0.7%)
1 Bedroom $1,257
$1,282
+$25 (+2.0%)
2 Bedroom $1,392
$1,409
+$17 (+1.2%)
3 Bedroom $1,951
$1,960
+$9 (+0.5%)
4 Bedroom $2,338
$2,364
+$26 (+1.1%)

Affordability Snapshot

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

Required annual income for 1 BR
$51,280
$4,273/month gross
Required annual income for 2 BR
$56,360
$4,697/month gross

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio
17.1%
Affordable
Need $48,040/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
18.2%
Affordable
Need $51,280/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
20%
Affordable
Need $56,360/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
27.9%
Affordable
Need $78,400/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
33.6%
Burdened
Need $94,560/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.

Talbot County 2-bedroom rent burden

0%100%National avg22%20%
Talbot County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $84,378 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Maryland rent burden →

Where Talbot sits among every US county

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

$1,409 Top 18% higher than 82% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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 Talbot compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Maryland counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Talbot is highlighted. Nearby Maryland counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Montgomery County ($2,015), Prince George's County ($2,015), Baltimore County ($1,511), Anne Arundel County ($1,511), Baltimore city ($1,511), Howard County ($1,511), Talbot County (this county) ($1,282).

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

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

How a 1-bedroom at $1,282/mo compares to Maryland salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).

Occupation MD Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $137,890 11.2% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $105,320 14.6% Affordable
Registered Nurses $96,830 15.9% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $84,890 18.1% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $77,440 19.9% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $74,720 20.6% Affordable
Electricians $65,650 23.4% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $63,560 24.2% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $57,180 26.9% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $43,100 35.7% Stretched
Customer Service Representatives $40,310 38.2% Stretched
Janitors & Cleaners $36,090 42.6% Stretched
Teaching Assistants $35,700 43.1% Stretched
Retail Salespersons $34,310 44.8% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $31,200 49.3% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (Maryland) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

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

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Talbot (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 45.2% overall, from $883 to $1,282. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +15.6% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.

$800$900$1,000$1,100$1,200$1,300$1,400 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $1,282
Talbot County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑2.0% $1,201 $1,282 $1,409
FY 2025 ↑2.3% $1,210 $1,257 $1,392
FY 2024 ↑15.6% $1,196 $1,229 $1,380
FY 2023 ↑11.1% $1,013 $1,063 $1,201
FY 2022 ↑12.5% $929 $957 $1,141
FY 2021 ↓3.6% $808 $851 $1,076
FY 2020 $862 $883 $1,163
Total change (6yr): +45.2%
Annualized: +6.4%/yr
1 BR: $883 → $1,282

Part of the Easton, MD Micro Area

Talbot County is a central county of the Easton, MD micropolitan statistical area.

Nearby Counties in Maryland

Largest counties by population 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 Talbot County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Talbot County is $1,282 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,409 and a studio is $1,201.
How does Talbot County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Talbot County is 34% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,282 compared to $959 nationally.
What income do I need to afford rent in Talbot County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $51,280 ($4,273/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Talbot County.
Is rent going up or down in Talbot County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Talbot County increased by 2.0% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,257 to $1,282.
Which jobs can afford rent in Talbot 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 $1,282/mo. 9 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Talbot County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Talbot County went from $883 in FY 2020 to $1,282 in FY 2026, a total change of +45.2% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Talbot County? ▼
In Talbot County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,282/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 Talbot County? ▼
For Talbot County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,282/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).

What this means for renters

Treat Talbot'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 $1,282 implies about $51,280/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 Talbot 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.