County FMR · HUD FY2026

Tulare County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Tulare County, CA - 17% above the US average.

$1,123
1-bedroom FMR
$1,474
2-bedroom FMR
+3.1%
YoY change
+17%
vs US avg

The verdict

Tulare is the 14th cheapest of 58 counties in California by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #472 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties.

#472
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#14
cheapest of 58 in California (2BR)
-32%
vs the state average
$44,920
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (7.9%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (36.4%); nearby California counties range as much as 68% apart in 1-bedroom FMR, so the county line itself can matter for renters comparing options.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Tulare County, CA. Verify with HUD →

HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Tulare County, California at $1,123 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,474/mo and a studio is $1,116/mo. This is 17% higher than the national average of $959 and 32% below the California average of $1,647.

Rent increased3.1% from FY 2025 ($1,089), outpacing inflation. A household needs about $44,920/year to stay under the 30% rent-to-income line.

Observed renter burden: 46.1% of the 58,773 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 California. Population: 473,446. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+3.3%, Census ACS). That's faster than California's statewide growth of +0.2% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area TULARE·COUNTY·CA·CA

Tulare County, CA: $1,123/mo 1BR · #472 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA CA
  • 1BR-FMR $1,123
  • 2BR-FMR $1,474
  • RANK-MID #472
  • YOY-UP +3.1%
  • VSUS-ABOVE +17%
  • VS-ST-LOW -32% CA
  • INC-ROOM 19%
  • POP-MAJOR 473K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Los Angeles County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $1,011–$1,235
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Los Angeles ($962 1BR gap)

Read with: Understanding rent burden

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $1,513 · US avg: $893
$1,116/mo
↑ 3.1% YoY -26% vs state +25% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $1,647 · US avg: $959
$1,123/mo
↑ 3.1% YoY -32% vs state +17% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $2,053 · US avg: $1,175
$1,474/mo
↑ 3.1% YoY -28% vs state +25% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $2,752 · US avg: $1,525
$2,028/mo
↑ 3.1% YoY -26% vs state +33% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $3,165 · US avg: $1,756
$2,393/mo
↑ 5.3% YoY -24% vs state +36% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $1,082
$1,116
+$34 (+3.1%)
1 Bedroom $1,089
$1,123
+$34 (+3.1%)
2 Bedroom $1,429
$1,474
+$45 (+3.1%)
3 Bedroom $1,967
$2,028
+$61 (+3.1%)
4 Bedroom $2,272
$2,393
+$121 (+5.3%)

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio
19.3%
Affordable
Need $44,640/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
19.4%
Affordable
Need $44,920/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
25.5%
Affordable
Need $58,960/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
35%
Burdened
Need $81,120/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
41.3%
Burdened
Need $95,720/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%25.5%
Tulare County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $69,489 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View California rent burden →

Where Tulare sits among every US county

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

$1,474 Top 15% higher than 85% 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 Tulare compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other California counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Tulare is highlighted. Nearby California counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Santa Clara County ($2,982), Orange County ($2,746), San Diego County ($2,459), Los Angeles County ($2,085), Riverside County ($1,777), San Bernardino County ($1,777), Tulare County (this county) ($1,123).

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

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

Against a high local FMR of $1,123/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using California BLS wages?

Occupation CA Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $170,910 7.9% Affordable
Registered Nurses $140,330 9.6% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $125,240 10.8% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $115,400 11.7% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $98,190 13.7% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $96,360 14% Affordable
Electricians $76,540 17.6% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $72,960 18.5% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $59,950 22.5% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $49,640 27.1% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $47,790 28.2% Affordable
Teaching Assistants $45,460 29.6% Affordable
Janitors & Cleaners $38,640 34.9% Stretched
Retail Salespersons $37,250 36.2% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $37,010 36.4% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (California) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

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

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Tulare (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 57.3% overall, from $714 to $1,123. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +16.6% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.

$600$700$800$900$1,000$1,100$1,200 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $1,123
Tulare County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑3.1% $1,116 $1,123 $1,474
FY 2025 ↑10.1% $1,082 $1,089 $1,429
FY 2024 ↑16.6% $977 $989 $1,299
FY 2023 ↑11.0% $825 $848 $1,116
FY 2022 ↑4.9% $746 $764 $1,005
FY 2021 ↑2.0% $723 $728 $959
FY 2020 $710 $714 $941
Total change (6yr): +57.3%
Annualized: +7.8%/yr
1 BR: $714 → $1,123

Part of the Visalia, CA Metro Area

Tulare County is a central county of the Visalia, CA metropolitan statistical area.

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Tulare County, both outside California 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 CA (FY2026).

Marion County
IN · 2 BR $1,473/mo
Hamilton County
IN · 2 BR $1,473/mo
Hendricks County
IN · 2 BR $1,473/mo
Johnson County
IN · 2 BR $1,473/mo

Similar rent burden

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

Gillespie County
TX · 25.5% of income · 2 BR $1,438/mo
Clatsop County
OR · 25.4% of income · 2 BR $1,457/mo
Richmond County
NC · 25.4% of income · 2 BR $925/mo
Knox County
ME · 25.5% of income · 2 BR $1,526/mo

Nearby Counties in California

Largest counties by population in California

Showing the 8 largest of 57 other counties in California.

Los Angeles County
1 BR: $2,085/mo Pop: 9,936,690
San Diego County
1 BR: $2,459/mo Pop: 3,289,701
Orange County
1 BR: $2,746/mo Pop: 3,175,227
Riverside County
1 BR: $1,777/mo Pop: 2,429,487
San Bernardino County
1 BR: $1,777/mo Pop: 2,180,563
Santa Clara County
1 BR: $2,982/mo Pop: 1,916,831
Alameda County
1 BR: $2,385/mo Pop: 1,663,823
Sacramento County
1 BR: $1,832/mo Pop: 1,579,211
View all counties in California →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Tulare County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Tulare County is $1,123 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,474 and a studio is $1,116.
How does Tulare County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Tulare County is 17% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,123 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Tulare County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Tulare County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,474 ranks #472 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the upper-rent quarter of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Tulare County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $44,920 ($3,743/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Tulare County.
Is rent going up or down in Tulare County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Tulare County increased by 3.1% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,089 to $1,123.
Which jobs can afford rent in Tulare County? ▼
Based on California BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, Registered Nurses, General and Operations Managers can afford a 1-bedroom at $1,123/mo. 12 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Tulare County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Tulare County went from $714 in FY 2020 to $1,123 in FY 2026, a total change of +57.3% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Tulare County? ▼
In Tulare County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,123/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 Tulare County? ▼
For Tulare County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,123/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.