County FMR · HUD FY2026
Union County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Union County, OH - 17% above the US average.
- $1,125
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,433
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +1.4%
- YoY change
- +17%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Union is the 1st most expensive of 88 counties in Ohio by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #535 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties.
- #535
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #1
- most expensive of 88 in Ohio (2BR)
- +29%
- vs the state average
- $45,000
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (12.5%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (48%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Union County, OH. Verify with HUD →
The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Union County, Ohio is $1,125 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $1,433/mo and a studio is $1,113/mo. This is 17% higher than the national average of $959 and 29% above the Ohio average of $873.
Rent increased1.4% from FY 2025 ($1,109), roughly tracking inflation. A household needs about $45,000/year to stay under the 30% rent-to-income line.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Ohio. Population: 63,411. Population grew 17.3% over the past five years (Census ACS) - among the faster-growing counties nationally, a trend that typically adds upward pressure on rents. That's faster than Ohio's statewide growth of +1.2% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area UNION·COUNTY·OH·OH
Union County, OH: $1,125/mo 1BR · #535 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA OH
- 1BR-FMR $1,125
- 2BR-FMR $1,433
- RANK-MID #535
- YOY-FLAT +1.4%
- VSUS-ABOVE +17%
- VS-ST-HIGH +29% OH
- INC-ROOM 12%
- POP-MID 63K
- PHOTO-NEAR Franklin County
- VOUCH-90-110 $1,013–$1,238
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Franklin ($69 1BR gap)
Read with: Understanding rent burden
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,091 | $1,113 | +$22 (+2.0%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $1,109 | $1,125 | +$16 (+1.4%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,425 | $1,433 | +$8 (+0.6%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,717 | $1,718 | +$1 (+0.1%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,889 | $1,897 | +$8 (+0.4%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Union 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.
Where Union sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,433 Top 17% higher than 83% 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 Union compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Ohio counties
- Franklin
Franklin County
$1,194 1BR FMR / mo
- Union
Union County
$1,125 1BR FMR / mo
- Cuyahoga
Cuyahoga County
$1,058 1BR FMR / mo
- Hamilton
Hamilton County
$1,051 1BR FMR / mo
- Montgomery
Montgomery County
$1,009 1BR FMR / mo
- Summit
Summit County
$985 1BR FMR / mo
- Lucas
Lucas County
$820 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Union is highlighted. Nearby Ohio counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Franklin County ($1,194), Union County (this county) ($1,125), Cuyahoga County ($1,058), Hamilton County ($1,051), Montgomery County ($1,009), Summit County ($985), Lucas County ($820).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
Against a high local FMR of $1,125/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using Ohio BLS wages?
| Occupation | OH Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $107,690 | 12.5% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $94,990 | 14.2% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $81,250 | 16.6% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $77,640 | 17.4% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $77,050 | 17.5% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $65,380 | 20.6% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $63,560 | 21.2% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $58,870 | 22.9% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $58,080 | 23.2% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $43,510 | 31% | Stretched |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $37,860 | 35.7% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $35,380 | 38.2% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $34,710 | 38.9% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $30,440 | 44.3% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $28,100 | 48% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Union County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Union (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 49.8% overall, from $751 to $1,125. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +16.6% in FY 2025, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑1.4% | $1,113 | $1,125 | $1,433 |
| FY 2025 ↑16.6% | $1,091 | $1,109 | $1,425 |
| FY 2024 ↑5.7% | $933 | $951 | $1,250 |
| FY 2023 ↑10.8% | $859 | $900 | $1,185 |
| FY 2022 ↓1.0% | $757 | $812 | $1,069 |
| FY 2021 ↑9.2% | $752 | $820 | $1,081 |
| FY 2020 | $675 | $751 | $989 |
Part of the Columbus, OH Metro Area
Union County is a outlying county of the Columbus, OH metropolitan statistical area, alongside 9 other metro-area counties.
Union County ranks #8 of 10 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Franklin County ($1,194), Delaware County ($1,194), Licking County ($1,194), Fairfield County ($1,194), Pickaway County ($1,194), Madison County ($1,194), Morrow County ($1,194), Union County (this county) ($1,125), Perry County ($790), Hocking County ($742).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Union County, both outside Ohio 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 OH (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside OH).
Nearby Counties in Ohio
Largest counties by population in Ohio
Showing the 8 largest of 87 other counties in Ohio.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Union County? ▼
How does Union County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Where does Union County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Union County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Union County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Union County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Union County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Union County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Union County? ▼
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.