County FMR · HUD FY2026
Union Parish Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Union Parish, LA - 17% below the US average.
- $793
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,026
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +3.4%
- YoY change
- -17%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Union is the 25th most expensive of 64 counties in Louisiana by 2-bedroom FMR.
- #25
- most expensive of 64 in Louisiana (2BR)
- -5%
- vs the state average
- $31,720
- income to afford it (30% rule)
- +3.4%
- YoY, FY2025→2026
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (9.3%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (41.2%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Union Parish, LA. Verify with HUD →
Union Parish, Louisiana carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $793 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,026/mo and a studio is $765/mo. That's 17% below the national benchmark of $959 and 5% below the Louisiana average of $832.
Rent increased3.4% from FY 2025 ($767), outpacing inflation. To afford rent here, a household needs at least $31,720/year based on the 30% affordability rule.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Louisiana. Population: 21,049. Population declined 6.9% over the past five years (Census ACS), a trend that can ease rental-market pressure over time even as FMR reflects recent rent levels. That's slower than Louisiana's statewide growth of -0.9% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Union Parish
The Union Parish FMR area applies to all ZIP codes inside the county boundary, and Louisiana'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 17% below the US average of $959 and 5% lower than the Louisiana state average of $832. The 1-bedroom FMR went from$767 in FY 2025 to $793 in FY 2026 - a change of +3.4%, which outpaces typical consumer inflation.
At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $793, affording it under the 30%-of-income rule takes $31,720 per year (about $2,643/month) in household income, and a 2-bedroom at $1,026 pushes that threshold even higher. With a population of 21,049 and a county median household income of $45,743, 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 | $766 | $765 | $-1 (-0.1%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $767 | $793 | +$26 (+3.4%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $995 | $1,026 | +$31 (+3.1%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,276 | $1,319 | +$43 (+3.4%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,319 | $1,358 | +$39 (+3.0%) |
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 Union Parish. 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.
Union Parish 2-bedroom rent burden
Where Union sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,026 higher than 50% 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 Louisiana counties
- St. Tammany
St. Tammany Parish
$1,130 1BR FMR / mo
- Jefferson
Jefferson Parish
$1,113 1BR FMR / mo
- Orleans
Orleans Parish
$1,113 1BR FMR / mo
- East Baton Rouge
East Baton Rouge Parish
$1,064 1BR FMR / mo
- Caddo
Caddo Parish
$982 1BR FMR / mo
- Lafayette
Lafayette Parish
$898 1BR FMR / mo
- Union
Union Parish
$793 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Union is highlighted. Nearby Louisiana counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: St. Tammany Parish ($1,130), Jefferson Parish ($1,113), Orleans Parish ($1,113), East Baton Rouge Parish ($1,064), Caddo Parish ($982), Lafayette Parish ($898), Union Parish (this county) ($793).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $793/mo compares to Louisiana salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | LA Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $102,290 | 9.3% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $102,060 | 9.3% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $78,880 | 12.1% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $69,540 | 13.7% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $59,590 | 16% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $52,280 | 18.2% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $50,580 | 18.8% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $48,770 | 19.5% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $47,580 | 20% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $38,700 | 24.6% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $35,890 | 26.5% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $28,820 | 33% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $27,940 | 34.1% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $27,040 | 35.2% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $23,110 | 41.2% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Union Parish. 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 32.2% overall, from $600 to $793. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +13.2% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑3.4% | $765 | $793 | $1,026 |
| FY 2025 ↑1.3% | $766 | $767 | $995 |
| FY 2024 ↑13.2% | $753 | $757 | $995 |
| FY 2023 ↑8.1% | $665 | $669 | $881 |
| FY 2022 ↑1.5% | $615 | $619 | $815 |
| FY 2021 ↑1.7% | $606 | $610 | $804 |
| FY 2020 | $596 | $600 | $774 |
Part of the Monroe, LA Metro Area
Union Parish is a outlying county of the Monroe, LA metropolitan statistical area, alongside 3 other metro-area counties.
Union Parish ranks #2 of 4 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Ouachita Parish ($793), Union Parish (this county) ($793), Richland Parish ($759), Morehouse Parish ($636).
Nearby Counties in Louisiana
Largest counties by population in Louisiana
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Union Parish? ▼
How does Union Parish rent compare to the national average? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Union Parish? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Union Parish? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Union Parish? ▼
How much has rent changed in Union Parish over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Union Parish? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Union Parish? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Union'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 $793 implies about $31,720/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 Union 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.