County FMR · HUD FY2026
Walker County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Walker County, GA - 32% above the US average.
- $1,263
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,390
- 2-bedroom FMR
- -1.6%
- YoY change
- +32%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Walker is the 31st most expensive of 159 counties in Georgia by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #598 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties.
- #598
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #31
- most expensive of 159 in Georgia (2BR)
- +23%
- vs the state average
- $50,520
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (11.8%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (57.6%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Walker County, GA. Verify with HUD →
HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Walker County, Georgia at $1,263 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,390/mo and a studio is $1,211/mo. This is 32% higher than the national average of $959 and 23% above the Georgia average of $1,023.
Rent decreased1.6% from FY 2025 ($1,284), declining against the trend. A household needs about $50,520/year to stay under the 30% rent-to-income line.
Observed renter burden: 42.0% of the 6,373 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.
Market slack: The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 4.5%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
Local labor market: The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 3.2% over the past 12 months, a tight labor market that typically supports steadier rent demand.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Georgia. Population: 68,065. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-0.5%, Census ACS). That's slower than Georgia's statewide growth of +5.1% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area WALKER·COUNTY·GA·GA
Walker County, GA: $1,263/mo 1BR · #598 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA GA
- 1BR-FMR $1,263
- 2BR-FMR $1,390
- RANK-MID #598
- YOY-FLAT -1.6%
- VSUS-HIGH +32%
- VS-ST-HIGH +23% GA
- INC-MID 27%
- POP-MID 68K
- PHOTO-NEAR Fulton County
- VOUCH-90-110 $1,137–$1,389
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Fulton ($397 1BR gap)
Read with: Understanding rent burden
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,231 | $1,211 | $-20 (-1.6%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $1,284 | $1,263 | $-21 (-1.6%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,426 | $1,390 | $-36 (-2.5%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,796 | $1,734 | $-62 (-3.5%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,942 | $1,853 | $-89 (-4.6%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Walker 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 Walker sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,390 Top 19% higher than 81% 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 Walker compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Georgia counties
- Fulton
Fulton County
$1,660 1BR FMR / mo
- Gwinnett
Gwinnett County
$1,660 1BR FMR / mo
- Cobb
Cobb County
$1,660 1BR FMR / mo
- DeKalb
DeKalb County
$1,660 1BR FMR / mo
- Clayton
Clayton County
$1,660 1BR FMR / mo
- Chatham
Chatham County
$1,533 1BR FMR / mo
- Walker
Walker County
$1,263 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Walker is highlighted. Nearby Georgia counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Fulton County ($1,660), Gwinnett County ($1,660), Cobb County ($1,660), DeKalb County ($1,660), Clayton County ($1,660), Chatham County ($1,533), Walker County (this county) ($1,263).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
Against a high local FMR of $1,263/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using Georgia BLS wages?
| Occupation | GA Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $128,920 | 11.8% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $99,800 | 15.2% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $86,560 | 17.5% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $80,100 | 18.9% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $63,490 | 23.9% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $58,860 | 25.7% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $56,570 | 26.8% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $56,350 | 26.9% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $55,120 | 27.5% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $39,030 | 38.8% | Stretched |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $38,390 | 39.5% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $33,130 | 45.7% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $29,770 | 50.9% | Unaffordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $27,860 | 54.4% | Unaffordable |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $26,310 | 57.6% | Unaffordable |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Walker County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Walker (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 84.1% overall, from $686 to $1,263. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 23.9% (FY 2023), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↓1.6% | $1,211 | $1,263 | $1,390 |
| FY 2025 ↑18.3% | $1,231 | $1,284 | $1,426 |
| FY 2024 ↑18.1% | $1,068 | $1,085 | $1,232 |
| FY 2023 ↑23.9% | $910 | $919 | $1,067 |
| FY 2022 ↑6.9% | $721 | $742 | $883 |
| FY 2021 ↑1.2% | $636 | $694 | $838 |
| FY 2020 | $599 | $686 | $832 |
Part of the Chattanooga, TN-GA Metro Area
Walker County is a central county of the Chattanooga, TN-GA metropolitan statistical area, alongside 5 other metro-area counties.
Walker County ranks #6 of 6 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Hamilton County ($1,263), Catoosa County ($1,263), Marion County ($1,263), Dade County ($1,263), Sequatchie County ($1,263), Walker County (this county) ($1,263).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Walker County, both outside Georgia 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 GA (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside GA).
Nearby Counties in Georgia
Largest counties by population in Georgia
Showing the 8 largest of 158 other counties in Georgia.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Walker County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Walker County is $1,263 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,390 and a studio is $1,211.
How does Walker County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Walker County is 32% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,263 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Walker County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Walker County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,390 ranks #598 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 Walker County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $50,520 ($4,210/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Walker County.
Is rent going up or down in Walker County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Walker County decreased by 1.6% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,284 to $1,263.
Which jobs can afford rent in Walker County?
Based on Georgia BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $1,263/mo. 9 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Walker County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Walker County went from $686 in FY 2020 to $1,263 in FY 2026, a total change of +84.1% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Walker County?
In Walker County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,263/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 Walker County?
For Walker County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,263/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Walker County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 4.5%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
What is the unemployment rate in Walker County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 3.2% over the past 12 months, a tight labor market that typically supports steadier rent demand.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Walker's FY2026 Fair Market Rent as HUD's affordability benchmark, not a single market quote.
- Budget to roughly 30% of income: the FY2026 1-bedroom FMR of $1,263 implies about $50,520/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Georgia counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Fulton
- See where Walker ranks nationally on rent. National rankings
Fair Market Rent is HUD's 40th-percentile policy benchmark used to set Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. Actual asking rents can run higher or lower, and HUD updates FMRs once a year. This site is informational and not financial or relocation advice.
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.