County FMR · HUD FY2026

Walker County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Walker County, TX - 14% above the US average.

Compiled by PlainRent Editorial, Fair Market Rent Editorial Team · May 15, 2026

$1,097
1-bedroom FMR: $1,210
2-bedroom FMR: +11.8%
YoY change: +14%
vs US avg

The verdict

Walker is the 58th most expensive of 254 counties in Texas by 2-bedroom FMR; rent here has climbed 11.8% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.

#58
most expensive of 254 in Texas (2BR): +17%
vs the state average: $43,880
income to afford it (30% rule): +11.8%
YoY, FY2025→2026

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (10.1%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (48.8%).

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Walker County, TX. Verify with HUD →

HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Walker County, Texas at $1,097 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,210/mo and a studio is $857/mo. This is 14% higher than the national average of $959 and 17% above the Texas average of $935.

Rent increased11.8% from FY 2025 ($981), outpacing inflation. To afford rent here, a household needs at least $43,880/year based on the 30% affordability rule.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Texas. Population: 77,182. Population grew 9.4% 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 Texas's statewide growth of +6.3% over the same period.

What these rents mean for Walker County

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

Walker County's 1-bedroom rent runs 14% above the US average of $959 and 17% higher than the Texas state average of $935. Over the past year, 1-bedroom rent here shifted from$981 in FY 2025 to $1,097 in FY 2026 - a change of +11.8%, which outpaces typical consumer inflation.

At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $1,097, affording it under the 30%-of-income rule takes $43,880 per year (about $3,657/month) in household income, and a 2-bedroom at $1,210 pushes that threshold even higher. With a population of 77,182 and a county median household income of $49,862, the arithmetic here directly shapes which wage earners can rent without being cost-burdened.

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio

State avg: $887 · US avg: $893

$857/mo

↑ 11.9% YoY -3% vs state -4% vs US

1 Bedroom

State avg: $935 · US avg: $959

$1,097/mo

↑ 11.8% YoY +17% vs state +14% vs US

2 Bedroom

State avg: $1,149 · US avg: $1,175

$1,210/mo

↑ 8.3% YoY +5% vs state +3% vs US

3 Bedroom

State avg: $1,497 · US avg: $1,525

$1,602/mo

↑ 15.8% YoY +7% vs state +5% vs US

4 Bedroom

State avg: $1,733 · US avg: $1,756

$1,780/mo

↓ 5.1% YoY +3% vs state +1% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms	FY 2025	FY 2026	Change	vs State	vs US
Studio	$766	$857	+$91 (+11.9%)	-3%	-4%
1 Bedroom	$981	$1,097	+$116 (+11.8%)	+17%	+14%
2 Bedroom	$1,117	$1,210	+$93 (+8.3%)	+5%	+3%
3 Bedroom	$1,384	$1,602	+$218 (+15.8%)	+7%	+5%
4 Bedroom	$1,876	$1,780	$-96 (-5.1%)	+3%	+1%

Affordability Snapshot

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

Required annual income for 1 BR

$43,880

$3,657/month gross

Required annual income for 2 BR

$48,400

$4,033/month gross

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio

20.6%

Affordable

Need $34,280/yr for 30% rule

1 Bedroom

26.4%

Affordable

Need $43,880/yr for 30% rule

2 Bedroom

29.1%

Affordable

Need $48,400/yr for 30% rule

3 Bedroom

38.6%

Burdened

Need $64,080/yr for 30% rule

4 Bedroom

42.8%

Burdened

Need $71,200/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.

Walker County 2-bedroom rent burden

County median income: $49,862 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Texas rent burden →

Where Walker sits among every US county

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

$1,210 Top 31% higher than 69% 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

Dallas

$1,648
Collin

$1,648
Travis

$1,562
Tarrant

$1,473
Harris

$1,323
Bexar

$1,177
Walker

$1,097

What this shows Walker is highlighted. Nearby Texas counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Dallas County ($1,648), Collin County ($1,648), Travis County ($1,562), Tarrant County ($1,473), Harris County ($1,323), Bexar County ($1,177), Walker County (this county) ($1,097).

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

How a 1-bedroom at $1,097/mo compares to Texas salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).

Occupation	TX Salary	Rent Burden	Verdict
Software Developers	$130,500	10.1%	Affordable
General & Operations Managers	$100,290	13.1%	Affordable
Registered Nurses	$90,010	14.6%	Affordable
Accountants & Auditors	$80,000	16.5%	Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers	$76,350	17.2%	Affordable
Elementary School Teachers	$61,380	21.4%	Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants	$59,700	22.1%	Affordable
Electricians	$56,920	23.1%	Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers	$53,070	24.8%	Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians	$43,920	30%	Affordable
Customer Service Representatives	$39,100	33.7%	Stretched
Janitors & Cleaners	$31,230	42.2%	Stretched
Retail Salespersons	$30,130	43.7%	Stretched
Teaching Assistants	$27,630	47.6%	Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers	$27,000	48.8%	Stretched

Salaries: BLS OES (Texas) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

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 47.4% overall, from $744 to $1,097. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +12.9% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.

Walker County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026

Year	Studio	1 BR	2 BR	3 BR	4 BR
FY 2026 ↑11.8%	$857	$1,097	$1,210	$1,602	$1,780
FY 2025 ↓5.2%	$766	$981	$1,117	$1,384	$1,876
FY 2024 ↑12.9%	$807	$1,035	$1,190	$1,441	$2,019
FY 2023 ↑8.0%	$730	$917	$1,092	$1,329	$1,860
FY 2022 ↑7.1%	$685	$849	$1,031	$1,274	$1,765
FY 2021 ↑6.6%	$641	$793	$971	$1,208	$1,681
FY 2020	$585	$744	$898	$1,119	$1,577

Total change (6yr): +47.4%

Annualized: +6.7%/yr

1 BR: $744 → $1,097

Part of the Huntsville, TX Micro Area

Walker County is a central county of the Huntsville, TX micropolitan statistical area.

Nearby Counties in Texas

Largest counties by population in Texas

Harris County

1 BR: $1,323/mo Pop: 4,726,177

Dallas County

1 BR: $1,648/mo Pop: 2,604,053

Tarrant County

1 BR: $1,473/mo Pop: 2,113,854

Bexar County

1 BR: $1,177/mo Pop: 2,014,059

Travis County

1 BR: $1,562/mo Pop: 1,289,054

Collin County

1 BR: $1,648/mo Pop: 1,079,153

Denton County

1 BR: $1,648/mo Pop: 914,870

Hidalgo County

1 BR: $847/mo Pop: 873,167

Compare Walker County against

View all counties in Texas →

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 $1,097 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,210 and a studio is $857.

How does Walker County rent compare to the national average? ▼

Rent in Walker County is 14% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,097 compared to $959 nationally.

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 $43,880 ($3,657/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 increased by 11.8% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $981 to $1,097.

Which jobs can afford rent in Walker County? ▼

Based on Texas BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $1,097/mo. 10 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 $744 in FY 2020 to $1,097 in FY 2026, a total change of +47.4% over 6 years.

How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Walker County? ▼

In Walker County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,097/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 ($1,097/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).

What this means for renters

Treat Walker'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 $1,097 implies about $43,880/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 Walker 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.