County FMR · HUD FY2026
Wallace County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Wallace County, KS - 21% below the US average.
- $758
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $877
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +14.0%
- YoY change
- -21%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Wallace is the 45th most expensive of 105 counties in Kansas by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #221 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 14.0% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.
- #221
- most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #45
- most expensive of 105 in Kansas (2BR)
- +1%
- vs the state average
- $30,320
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (8.5%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (33.7%); 13 of 15 common occupations here can afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding the 30% threshold.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Wallace County, KS. Verify with HUD →
The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Wallace County, Kansas is $758 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $877/mo and a studio is $643/mo. This is 21% lower than the national average of $959 and 1% above the Kansas average of $753.
Rent increased14.0% from FY 2025 ($665), outpacing inflation. The 30% affordability floor is comparatively reachable here at $30,320/year.
Observed renter burden: 6.0% of the 182 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 8.5%, 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 3.5% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Kansas. Population: 1,489.
FMR filing desk
Area WALLACE·COUNTY·KS·KS
Wallace County, KS: $758/mo 1BR · #221 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA KS
- 1BR-FMR $758
- 2BR-FMR $877
- RANK-LOW #221
- YOY-SURGE +14.0%
- VSUS-BELOW -21%
- VS-ST-NEAR +1% KS
- INC-ROOM 15%
- POP-SMALL 1K
- PHOTO-NEAR Johnson County
- VOUCH-90-110 $682–$834
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Johnson ($439 1BR gap)
Read with: Section 8 housing guide
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $625 | $643 | +$18 (+2.9%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $665 | $758 | +$93 (+14.0%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $872 | $877 | +$5 (+0.6%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,151 | $1,220 | +$69 (+6.0%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,251 | $1,276 | +$25 (+2.0%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Wallace 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 Wallace sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$877 higher than 7% 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 Wallace compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Kansas counties
- Johnson
Johnson County
$1,197 1BR FMR / mo
- Wyandotte
Wyandotte County
$1,197 1BR FMR / mo
- Leavenworth
Leavenworth County
$1,197 1BR FMR / mo
- Douglas
Douglas County
$1,006 1BR FMR / mo
- Sedgwick
Sedgwick County
$849 1BR FMR / mo
- Shawnee
Shawnee County
$820 1BR FMR / mo
- Wallace
Wallace County
$758 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Wallace is highlighted. Nearby Kansas counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Johnson County ($1,197), Wyandotte County ($1,197), Leavenworth County ($1,197), Douglas County ($1,006), Sedgwick County ($849), Shawnee County ($820), Wallace County (this county) ($758).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
With a below-average 1-bedroom at $758/mo, most of these Kansas occupations clear, or miss, the 30% affordability line.
| Occupation | KS Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $106,660 | 8.5% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $85,600 | 10.6% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $78,060 | 11.7% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $76,400 | 11.9% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $61,830 | 14.7% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $56,940 | 16% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $56,610 | 16.1% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $50,820 | 17.9% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $48,910 | 18.6% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $39,210 | 23.2% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $38,330 | 23.7% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $32,690 | 27.8% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $31,670 | 28.7% | Affordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $27,960 | 32.5% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $27,000 | 33.7% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Wallace County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Wallace (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 36.6% overall, from $555 to $758. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +14.0% in FY 2026, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑14.0% | $643 | $758 | $877 |
| FY 2025 ↓0.9% | $625 | $665 | $872 |
| FY 2024 ↑12.0% | $633 | $671 | $882 |
| FY 2023 ↑6.2% | $584 | $599 | $788 |
| FY 2022 ↑3.5% | $560 | $564 | $742 |
| FY 2021 ↓1.8% | $543 | $545 | $718 |
| FY 2020 | $524 | $555 | $714 |
Where Wallace County Ranks in Kansas
Wallace County is not part of any federally-designated metropolitan or micropolitan statistical area -- an independent rental market not administratively tied to a larger urban core. By 2-bedroom FMR, it ranks #61 of 105 counties in Kansas. Nearest by rank: Russell County ($877), Scott County ($877), Sheridan County ($877), Smith County ($877), Stafford County ($877), Stanton County ($877), Thomas County ($877), Trego County ($877), Wallace County (this county) ($877), Washington County ($877), Wichita County ($877), Wilson County ($877), Woodson County ($877), Dickinson County ($878), Coffey County ($879), Crawford County ($901), Stevens County ($903).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Wallace County, both outside Kansas 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 KS (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside KS).
Nearby Counties in Kansas
Largest counties by population in Kansas
Showing the 8 largest of 104 other counties in Kansas.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Wallace County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Wallace County is $758 per month. A 2-bedroom is $877 and a studio is $643.
How does Wallace County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Wallace County is 21% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $758 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Wallace County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Wallace County's 2-bedroom FMR of $877 ranks #221 most affordable among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the lowest-rent tenth of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Wallace County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $30,320 ($2,527/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Wallace County.
Is rent going up or down in Wallace County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Wallace County increased by 14.0% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $665 to $758.
Which jobs can afford rent in Wallace County?
Based on Kansas BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $758/mo. 13 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Wallace County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Wallace County went from $555 in FY 2020 to $758 in FY 2026, a total change of +36.6% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Wallace County?
In Wallace County, the FY 2026 FMR of $758/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 Wallace County?
For Wallace County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($758/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Wallace County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 8.5%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
What is the unemployment rate in Wallace County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 3.5% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Wallace'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 $758 implies about $30,320/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Kansas counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Johnson
- See where Wallace 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.