County FMR · HUD FY2026
Wallowa County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Wallowa County, OR - 2% below the US average.
- $942
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,149
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +12.9%
- YoY change
- -2%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Wallowa is the 8th cheapest of 36 counties in Oregon by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,132 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 12.9% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.
- #1,132
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #8
- cheapest of 36 in Oregon (2BR)
- -18%
- vs the state average
- $37,680
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (8.4%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (32.8%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Wallowa County, OR. Verify with HUD →
Wallowa County, Oregon carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $942 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,149/mo and a studio is $800/mo. That's 2% below the national benchmark of $959 and 18% below the Oregon average of $1,143.
Rent increased12.9% from FY 2025 ($834), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $37,680/year for a 1-bedroom.
Observed renter burden: 26.1% of the 792 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 6.0%, 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 6.0% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Oregon. Population: 7,439. Population grew 8.8% 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 Oregon's statewide growth of +3.8% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area WALLOWA·COUNTY·OR·OR
Wallowa County, OR: $942/mo 1BR · #1132 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA OR
- 1BR-FMR $942
- 2BR-FMR $1,149
- RANK-MID #1,132
- YOY-SURGE +12.9%
- VSUS-NEAR -2%
- VS-ST-LOW -18% OR
- INC-ROOM 17%
- POP-SMALL 7K
- PHOTO-NEAR Multnomah County
- VOUCH-90-110 $848–$1,036
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Multnomah ($735 1BR gap)
Read with: How Fair Market Rent works
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $708 | $800 | +$92 (+13.0%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $834 | $942 | +$108 (+12.9%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,033 | $1,149 | +$116 (+11.2%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,447 | $1,598 | +$151 (+10.4%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,735 | $1,928 | +$193 (+11.1%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Wallowa 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 Wallowa sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,149 Top 36% higher than 64% 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 Wallowa compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Oregon counties
- Multnomah
Multnomah County
$1,677 1BR FMR / mo
- Washington
Washington County
$1,677 1BR FMR / mo
- Clackamas
Clackamas County
$1,677 1BR FMR / mo
- Lane
Lane County
$1,286 1BR FMR / mo
- Jackson
Jackson County
$1,229 1BR FMR / mo
- Marion
Marion County
$1,201 1BR FMR / mo
- Wallowa
Wallowa County
$942 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Wallowa is highlighted. Nearby Oregon counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Multnomah County ($1,677), Washington County ($1,677), Clackamas County ($1,677), Lane County ($1,286), Jackson County ($1,229), Marion County ($1,201), Wallowa County (this county) ($942).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $942/mo compares to Oregon salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | OR Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $135,260 | 8.4% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $123,990 | 9.1% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $98,580 | 11.5% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $97,320 | 11.6% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $88,140 | 12.8% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $81,130 | 13.9% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $75,800 | 14.9% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $63,970 | 17.7% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $61,180 | 18.5% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $51,210 | 22.1% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $46,280 | 24.4% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $37,550 | 30.1% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $36,540 | 30.9% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $36,140 | 31.3% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $34,430 | 32.8% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Wallowa County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Wallowa (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 38.1% overall, from $682 to $942. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +12.9% in FY 2026, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑12.9% | $800 | $942 | $1,149 |
| FY 2025 ↑5.2% | $708 | $834 | $1,033 |
| FY 2024 ↑6.3% | $664 | $793 | $979 |
| FY 2023 ↑6.6% | $609 | $746 | $911 |
| FY 2022 ↑5.3% | $567 | $700 | $853 |
| FY 2021 ↓2.5% | $541 | $665 | $820 |
| FY 2020 | $526 | $682 | $808 |
Where Wallowa County Ranks in Oregon
Wallowa 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 #8 of 36 counties in Oregon. Nearest by rank: Wheeler County ($1,010), Morrow County ($1,027), Baker County ($1,047), Gilliam County ($1,048), Malheur County ($1,081), Grant County ($1,127), Wallowa County (this county) ($1,149), Lake County ($1,150), Union County ($1,222), Jefferson County ($1,229), Umatilla County ($1,241), Klamath County ($1,247), Coos County ($1,265).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Wallowa County, both outside Oregon 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 OR (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside OR).
Nearby Counties in Oregon
Largest counties by population in Oregon
Showing the 8 largest of 35 other counties in Oregon.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Wallowa County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Wallowa County is $942 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,149 and a studio is $800.
How does Wallowa County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Wallowa County is 2% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $942 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Wallowa County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Wallowa County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,149 ranks #1,132 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the middle half of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Wallowa County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $37,680 ($3,140/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Wallowa County.
Is rent going up or down in Wallowa County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Wallowa County increased by 12.9% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $834 to $942.
Which jobs can afford rent in Wallowa County?
Based on Oregon BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, Registered Nurses, General and Operations Managers can afford a 1-bedroom at $942/mo. 11 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Wallowa County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Wallowa County went from $682 in FY 2020 to $942 in FY 2026, a total change of +38.1% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Wallowa County?
In Wallowa County, the FY 2026 FMR of $942/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 Wallowa County?
For Wallowa County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($942/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Wallowa County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 6.0%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
What is the unemployment rate in Wallowa County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 6.0% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Wallowa'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 $942 implies about $37,680/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Oregon counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Multnomah
- See where Wallowa 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.