County FMR · HUD FY2026
Wasco County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Wasco County, OR - 34% above the US average.
- $1,289
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,600
- 2-bedroom FMR
- -1.2%
- YoY change
- +34%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Wasco is the 10th most expensive of 36 counties in Oregon by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #409 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties.
- #409
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #10
- most expensive of 36 in Oregon (2BR)
- +13%
- vs the state average
- $51,560
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (11.4%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (44.9%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Wasco County, OR. Verify with HUD →
Wasco County, Oregon carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,289 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,600/mo and a studio is $1,281/mo. That's 34% above the national benchmark of $959 and 13% above the Oregon average of $1,143.
Rent decreased1.2% from FY 2025 ($1,305), declining against the trend. A household needs about $51,560/year to stay under the 30% rent-to-income line.
Observed renter burden: 37.8% of the 3,517 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 2.4%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
Local labor market: The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 5.2% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Oregon. Population: 26,639. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+2.8%, Census ACS). That's in line with Oregon's statewide growth of +3.8% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area WASCO·COUNTY·OR·OR
Wasco County, OR: $1,289/mo 1BR · #409 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA OR
- 1BR-FMR $1,289
- 2BR-FMR $1,600
- RANK-MID #409
- YOY-FLAT -1.2%
- VSUS-HIGH +34%
- VS-ST-HIGH +13% OR
- INC-MID 24%
- POP-SMALL 27K
- PHOTO-NEAR Multnomah County
- VOUCH-90-110 $1,160–$1,418
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Multnomah ($388 1BR gap)
Read with: Understanding rent burden
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,297 | $1,281 | $-16 (-1.2%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $1,305 | $1,289 | $-16 (-1.2%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,599 | $1,600 | +$1 (+0.1%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $2,241 | $2,225 | $-16 (-0.7%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $2,684 | $2,589 | $-95 (-3.5%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Wasco 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 Wasco sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,600 Top 13% higher than 87% 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 Wasco 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
- Wasco
Wasco County
$1,289 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
What this shows Wasco is highlighted. Nearby Oregon counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Multnomah County ($1,677), Washington County ($1,677), Clackamas County ($1,677), Wasco County (this county) ($1,289), Lane County ($1,286), Jackson County ($1,229), Marion County ($1,201).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
Against a high local FMR of $1,289/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using Oregon BLS wages?
| Occupation | OR Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $135,260 | 11.4% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $123,990 | 12.5% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $98,580 | 15.7% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $97,320 | 15.9% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $88,140 | 17.5% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $81,130 | 19.1% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $75,800 | 20.4% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $63,970 | 24.2% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $61,180 | 25.3% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $51,210 | 30.2% | Stretched |
| Customer Service Representatives | $46,280 | 33.4% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $37,550 | 41.2% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $36,540 | 42.3% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $36,140 | 42.8% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $34,430 | 44.9% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Wasco County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Wasco (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 48.3% overall, from $869 to $1,289. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +22.1% in FY 2023, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↓1.2% | $1,281 | $1,289 | $1,600 |
| FY 2025 ↑3.6% | $1,297 | $1,305 | $1,599 |
| FY 2024 ↑8.2% | $1,236 | $1,260 | $1,549 |
| FY 2023 ↑22.1% | $1,112 | $1,165 | $1,457 |
| FY 2022 ↑7.0% | $816 | $954 | $1,228 |
| FY 2021 ↑2.6% | $778 | $892 | $1,176 |
| FY 2020 | $775 | $869 | $1,145 |
Part of the The Dalles, OR Micro Area
Wasco County is a central county of the The Dalles, OR micropolitan statistical area.
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Wasco 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 Wasco County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Wasco County is $1,289 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,600 and a studio is $1,281.
How does Wasco County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Wasco County is 34% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,289 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Wasco County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Wasco County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,600 ranks #409 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 Wasco County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $51,560 ($4,297/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Wasco County.
Is rent going up or down in Wasco County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Wasco County decreased by 1.2% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,305 to $1,289.
Which jobs can afford rent in Wasco 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 $1,289/mo. 9 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Wasco County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Wasco County went from $869 in FY 2020 to $1,289 in FY 2026, a total change of +48.3% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Wasco County?
In Wasco County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,289/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 Wasco County?
For Wasco County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,289/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Wasco County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 2.4%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
What is the unemployment rate in Wasco County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 5.2% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Wasco'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 $1,289 implies about $51,560/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 Wasco 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.