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.

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)

Studio
State avg: $1,051 · US avg: $893
$1,281/mo
↓ 1.2% YoY +22% vs state +43% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $1,143 · US avg: $959
$1,289/mo
↓ 1.2% YoY +13% vs state +34% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,425 · US avg: $1,175
$1,600/mo
↑ 0.1% YoY +12% vs state +36% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,963 · US avg: $1,525
$2,225/mo
↓ 0.7% YoY +13% vs state +46% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $2,318 · US avg: $1,756
$2,589/mo
↓ 3.5% YoY +12% vs state +47% vs US

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.

Studio
24.2%
Affordable
Need $51,240/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
24.3%
Affordable
Need $51,560/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
30.2%
Burdened
Need $64,000/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
42%
Burdened
Need $89,000/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
48.8%
Burdened
Need $103,560/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.

0%100%National avg22%30.2%
Wasco County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $63,602 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Oregon rent burden →

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

$600–$800: 23 counties (1%). Below this entry. $800–$1,000: 1,406 counties (45%). Below this entry. $1,000–$1,200: 723 counties (23%). Below this entry. $1,200–$1,400: 417 counties (13%). Below this entry. $1,400–$1,600: 181 counties (6%). Below this entry. $1,600–$1,800: 172 counties (5%). This entry sits in this band. $1,800–$2,000: 108 counties (3%). Above this entry. $2,000–$2,200: 29 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,200–$2,400: 40 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,400–$2,600: 13 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,600–$2,800: 9 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,800–$3,000: 15 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,000–$3,200: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,200–$3,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,400–$3,600: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,600–$3,800: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,800–$4,000: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,000–$4,200: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,200–$4,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. This county $600 $4,400 every US county, bucketed by value

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

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).

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) As of FY2026

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

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.

$800$900$1,000$1,100$1,200$1,300$1,400 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $1,289
Wasco County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
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
Total change (6yr): +48.3%
Annualized: +6.8%/yr
1 BR: $869 → $1,289

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).

Blaine County
ID · 2 BR $1,600/mo
Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region
CT · 2 BR $1,601/mo
Indian River County
FL · 2 BR $1,604/mo
Ector County
TX · 2 BR $1,595/mo

Similar rent burden

Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside OR).

Rockdale County
GA · 30.2% of income · 2 BR $1,820/mo
Carroll County
GA · 30.2% of income · 2 BR $1,820/mo
Union County
SC · 30.2% of income · 2 BR $1,038/mo
Harding County
NM · 30.3% of income · 2 BR $1,040/mo

Nearby Counties in Oregon

Largest counties by population in Oregon

Showing the 8 largest of 35 other counties in Oregon.

Multnomah County
1 BR: $1,677/mo Pop: 808,098
Washington County
1 BR: $1,677/mo Pop: 599,541
Clackamas County
1 BR: $1,677/mo Pop: 420,925
Lane County
1 BR: $1,286/mo Pop: 382,218
Marion County
1 BR: $1,201/mo Pop: 345,815
Jackson County
1 BR: $1,229/mo Pop: 222,604
Deschutes County
1 BR: $1,371/mo Pop: 199,352
Linn County
1 BR: $1,236/mo Pop: 128,598
View all 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).

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.