County FMR · HUD FY2026
Washington County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Washington County, GA - 17% below the US average.
- $797
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $999
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +10.7%
- YoY change
- -17%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Washington is the 63rd cheapest of 159 counties in Georgia by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,416 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 10.7% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.
- #1,416
- most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #63
- cheapest of 159 in Georgia (2BR)
- -22%
- vs the state average
- $31,880
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (7.4%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (36.4%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Washington County, GA. Verify with HUD →
The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Washington County, Georgia is $797 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $999/mo and a studio is $792/mo. This is 17% lower than the national average of $959 and 22% below the Georgia average of $1,023.
Rent increased10.7% from FY 2025 ($720), outpacing inflation. The 30% affordability floor is comparatively reachable here at $31,880/year.
Observed renter burden: 45.2% of the 2,405 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 3.4%, 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 3.7% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Georgia. Population: 19,975. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-2.8%, Census ACS). That's slower than Georgia's statewide growth of +5.1% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area WASHINGTON·COUNTY·GA·GA
Washington County, GA: $797/mo 1BR · #1416 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA GA
- 1BR-FMR $797
- 2BR-FMR $999
- RANK-MID #1,416
- YOY-SURGE +10.7%
- VSUS-BELOW -17%
- VS-ST-LOW -22% GA
- INC-MID 22%
- POP-SMALL 20K
- PHOTO-NEAR Fulton County
- VOUCH-90-110 $717–$877
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Fulton ($863 1BR gap)
Read with: Section 8 housing guide
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $716 | $792 | +$76 (+10.6%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $720 | $797 | +$77 (+10.7%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $911 | $999 | +$88 (+9.7%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,098 | $1,198 | +$100 (+9.1%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,228 | $1,329 | +$101 (+8.2%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Washington 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 Washington sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$999 higher than 45% 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 Washington compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Georgia counties
- Fulton
Fulton County
$1,660 1BR FMR / mo
- Gwinnett
Gwinnett County
$1,660 1BR FMR / mo
- Cobb
Cobb County
$1,660 1BR FMR / mo
- DeKalb
DeKalb County
$1,660 1BR FMR / mo
- Clayton
Clayton County
$1,660 1BR FMR / mo
- Chatham
Chatham County
$1,533 1BR FMR / mo
- Washington
Washington County
$797 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Washington is highlighted. Nearby Georgia counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Fulton County ($1,660), Gwinnett County ($1,660), Cobb County ($1,660), DeKalb County ($1,660), Clayton County ($1,660), Chatham County ($1,533), Washington County (this county) ($797).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
With a below-average 1-bedroom at $797/mo, most of these Georgia occupations clear, or miss, the 30% affordability line.
| Occupation | GA Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $128,920 | 7.4% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $99,800 | 9.6% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $86,560 | 11% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $80,100 | 11.9% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $63,490 | 15.1% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $58,860 | 16.2% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $56,570 | 16.9% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $56,350 | 17% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $55,120 | 17.4% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $39,030 | 24.5% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $38,390 | 24.9% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $33,130 | 28.9% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $29,770 | 32.1% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $27,860 | 34.3% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $26,310 | 36.4% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Washington County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Washington (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 39.3% overall, from $572 to $797. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +12.4% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑10.7% | $792 | $797 | $999 |
| FY 2025 ↓6.4% | $716 | $720 | $911 |
| FY 2024 ↑12.4% | $758 | $769 | $885 |
| FY 2023 ↑10.7% | $648 | $684 | $772 |
| FY 2022 ↑8.8% | $590 | $618 | $704 |
| FY 2021 ↓0.7% | $547 | $568 | $648 |
| FY 2020 | $556 | $572 | $651 |
Where Washington County Ranks in Georgia
Washington 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 #63 of 159 counties in Georgia. Nearest by rank: Warren County ($973), Webster County ($973), Wheeler County ($973), Wilcox County ($973), Wilkes County ($973), Wilkinson County ($973), Union County ($984), Lincoln County ($995), Washington County (this county) ($999), Meriwether County ($1,001), Pulaski County ($1,003), Stephens County ($1,006), Murray County ($1,009), Gordon County ($1,011), Franklin County ($1,017), Habersham County ($1,018), Polk County ($1,018).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Washington County, both outside Georgia 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 GA (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside GA).
Nearby Counties in Georgia
Largest counties by population in Georgia
Showing the 8 largest of 158 other counties in Georgia.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Washington County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Washington County is $797 per month. A 2-bedroom is $999 and a studio is $792.
How does Washington County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Washington County is 17% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $797 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Washington County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Washington County's 2-bedroom FMR of $999 ranks #1,416 most affordable among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the middle half of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Washington County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $31,880 ($2,657/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Washington County.
Is rent going up or down in Washington County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Washington County increased by 10.7% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $720 to $797.
Which jobs can afford rent in Washington County?
Based on Georgia BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $797/mo. 12 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Washington County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Washington County went from $572 in FY 2020 to $797 in FY 2026, a total change of +39.3% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Washington County?
In Washington County, the FY 2026 FMR of $797/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 Washington County?
For Washington County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($797/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Washington County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 3.4%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
What is the unemployment rate in Washington County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 3.7% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Washington'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 $797 implies about $31,880/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Georgia counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Fulton
- See where Washington 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.