County FMR · HUD FY2026

Washington County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Washington County, VT - 18% above the US average.

$1,129
1-bedroom FMR
$1,482
2-bedroom FMR
+4.3%
YoY change
+18%
vs US avg

The verdict

Washington is the 4th most expensive of 14 counties in Vermont by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #472 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties.

#472
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#4
most expensive of 14 in Vermont (2BR)
-6%
vs the state average
$45,160
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (10.4%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (39.2%); nearby Vermont counties range as much as 66% apart in 1-bedroom FMR, so the county line itself can matter for renters comparing options.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Washington County, VT. Verify with HUD →

Washington County, Vermont carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,129 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,482/mo and a studio is $1,122/mo. That's 18% above the national benchmark of $959 and 6% below the Vermont average of $1,203.

Rent increased4.3% from FY 2025 ($1,082), outpacing inflation. A household needs about $45,160/year to stay under the 30% rent-to-income line.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Vermont. Population: 8,461. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+2.5%, Census ACS). That's in line with Vermont's statewide growth of +3.2% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area WASHINGTON·COUNTY·VT·VT

Washington County, VT: $1,129/mo 1BR · #472 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA VT
  • 1BR-FMR $1,129
  • 2BR-FMR $1,482
  • RANK-MID #472
  • YOY-UP +4.3%
  • VSUS-ABOVE +18%
  • VS-ST-NEAR -6% VT
  • INC-ROOM 17%
  • POP-SMALL 8K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Orange County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $1,016–$1,242
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Orange ($38 1BR gap)

Read with: Understanding rent burden

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $1,124 · US avg: $893
$1,122/mo
↑ 4.4% YoY -0% vs state +26% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $1,203 · US avg: $959
$1,129/mo
↑ 4.3% YoY -6% vs state +18% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,487 · US avg: $1,175
$1,482/mo
↑ 4.4% YoY -0% vs state +26% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,922 · US avg: $1,525
$1,824/mo
↑ 3.5% YoY -5% vs state +20% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $2,111 · US avg: $1,756
$1,962/mo
↓ 0.8% YoY -7% vs state +12% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $1,075
$1,122
+$47 (+4.4%)
1 Bedroom $1,082
$1,129
+$47 (+4.3%)
2 Bedroom $1,419
$1,482
+$63 (+4.4%)
3 Bedroom $1,763
$1,824
+$61 (+3.5%)
4 Bedroom $1,977
$1,962
$-15 (-0.8%)

Rent Burden Analysis

How much of household income goes to rent in Washington County. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.

Studio
16.9%
Affordable
Need $44,880/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
17%
Affordable
Need $45,160/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
22.3%
Affordable
Need $59,280/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
27.4%
Affordable
Need $72,960/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
29.5%
Affordable
Need $78,480/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%22.3%
Washington County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $79,853 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Vermont rent burden →

Where Washington sits among every US county

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties

$1,482 Top 15% higher than 85% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $1,600–$1,800: 172 counties (5%). Above this entry. $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 Washington compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Vermont counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Washington is highlighted. Nearby Vermont counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Grand Isle County ($1,651), Franklin County ($1,651), Orange County ($1,167), Bennington County ($1,142), Washington County (this county) ($1,129), Addison County ($1,124), Caledonia County ($992).

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 $1,129/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using Vermont BLS wages?

Occupation VT Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $130,720 10.4% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $93,290 14.5% Affordable
Registered Nurses $85,150 15.9% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $76,990 17.6% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $63,690 21.3% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $63,000 21.5% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $61,270 22.1% Affordable
Electricians $59,670 22.7% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $56,360 24% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $46,190 29.3% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $46,050 29.4% Affordable
Janitors & Cleaners $38,630 35.1% Stretched
Teaching Assistants $37,120 36.5% Stretched
Retail Salespersons $36,810 36.8% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $34,540 39.2% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (Vermont) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

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 36.4% overall, from $828 to $1,129. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +16.1% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.

$800$900$1,000$1,100$1,200 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $1,129
Washington County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑4.3% $1,122 $1,129 $1,482
FY 2025 ↓2.2% $1,075 $1,082 $1,419
FY 2024 ↑16.1% $985 $1,106 $1,453
FY 2023 ↑9.7% $839 $953 $1,255
FY 2022 ↑5.5% $760 $869 $1,144
FY 2021 ↓0.5% $717 $824 $1,086
FY 2020 $773 $828 $1,090
Total change (6yr): +36.4%
Annualized: +5.3%/yr
1 BR: $828 → $1,129

Part of the Barre, VT Micro Area

Washington County is a central county of the Barre, VT micropolitan statistical area.

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Washington County, both outside Vermont 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 VT (FY2026).

Kern County
CA · 2 BR $1,483/mo
Lincoln County
OR · 2 BR $1,480/mo
Gila County
AZ · 2 BR $1,479/mo
Grand County
CO · 2 BR $1,475/mo

Similar rent burden

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

Aiken County
SC · 22.3% of income · 2 BR $1,261/mo
Halifax County
VA · 22.3% of income · 2 BR $914/mo
Stephens County
TX · 22.3% of income · 2 BR $1,015/mo
Monroe County
PA · 22.3% of income · 2 BR $1,529/mo

Nearby Counties in Vermont

Largest counties by population in Vermont

Showing the 8 largest of 13 other counties in Vermont.

Orange County
1 BR: $1,167/mo Pop: 2,802
Bennington County
1 BR: $1,142/mo Pop: 2,773
Grand Isle County
1 BR: $1,651/mo Pop: 1,802
Caledonia County
1 BR: $992/mo Pop: 1,671
Franklin County
1 BR: $1,651/mo Pop: 1,155
Addison County
1 BR: $1,124/mo Pop: 1,148
Chittenden County
1 BR: $1,651/mo Pop: 1,023
Orleans County
1 BR: $993/mo Pop: 987
View all counties in Vermont →

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 $1,129 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,482 and a studio is $1,122.
How does Washington County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Washington County is 18% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,129 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 $1,482 ranks #472 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 Washington County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $45,160 ($3,763/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 4.3% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,082 to $1,129.
Which jobs can afford rent in Washington County? ▼
Based on Vermont BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $1,129/mo. 11 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 $828 in FY 2020 to $1,129 in FY 2026, a total change of +36.4% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Washington County? ▼
In Washington County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,129/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 ($1,129/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.