County FMR · HUD FY2026

Wayne County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Wayne County, WV - 11% below the US average.

$853
1-bedroom FMR
$973
2-bedroom FMR
+0.4%
YoY change
-11%
vs US avg

The verdict

Wayne is the 12th most expensive of 55 counties in West Virginia by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #976 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties.

#976
most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#12
most expensive of 55 in West Virginia (2BR)
+11%
vs the state average
$34,120
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (9.9%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (41%).

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Wayne County, WV. Verify with HUD →

Wayne County, West Virginia carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $853 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $973/mo and a studio is $848/mo. That's 11% below the national benchmark of $959 and 11% above the West Virginia average of $766.

Rent increased0.4% from FY 2025 ($850), roughly tracking inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $34,120/year for a 1-bedroom.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in West Virginia. Population: 38,933. Population declined 5.4% over the past five years (Census ACS), a trend that can ease rental-market pressure over time even as FMR reflects recent rent levels. That's slower than West Virginia's statewide growth of -2.4% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area WAYNE·COUNTY·WV·WV

Wayne County, WV: $853/mo 1BR · #976 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA WV
  • 1BR-FMR $853
  • 2BR-FMR $973
  • RANK-MID #976
  • YOY-FLAT +0.4%
  • VSUS-BELOW -11%
  • VS-ST-HIGH +11% WV
  • INC-ROOM 18%
  • POP-SMALL 39K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Kanawha County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $768–$938
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Kanawha ($24 1BR gap)

Read with: How Fair Market Rent works

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $714 · US avg: $893
$848/mo
↑ 0.5% YoY +19% vs state -5% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $766 · US avg: $959
$853/mo
↑ 0.4% YoY +11% vs state -11% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $945 · US avg: $1,175
$973/mo
↑ 0.2% YoY +3% vs state -17% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,231 · US avg: $1,525
$1,249/mo
↓ 0.8% YoY +1% vs state -18% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,380 · US avg: $1,756
$1,410/mo
↓ 3.4% YoY +2% vs state -20% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $844
$848
+$4 (+0.5%)
1 Bedroom $850
$853
+$3 (+0.4%)
2 Bedroom $971
$973
+$2 (+0.2%)
3 Bedroom $1,259
$1,249
$-10 (-0.8%)
4 Bedroom $1,459
$1,410
$-49 (-3.4%)

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio
18.3%
Affordable
Need $33,920/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
18.4%
Affordable
Need $34,120/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
21%
Affordable
Need $38,920/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
27%
Affordable
Need $49,960/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
30.5%
Burdened
Need $56,400/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%21%
Wayne County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $55,539 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View West Virginia rent burden →

Where Wayne sits among every US county

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

$973 higher than 31% of 3,145 counties

$600–$800: 23 counties (1%). Below this entry. $800–$1,000: 1,406 counties (45%). This entry sits in this band. $1,000–$1,200: 723 counties (23%). Above this entry. $1,200–$1,400: 417 counties (13%). Above this entry. $1,400–$1,600: 181 counties (6%). Above this entry. $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 Wayne compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other West Virginia counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Wayne is highlighted. Nearby West Virginia counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Berkeley County ($971), Monongalia County ($877), Wayne County (this county) ($853), Cabell County ($853), Kanawha County ($829), Wood County ($745), Raleigh County ($719).

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

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

How a 1-bedroom at $853/mo compares to West Virginia salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).

Occupation WV Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $103,550 9.9% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $80,490 12.7% Affordable
Registered Nurses $79,990 12.8% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $74,520 13.7% Affordable
Electricians $63,850 16% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $55,550 18.4% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $54,570 18.8% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $49,620 20.6% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $49,040 20.9% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $37,610 27.2% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $37,370 27.4% Affordable
Janitors & Cleaners $30,590 33.5% Stretched
Teaching Assistants $28,220 36.3% Stretched
Retail Salespersons $27,910 36.7% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $24,960 41% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (West Virginia) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

7-year Fair Market Rent history for Wayne County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Wayne (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 27.5% overall, from $669 to $853. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +15.4% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.

$600$650$700$750$800$850$900 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $853
Wayne County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑0.4% $848 $853 $973
FY 2025 ↑4.3% $844 $850 $971
FY 2024 ↑15.4% $793 $815 $938
FY 2023 ↑7.1% $648 $706 $829
FY 2022 ↑1.1% $570 $659 $791
FY 2021 ↓2.5% $553 $652 $791
FY 2020 $553 $669 $808
Total change (6yr): +27.5%
Annualized: +4.1%/yr
1 BR: $669 → $853

Part of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH Metro Area

Wayne County is a central county of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH metropolitan statistical area, alongside 7 other metro-area counties.

Wayne County ranks #5 of 8 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Cabell County ($853), Lawrence County ($853), Boyd County ($853), Greenup County ($853), Wayne County (this county) ($853), Putnam County ($803), Lawrence County ($720), Carter County ($703).

Cabell County
1 BR: $853/mo
Lawrence County
1 BR: $853/mo
Boyd County
1 BR: $853/mo
Greenup County
1 BR: $853/mo
Wayne County (this county)
1 BR: $853/mo
Putnam County
1 BR: $803/mo
Lawrence County
1 BR: $720/mo
Carter County
1 BR: $703/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Wayne County, both outside West Virginia 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 WV (FY2026).

Mahoning County
OH · 2 BR $973/mo
Trumbull County
OH · 2 BR $973/mo
Richland County
OH · 2 BR $973/mo
Columbiana County
OH · 2 BR $973/mo

Similar rent burden

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

Monroe County
KY · 21% of income · 2 BR $866/mo
Barbour County
AL · 21% of income · 2 BR $776/mo
Clinch County
GA · 21% of income · 2 BR $973/mo
Des Moines County
IA · 21% of income · 2 BR $1,063/mo

Nearby Counties in West Virginia

Largest counties by population in West Virginia

Showing the 8 largest of 54 other counties in West Virginia.

Kanawha County
1 BR: $829/mo Pop: 179,895
Berkeley County
1 BR: $971/mo Pop: 123,283
Monongalia County
1 BR: $877/mo Pop: 105,988
Cabell County
1 BR: $853/mo Pop: 93,965
Wood County
1 BR: $745/mo Pop: 84,272
Raleigh County
1 BR: $719/mo Pop: 74,303
Harrison County
1 BR: $843/mo Pop: 65,862
Mercer County
1 BR: $717/mo Pop: 59,530
View all counties in West Virginia →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Wayne County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Wayne County is $853 per month. A 2-bedroom is $973 and a studio is $848.
How does Wayne County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Wayne County is 11% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $853 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Wayne County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Wayne County's 2-bedroom FMR of $973 ranks #976 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 Wayne County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $34,120 ($2,843/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Wayne County.
Is rent going up or down in Wayne County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Wayne County increased by 0.4% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $850 to $853.
Which jobs can afford rent in Wayne County? ▼
Based on West Virginia BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $853/mo. 11 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Wayne County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Wayne County went from $669 in FY 2020 to $853 in FY 2026, a total change of +27.5% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Wayne County? ▼
In Wayne County, the FY 2026 FMR of $853/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 Wayne County? ▼
For Wayne County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($853/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.