County FMR · HUD FY2026

Williamson County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Williamson County, TN - 65% above the US average.

$1,578
1-bedroom FMR
$1,730
2-bedroom FMR
-4.4%
YoY change
+65%
vs US avg

The verdict

Williamson is the 2nd most expensive of 95 counties in Tennessee by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #283 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties.

#283
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#2
most expensive of 95 in Tennessee (2BR)
+71%
vs the state average
$63,120
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (16.1%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (68%); only 4 of 15 common occupations here can afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding the 30% threshold.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Williamson County, TN. Verify with HUD →

HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Williamson County, Tennessee at $1,578 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,730/mo and a studio is $1,507/mo. This is 65% higher than the national average of $959 and 71% above the Tennessee average of $924.

Rent decreased4.4% from FY 2025 ($1,650), declining against the trend. Clearing the 30% rule here takes $63,120/year, a high bar relative to most US counties.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Tennessee. Population: 248,897. Population grew 16.4% over the past five years (Census ACS) - among the faster-growing counties nationally, a trend that typically adds upward pressure on rents. That's faster than Tennessee's statewide growth of +5.0% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area WILLIAMSON·COUNTY·TN·TN

Williamson County, TN: $1,578/mo 1BR · #283 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA TN
  • 1BR-FMR $1,578
  • 2BR-FMR $1,730
  • RANK-UPPER #283
  • YOY-DOWN -4.4%
  • VSUS-HIGH +65%
  • VS-ST-HIGH +71% TN
  • INC-ROOM 14%
  • POP-MID 249K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Shelby County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $1,420–$1,736
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Shelby ($424 1BR gap)

Read with: Understanding rent burden

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $882 · US avg: $893
$1,507/mo
↓ 5.2% YoY +71% vs state +69% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $924 · US avg: $959
$1,578/mo
↓ 4.4% YoY +71% vs state +65% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,118 · US avg: $1,175
$1,730/mo
↓ 5.3% YoY +55% vs state +47% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,445 · US avg: $1,525
$2,211/mo
↓ 4.2% YoY +53% vs state +45% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,644 · US avg: $1,756
$2,696/mo
↓ 5.1% YoY +64% vs state +54% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $1,589
$1,507
$-82 (-5.2%)
1 Bedroom $1,650
$1,578
$-72 (-4.4%)
2 Bedroom $1,827
$1,730
$-97 (-5.3%)
3 Bedroom $2,308
$2,211
$-97 (-4.2%)
4 Bedroom $2,840
$2,696
$-144 (-5.1%)

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio
13.8%
Affordable
Need $60,280/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
14.4%
Affordable
Need $63,120/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
15.8%
Affordable
Need $69,200/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
20.2%
Affordable
Need $88,440/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
24.7%
Affordable
Need $107,840/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%15.8%
Williamson County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $131,202 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Tennessee rent burden →

Where Williamson sits among every US county

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

$1,730 Top 9% higher than 91% 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 Williamson compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Tennessee counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Williamson is highlighted. Nearby Tennessee counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Williamson County (this county) ($1,578), Davidson County ($1,578), Rutherford County ($1,578), Hamilton County ($1,263), Knox County ($1,184), Shelby County ($1,154), Montgomery County ($1,094).

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 $1,578/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using Tennessee BLS wages?

Occupation TN Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $117,340 16.1% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $102,850 18.4% Affordable
Registered Nurses $79,030 24% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $75,500 25.1% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $59,410 31.9% Stretched
Electricians $59,190 32% Stretched
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $55,610 34.1% Stretched
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $55,270 34.3% Stretched
Elementary School Teachers $52,690 35.9% Stretched
Customer Service Representatives $40,130 47.2% Stretched
Pharmacy Technicians $38,130 49.7% Stretched
Janitors & Cleaners $31,220 60.7% Unaffordable
Retail Salespersons $30,770 61.5% Unaffordable
Teaching Assistants $28,030 67.6% Unaffordable
Fast Food & Counter Workers $27,840 68% Unaffordable
Salaries: BLS OES (Tennessee) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

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

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Williamson (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 64.9% overall, from $957 to $1,578. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +15.8% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.

$800$1,000$1,200$1,400$1,600$1,800 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $1,578
Williamson County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↓4.4% $1,507 $1,578 $1,730
FY 2025 ↑14.4% $1,589 $1,650 $1,827
FY 2024 ↑15.8% $1,404 $1,442 $1,619
FY 2023 ↑13.2% $1,218 $1,245 $1,406
FY 2022 ↑6.7% $1,079 $1,100 $1,253
FY 2021 ↑7.7% $998 $1,031 $1,197
FY 2020 $898 $957 $1,136
Total change (6yr): +64.9%
Annualized: +8.7%/yr
1 BR: $957 → $1,578

Part of the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN Metro Area

Williamson County is a central county of the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metropolitan statistical area, alongside 13 other metro-area counties.

Williamson County ranks #10 of 14 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Davidson County ($1,578), Rutherford County ($1,578), Sumner County ($1,578), Wilson County ($1,578), Robertson County ($1,578), Dickson County ($1,578), Cheatham County ($1,578), Cannon County ($1,578), Trousdale County ($1,578), Williamson County (this county) ($1,578), Maury County ($1,138), Macon County ($887), Hickman County ($832), Smith County ($801).

Davidson County
1 BR: $1,578/mo
Rutherford County
1 BR: $1,578/mo
Sumner County
1 BR: $1,578/mo
Wilson County
1 BR: $1,578/mo
Robertson County
1 BR: $1,578/mo
Dickson County
1 BR: $1,578/mo
Cheatham County
1 BR: $1,578/mo
Cannon County
1 BR: $1,578/mo
Trousdale County
1 BR: $1,578/mo
Williamson County (this county)
1 BR: $1,578/mo
Maury County
1 BR: $1,138/mo
Macon County
1 BR: $887/mo
Show all 14 counties in this metro area
Hickman County
1 BR: $832/mo
Smith County
1 BR: $801/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Williamson County, both outside Tennessee 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 TN (FY2026).

Kent County
RI · 2 BR $1,729/mo
Bristol County
RI · 2 BR $1,729/mo
Providence County
RI · 2 BR $1,729/mo
Washington County
RI · 2 BR $1,729/mo

Similar rent burden

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

Forsyth County
GA · 15.8% of income · 2 BR $1,820/mo
Butler County
IA · 15.8% of income · 2 BR $919/mo
Marshall County
IA · 15.8% of income · 2 BR $959/mo
Mountrail County
ND · 15.8% of income · 2 BR $1,071/mo

Nearby Counties in Tennessee

Largest counties by population in Tennessee

Showing the 8 largest of 94 other counties in Tennessee.

Shelby County
1 BR: $1,154/mo Pop: 926,440
Davidson County
1 BR: $1,578/mo Pop: 709,786
Knox County
1 BR: $1,184/mo Pop: 481,406
Hamilton County
1 BR: $1,263/mo Pop: 367,193
Rutherford County
1 BR: $1,578/mo Pop: 343,727
Montgomery County
1 BR: $1,094/mo Pop: 222,305
Sumner County
1 BR: $1,578/mo Pop: 196,845
Sullivan County
1 BR: $818/mo Pop: 158,722
View all counties in Tennessee →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Williamson County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Williamson County is $1,578 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,730 and a studio is $1,507.
How does Williamson County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Williamson County is 65% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,578 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Williamson County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Williamson County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,730 ranks #283 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the highest-rent tenth of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Williamson County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $63,120 ($5,260/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Williamson County.
Is rent going up or down in Williamson County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Williamson County decreased by 4.4% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,650 to $1,578.
Which jobs can afford rent in Williamson County? ▼
Based on Tennessee BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $1,578/mo. 4 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Williamson County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Williamson County went from $957 in FY 2020 to $1,578 in FY 2026, a total change of +64.9% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Williamson County? ▼
In Williamson County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,578/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 Williamson County? ▼
For Williamson County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,578/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.