Metro FMR · CBSA 15500 · HUD FY2026

Burlington, NC MSA Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for the Burlington, NC MSA metro area - 28% above the US average.

$1,230
1-bedroom FMR
$1,348
2-bedroom FMR
+11.9%
YoY change
+28%
vs US avg

The verdict

A 2-bedroom in the Burlington, NC MSA area rents at $1,348 under HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent - 15% above the US average, higher than 56% of the 387 metro areas HUD tracks.

#170
priciest of 387 US metros (2BR)
+15%
vs the US 2-bedroom average
$53,920
income to afford it (30% rule)
+11.9%
1BR change, FY2025→2026

Affordability & income context

Burlington: #170 priciest nationally · income context

At the metro's ACS median household income of $64,445, this 1-bedroom FMR takes 22.9% of annual income. It remains below the 30% affordability guide, but is a material part of a median-income household's budget.

The 2-bedroom figure places Burlington in the middle half of HUD metro areas, using the same FY2026 HUD schedule as the national comparison.

With 171,779 residents, this is a smaller-metro benchmark rather than a single-neighborhood rent quote.

Its 2-bedroom FMR sits in the middle half of HUD metro areas, so the local-income comparison is more informative than the national rank alone.

The studio-through-two-bedroom FMR bands stay below 30% of recorded median income here; the larger-bedroom rows show where that headroom narrows.

Observed renter burden: 42.6% of the 23,538 renter households counted by ACS paid at least 30% of income in gross rent. This ACS 2023 household measure is distinct from the FY2026 HUD FMR benchmark.

ACS median household income lags the FY2026 HUD FMR schedule. The income share is a same-metro cross-source read (Census ACS B19013 vs HUD FMR), not a same-vintage ratio.

Studio

$992/mo

18.5% of median income

1 Bedroom

$1,230/mo

22.9% of median income

2 Bedroom

$1,348/mo

25.1% of median income

3 Bedroom

$1,670/mo

31.1% of median income

4 Bedroom

$1,972/mo

36.7% of median income

FMR filing desk

CBSA CBSA·15500

Burlington: $1,230/mo 1BR · #170 of 387 metros (2BR) · FY2026 CBSA 15500

  • CBSA 15500
  • 1BR-FMR $1,230
  • 2BR-FMR $1,348
  • RANK-MID #170
  • YOY-SURGE +11.9%
  • VSUS-HIGH +28%
  • IN-ST-HIGH #11 NC
  • INC-MID 23%
  • POP-MID 172K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Anson County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $1,107–$1,353
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Anson County ($363 1BR gap)

Read with: Understanding rent burden

Where Burlington sits among every US metro

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 387 HUD metro areas

$1,348 higher than 56% of 387 metro areas

$800–$1,000: 28 metro areas (7%). Below this entry. $1,000–$1,200: 114 metro areas (29%). Below this entry. $1,200–$1,400: 95 metro areas (25%). This entry sits in this band. $1,400–$1,600: 52 metro areas (13%). Above this entry. $1,600–$1,800: 41 metro areas (11%). Above this entry. $1,800–$2,000: 26 metro areas (7%). Above this entry. $2,000–$2,200: 9 metro areas (2%). Above this entry. $2,200–$2,400: 5 metro areas (1%). Above this entry. $2,400–$2,600: 5 metro areas (1%). Above this entry. $2,600–$2,800: 5 metro areas (1%). Above this entry. $2,800–$3,000: 4 metro areas (1%). Above this entry. $3,000–$3,200: 2 metro areas (1%). Above this entry. $3,200–$3,400: 0 metro areas (0%). Above this entry. $3,400–$3,600: 0 metro areas (0%). Above this entry. $3,600–$3,800: 0 metro areas (0%). Above this entry. $3,800–$4,000: 0 metro areas (0%). Above this entry. $4,000–$4,200: 0 metro areas (0%). Above this entry. $4,200–$4,400: 1 metro areas (0%). Above this entry. This metro $800 $4,400 every US metro, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $0.2K-wide band; taller bars hold more metro areas. 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

Burlington studio–4BR schedule (FY2026) · 2BR #170 nationally

1BR $1,230 (+28% vs US, +11.9% YoY). Each bedroom band below is FY2026 HUD FMR for CBSA 15500.

Studio
$992
US avg $893
↑14.2% YoY +11% vs US
1 Bedroom
$1,230
US avg $959
↑11.9% YoY +28% vs US
2 Bedroom
$1,348
US avg $1,175
↑10.8% YoY +15% vs US
3 Bedroom
$1,670
US avg $1,525
↑9.0% YoY +10% vs US
4 Bedroom
$1,972
US avg $1,756
↑9.2% YoY +12% vs US

How Burlington compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other NC metro areas

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Burlington highlighted among 4 peers · FY2026 1BR HUD FMR.

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

Burlington: out-of-state FMR & burden peers

PlainRent pairs Burlington with the 4 nearest HUD 2BR schedules and 4 nearest burden matches outside NC (burden peers exclude the FMR set; pop ≥50k).

2BR FMR · outside NC

Nearest schedules by 2BR delta (FY2026).

Glens Falls
NY · 2 BR $1,348/mo
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers
AR · 2 BR $1,347/mo
Clarksville
TN · 2 BR $1,346/mo
Daphne-Fairhope-Foley
AL · 2 BR $1,345/mo

Burden % · outside NC

Nearest 2BR FMR ÷ ACS median income (FY2026).

Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin
TN · 25.2% of income · 2 BR $1,730/mo
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater
WA · 25% of income · 2 BR $1,960/mo
Albany
GA · 25% of income · 2 BR $1,129/mo
Spokane
WA · 25.2% of income · 2 BR $1,531/mo

Burlington: quick answers

What is the average rent in the Burlington, NC MSA metro area? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Burlington, NC MSA is $1,230 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,348 and a studio is $992.
How does Burlington, NC MSA rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in the Burlington, NC MSA metro area is 28% above the national average. A 1-bedroom costs $1,230 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Burlington rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
HUD's FY 2026 2-bedroom FMR of $1,348 ranks #170 most expensive among 387 US metro areas (the middle half of HUD metro areas).
What income do I need to afford rent in Burlington, NC MSA? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $49,200 ($4,100/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in the Burlington, NC MSA area.

Compare Burlington vs Anson County →

Data as of FY 2026. Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Fair Market Rents. Population and demographic data from U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS).

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

FY 2026 HUD FMR $1,230/mo · 1BR NC

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.