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Metro FMR · CBSA 21500 · HUD FY2026
Erie, PA MSA Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for the Erie, PA MSA metro area - 1% below the US average.
- $945
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,212
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +9.8%
- YoY change
- -1%
- vs US avg
The verdict
A 2-bedroom in the Erie, PA MSA area rents at $1,212 under HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent - 3% above the US average, lower than 62% of the 387 metro areas HUD tracks.
- #148
- most affordable of 387 US metros (2BR)
- +3%
- vs the US 2-bedroom average
- $48,480
- income to afford it (30% rule)
- +9.8%
- 1BR change, FY2025→2026
Erie is the 2nd cheapest of 15 HUD-tracked metro areas in PA by 1-bedroom FMR, a state where metro rents vary widely - the priciest metro runs 80% above the cheapest.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents for the Erie, PA MSA metro area. Population: 270,495. Verify with HUD →
What these rents mean for the Erie, PA MSA metro
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule sets the Erie, PA MSA Metro Area (CBSA 21500) 1-bedroom at $945, with a studio at $836, 2-bedroom at $1,212, 3-bedroom at $1,499, and 4-bedroom at $1,683. These are the 40th percentile of gross rents, utilities included, excluding telephone, meaning roughly 60% of standard-quality rentals in the metro cost more. Because HUD treats a metropolitan statistical area as a single rent market, every county inside the Erie, PA MSA CBSA shares these FMR figures, and local housing authorities use them to set Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher payment standards (typically between 90% and 110% of FMR).
Against the national benchmark, a 1-bedroom in Erie, PA MSA is 1% below the US 1-bedroom FMR of $959. Year-over-year the 1-bedroom FMR shifted from $861 in FY 2025 to $945 in FY 2026 - a change of +9.8%, which outpaces typical consumer inflation and signals continued demand pressure. Metro-level FMRs often diverge from the rents listed for any single suburb, so renters should view this as the HUD ceiling, not a street-level market rate.
For affordability, the 30% rule says rent should not exceed 30% of gross household income. At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $945, that implies a household income of $37,800 per year (about $3,150/month) - a 2-bedroom at $1,212 raises that income floor further. With a metro population of 270,495 and a median household income of $61,476, the gap between FMR and local wages determines how many households qualify as rent-burdened (paying more than 30% of income) or severely burdened (above 50%). Metro FMR also anchors the Small Area FMR program, which sets ZIP-level payment standards in designated metros to expand voucher choice into higher-opportunity neighborhoods.
Where Erie sits among every US metro
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 387 HUD metro areas
$1,212 higher than 38% of 387 metro areas
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
Fair Market Rents by bedroom (2026)
HUD's FY2026 ceiling for each unit size, with the year-over-year change and how it compares to the US average.
Studio
$836
US avg $893
↑7.0% YoY
-6% vs US
1 Bedroom
$945
US avg $959
↑9.8% YoY
-1% vs US
2 Bedroom
$1,212
US avg $1,175
↑8.4% YoY
+3% vs US
3 Bedroom
$1,499
US avg $1,525
↑7.7% YoY
-2% vs US
4 Bedroom
$1,683
US avg $1,756
↑11.3% YoY
-4% vs US
Year over year, the 1-bedroom moved from $861 in FY2025 to $945 in FY2026 - a change of +9.8%, outpacing typical consumer inflation.
Affordability Snapshot
Based on the standard that rent should not exceed 30% of gross income:
Required annual income for 1 BR
$37,800
$3,150/month gross
Required annual income for 2 BR
$48,480
$4,040/month gross
The local median household income is $61,476 - comfortably above the $48,480 needed to afford a 2-bedroom at FMR, leaving the median household with room under the 30% line.
How Erie compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other PA metro areas
- Chambersburg
Chambersburg, PA MSA
$1,119 1BR FMR / mo
- Gettysburg
Gettysburg, PA MSA
$1,099 1BR FMR / mo
- Altoona
Altoona, PA MSA
$948 1BR FMR / mo
- Erie
Erie, PA MSA
$945 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Erie is highlighted. Bars are FY2026 HUD 1-bedroom Fair Market Rents.
Nearby & Similar Metro Areas
How Erie stacks up against other metro areas in the same state, by 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in the Erie, PA MSA metro area? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Erie, PA MSA is $945 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,212 and a studio is $836.
How does Erie, PA MSA rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in the Erie, PA MSA metro area is 1% below the national average. A 1-bedroom costs $945 compared to $959 nationally.
What income do I need to afford rent in Erie, PA MSA? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $37,800 ($3,150/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in the Erie, PA MSA area.
Is rent going up or down in Erie, PA MSA? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Erie, PA MSA increased by 9.8% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $861 to $945.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Erie, PA MSA? ▼
HUD uses Fair Market Rents to set maximum payment standards for Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8) in the Erie, PA MSA area. The FY 2026 FMR of $945/mo for a 1-bedroom sets the baseline, local housing authorities can set their payment standard between 90% and 110% of FMR.
What does Fair Market Rent mean for the Erie, PA MSA area? ▼
Fair Market Rent (FMR) is the 40th percentile rent estimate set by HUD for the Erie, PA MSA metro area. It includes rent plus the cost of utilities (except telephone). FMR is used to determine housing assistance payment amounts, set rent ceilings for certain HUD programs, and evaluate housing affordability.
Rental Guides
How Fair Market Rent Works
What FMR means, how HUD calculates it, and why it matters for renters
Section 8 Housing Guide
How Housing Choice Vouchers work, eligibility, and applying
Understanding Rent Burden
The 30% rule, what cost-burdened means, and how to evaluate affordability
Rent vs. Buy Decision
When renting makes more financial sense than buying a home
Explore Erie, PA MSA rent data
What this means for renters
Treat the Erie area's FY2026 Fair Market Rent as HUD's affordability benchmark, not a street-level market rate.
- Budget to roughly 30% of income: the FY2026 1-bedroom FMR of $945 implies about $37,800/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Compare this metro against others before you commit to an area. Compare metros
- See where it ranks among the metros HUD tracks. View rankings
Metro FMRs are HUD's 40th-percentile benchmark used to set voucher payment standards and often diverge from the rents listed in any single suburb. HUD updates FMRs once a year.
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).
Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard quality units in each area. HUD publishes updated FMRs annually.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
FY 2026 HUD FMR $945/mo · 1BR PA
Update cadence
Annual (FY)
Refreshed within 30 days of HUD release
Source
HUD User
huduser.gov/portal/datasets/fmr.html
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.