Metro FMR · CBSA 26300 · HUD FY2026

Hot Springs, AR MSA Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for the Hot Springs, AR MSA metro area - 13% below the US average.

$834
1-bedroom FMR
$1,090
2-bedroom FMR
+3.6%
YoY change
-13%
vs US avg

The verdict

A 2-bedroom in the Hot Springs, AR MSA area rents at $1,090 under HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent - 7% below the US average, lower than 84% of the 387 metro areas HUD tracks.

#63
most affordable of 387 US metros (2BR)
-7%
vs the US 2-bedroom average
$43,600
income to afford it (30% rule)
+3.6%
1BR change, FY2025→2026

Hot Springs is the 3rd cheapest of 6 HUD-tracked metro areas in AR by 1-bedroom FMR, a state where metro rents vary widely - the priciest metro runs 66% above the cheapest.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents for the Hot Springs, AR MSA metro area. Population: 100,021. Verify with HUD →

What these rents mean for the Hot Springs, AR MSA metro

HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule sets the Hot Springs, AR MSA Metro Area (CBSA 26300) 1-bedroom at $834, with a studio at $829, 2-bedroom at $1,090, 3-bedroom at $1,393, and 4-bedroom at $1,670. 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 Hot Springs, AR 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 Hot Springs, AR MSA is 13% below the US 1-bedroom FMR of $959. Year-over-year the 1-bedroom FMR shifted from $805 in FY 2025 to $834 in FY 2026 - a change of +3.6%, 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 $834, that implies a household income of $33,360 per year (about $2,780/month) - a 2-bedroom at $1,090 raises that income floor further. With a metro population of 100,021 and a median household income of $55,409, 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 Hot Springs sits among every US metro

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

$1,090 higher than 16% of 387 metro areas

$800–$1,000: 28 metro areas (7%). Below this entry. $1,000–$1,200: 114 metro areas (29%). This entry sits in this band. $1,200–$1,400: 95 metro areas (25%). Above this entry. $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

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
$829
US avg $893
↑3.8% YoY -7% vs US
1 Bedroom
$834
US avg $959
↑3.6% YoY -13% vs US
2 Bedroom
$1,090
US avg $1,175
↑5.1% YoY -7% vs US
3 Bedroom
$1,393
US avg $1,525
↑6.3% YoY -9% vs US
4 Bedroom
$1,670
US avg $1,756
↑2.6% YoY -5% vs US

Year over year, the 1-bedroom moved from $805 in FY2025 to $834 in FY2026 - a change of +3.6%, 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
$33,360
$2,780/month gross
Required annual income for 2 BR
$43,600
$3,633/month gross

The local median household income is $55,409 - comfortably above the $43,600 needed to afford a 2-bedroom at FMR, leaving the median household with room under the 30% line.

How Hot Springs compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other AR metro areas

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Hot Springs is highlighted. Bars are FY2026 HUD 1-bedroom Fair Market Rents.

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

Nearby & Similar Metro Areas

How Hot Springs stacks up against other metro areas in the same state, by 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent.

Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers $1,115 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway $989 Jonesboro $870 Hot Springs(this metro) $834 Fort Smith $714 Little River County $671
Compare Hot Springs, AR MSA vs Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in the Hot Springs, AR MSA metro area? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Hot Springs, AR MSA is $834 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,090 and a studio is $829.
How does Hot Springs, AR MSA rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in the Hot Springs, AR MSA metro area is 13% below the national average. A 1-bedroom costs $834 compared to $959 nationally.
What income do I need to afford rent in Hot Springs, AR MSA? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $33,360 ($2,780/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in the Hot Springs, AR MSA area.
Is rent going up or down in Hot Springs, AR MSA? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Hot Springs, AR MSA increased by 3.6% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $805 to $834.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Hot Springs, AR MSA? ▼
HUD uses Fair Market Rents to set maximum payment standards for Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8) in the Hot Springs, AR MSA area. The FY 2026 FMR of $834/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 Hot Springs, AR MSA area? ▼
Fair Market Rent (FMR) is the 40th percentile rent estimate set by HUD for the Hot Springs, AR 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 Hot Springs, AR MSA rent data

Most expensive metros
National FMR rankings for all metro areas
Rent growth
Which metros are rising fastest year over year
Affordability calculator
The income you need to afford Hot Springs, AR MSA rent
Compare metros
Side-by-side FMR comparison with a nearby metro

What this means for renters

Treat the Hot Springs 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 $834 implies about $33,360/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 $834/mo · 1BR AR

Coverage

50 states + DC

Every CBSA published by HUD

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.