Metro FMR · CBSA 29460 · HUD FY2026

Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL MSA Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for the Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL MSA metro area - 28% above the US average.

$1,230
1-bedroom FMR
$1,497
2-bedroom FMR
+12.6%
YoY change
+28%
vs US avg

The verdict

A 2-bedroom in the Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL MSA area rents at $1,497 under HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent - 27% above the US average, higher than 68% of the 387 metro areas HUD tracks.

#124
priciest of 387 US metros (2BR)
+27%
vs the US 2-bedroom average
$59,880
income to afford it (30% rule)
+12.6%
1BR change, FY2025→2026

Affordability & income context

Lakeland-Winter Haven: #124 priciest nationally · income context

At the metro's ACS median household income of $63,644, this 1-bedroom FMR takes 23.2% 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 Lakeland-Winter Haven in the middle half of HUD metro areas, using the same FY2026 HUD schedule as the national comparison.

With 736,229 residents, this is a major regional 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.

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

$1,226/mo

23.1% of median income

1 Bedroom

$1,230/mo

23.2% of median income

2 Bedroom

$1,497/mo

28.2% of median income

3 Bedroom

$2,023/mo

38.1% of median income

4 Bedroom

$2,511/mo

47.3% of median income

FMR filing desk

CBSA CBSA·29460

Lakeland-Winter Haven: $1,230/mo 1BR · #124 of 387 metros (2BR) · FY2026 CBSA 29460

  • CBSA 29460
  • 1BR-FMR $1,230
  • 2BR-FMR $1,497
  • RANK-MID #124
  • YOY-SURGE +12.6%
  • VSUS-HIGH +28%
  • IN-ST-LOW #9 FL
  • INC-MID 23%
  • POP-MAJOR 736K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Baker County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $1,107–$1,353
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Baker County ($308 1BR gap)

Read with: Understanding rent burden

Where Lakeland-Winter Haven sits among every US metro

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

$1,497 Top 32% higher than 68% 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%). Below this entry. $1,400–$1,600: 52 metro areas (13%). This entry sits in this band. $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

Lakeland-Winter Haven studio–4BR schedule (FY2026) · 2BR #124 nationally

1BR $1,230 (+28% vs US, +12.6% YoY). Each bedroom band below is FY2026 HUD FMR for CBSA 29460.

Studio
$1,226
US avg $893
↑13.0% YoY +37% vs US
1 Bedroom
$1,230
US avg $959
↑12.6% YoY +28% vs US
2 Bedroom
$1,497
US avg $1,175
↑12.0% YoY +27% vs US
3 Bedroom
$2,023
US avg $1,525
↑12.6% YoY +33% vs US
4 Bedroom
$2,511
US avg $1,756
↑11.8% YoY +43% vs US

How Lakeland-Winter Haven compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other FL metro areas

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Lakeland-Winter Haven highlighted among 5 peers · FY2026 1BR HUD FMR.

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

Lakeland-Winter Haven: out-of-state FMR & burden peers

PlainRent pairs Lakeland-Winter Haven with the 4 nearest HUD 2BR schedules and 4 nearest burden matches outside FL (burden peers exclude the FMR set; pop ≥50k).

2BR FMR · outside FL

Nearest schedules by 2BR delta (FY2026).

Albany
OR · 2 BR $1,500/mo
Wenatchee-East Wenatchee
WA · 2 BR $1,500/mo
Harrisburg-Carlisle
PA · 2 BR $1,493/mo
Merced
CA · 2 BR $1,503/mo

Burden % · outside FL

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

Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas
NV · 28.2% of income · 2 BR $1,735/mo
Broadwater County
MT · 28.3% of income · 2 BR $1,748/mo
Chico
CA · 28.4% of income · 2 BR $1,625/mo
Hinesville
GA · 28% of income · 2 BR $1,406/mo

Lakeland-Winter Haven: quick answers

What is the average rent in the Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL MSA metro area? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL MSA is $1,230 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,497 and a studio is $1,226.
How does Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL MSA rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in the Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL MSA metro area is 28% above the national average. A 1-bedroom costs $1,230 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Lakeland-Winter Haven rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
HUD's FY 2026 2-bedroom FMR of $1,497 ranks #124 most expensive among 387 US metro areas (the middle half of HUD metro areas).
What income do I need to afford rent in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL 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 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL MSA area.

Compare Lakeland-Winter Haven vs Baker 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 FL

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.