Metro FMR · CBSA 44300 · HUD FY2026

State College, PA MSA Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for the State College, PA MSA metro area - 25% above the US average.

$1,194
1-bedroom FMR
$1,406
2-bedroom FMR
-3.2%
YoY change
+25%
vs US avg

The verdict

A 2-bedroom in the State College, PA MSA area rents at $1,406 under HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent - 20% above the US average, higher than 62% of the 387 metro areas HUD tracks.

#147
priciest of 387 US metros (2BR)
+20%
vs the US 2-bedroom average
$56,240
income to afford it (30% rule)
-3.2%
1BR change, FY2025→2026

Affordability & income context

State College: #147 priciest nationally · income context

At the metro's ACS median household income of $72,748, this 1-bedroom FMR takes 19.7% of annual income. It is well below the 30% affordability guide for a median-income household.

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

With 158,665 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.

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

$1,187/mo

19.6% of median income

1 Bedroom

$1,194/mo

19.7% of median income

2 Bedroom

$1,406/mo

23.2% of median income

3 Bedroom

$1,760/mo

29.0% of median income

4 Bedroom

$1,862/mo

30.7% of median income

FMR filing desk

CBSA CBSA·44300

State College: $1,194/mo 1BR · #147 of 387 metros (2BR) · FY2026 CBSA 44300

  • CBSA 44300
  • 1BR-FMR $1,194
  • 2BR-FMR $1,406
  • RANK-MID #147
  • YOY-DOWN -3.2%
  • VSUS-ABOVE +25%
  • IN-ST-HIGH #11 PA
  • INC-ROOM 20%
  • POP-MID 159K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Altoona
  • VOUCH-90-110 $1,075–$1,313
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Altoona ($246 1BR gap)

Read with: Understanding rent burden

Where State College sits among every US metro

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

$1,406 Top 38% higher than 62% 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

State College studio–4BR schedule (FY2026) · 2BR #147 nationally

1BR $1,194 (+25% vs US, -3.2% YoY). Each bedroom band below is FY2026 HUD FMR for CBSA 44300.

Studio
$1,187
US avg $893
↓3.2% YoY +33% vs US
1 Bedroom
$1,194
US avg $959
↓3.2% YoY +25% vs US
2 Bedroom
$1,406
US avg $1,175
↓1.7% YoY +20% vs US
3 Bedroom
$1,760
US avg $1,525
↑1.0% YoY +15% vs US
4 Bedroom
$1,862
US avg $1,756
↓1.8% YoY +6% vs US

How State College compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other PA metro areas

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows State College highlighted among 3 peers · FY2026 1BR HUD FMR.

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

State College: out-of-state FMR & burden peers

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

2BR FMR · outside PA

Nearest schedules by 2BR delta (FY2026).

Hinesville
GA · 2 BR $1,406/mo
Aransas County
TX · 2 BR $1,407/mo
Rochester
MN · 2 BR $1,407/mo
Watertown-Fort Drum
NY · 2 BR $1,405/mo

Burden % · outside PA

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

Brunswick County
NC · 23.2% of income · 2 BR $1,426/mo
Columbia
SC · 23.1% of income · 2 BR $1,276/mo
Great Falls
MT · 23.3% of income · 2 BR $1,284/mo
Kankakee
IL · 23.3% of income · 2 BR $1,326/mo

State College: quick answers

What is the average rent in the State College, PA MSA metro area? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in State College, PA MSA is $1,194 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,406 and a studio is $1,187.
How does State College, PA MSA rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in the State College, PA MSA metro area is 25% above the national average. A 1-bedroom costs $1,194 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does State College rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
HUD's FY 2026 2-bedroom FMR of $1,406 ranks #147 most expensive among 387 US metro areas (the middle half of HUD metro areas).
What income do I need to afford rent in State College, PA MSA? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $47,760 ($3,980/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in the State College, PA MSA area.

Compare State College vs Altoona →

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 $1,194/mo · 1BR PA

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.