HUD FY2026 · National FMR ranking

Cheapest Rent for Studio Apartments

The most affordable counties for studio (0-bedroom) units by Fair Market Rent. The cheapest county runs just $535 for a studio, the lowest of HUD's five bedroom tiers.

$535
Cheapest county (studio) - Marion
$631
Cheapest metro (studio)
3,145
Counties ranked

Most affordable areas by 0-bedroom (studio) Fair Market Rent, FY 2026, ranked across all 50 states and DC. Studio FMRs are the lowest of HUD's five bedroom tiers and track the 40th percentile of local gross rents. See our methodology.

Top 10 cheapest counties by studio FMR

HUD Fair Market Rent, the FY2026 ceiling HUD will subsidize for a modest studio (0-bedroom) unit

Studio FMR / mo

What this shows Marion County is the most affordable county in the nation for a studio. Rural counties across the South and Midwest fill the cheapest tier.

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

Top 50 Cheapest Counties, Studio Apartments

# County Studio 1 BR 2 BR 3 BR 4 BR
1 Marion County $535 $591 $776 $1,039 $1,302
2 Randolph County $536 $634 $778 $980 $1,126
3 Talladega County $561 $682 $814 $1,107 $1,112
4 Barbour County $576 $693 $776 $1,017 $1,068
5 Bullock County $576 $708 $776 $930 $1,302
6 Clay County $576 $591 $776 $1,024 $1,027
7 Conecuh County $576 $615 $776 $1,079 $1,157
8 Coosa County $576 $615 $776 $1,079 $1,157
9 Covington County $576 $591 $776 $999 $1,302
10 DeKalb County $576 $591 $776 $992 $1,302
11 Escambia County $576 $675 $776 $972 $1,203
12 Fayette County $576 $671 $776 $1,079 $1,157
13 Franklin County $576 $704 $776 $976 $1,071
14 Jackson County $576 $643 $776 $1,004 $1,234
15 Monroe County $576 $619 $776 $1,079 $1,254
16 Winston County $576 $631 $776 $1,070 $1,150
17 Choctaw County $578 $616 $778 $1,024 $1,179
18 Vermilion Parish $580 $761 $834 $1,100 $1,104
19 Sunflower County $581 $642 $842 $1,136 $1,260
20 Marengo County $582 $693 $783 $1,018 $1,187
21 Clarke County $588 $603 $791 $1,034 $1,261
22 Crenshaw County $588 $591 $776 $930 $1,027
23 Marshall County $588 $591 $776 $1,069 $1,073
24 Pickens County $588 $591 $776 $994 $1,290
25 Simpson County $592 $762 $858 $1,193 $1,439
26 Perry County $596 $636 $803 $963 $1,198
27 Bell County $597 $790 $866 $1,133 $1,294
28 Webster Parish $600 $651 $854 $1,130 $1,131
29 Allen Parish $601 $754 $834 $1,048 $1,249
30 Bienville Parish $601 $707 $834 $1,160 $1,399
31 Catahoula Parish $601 $647 $834 $1,139 $1,249
32 Claiborne Parish $601 $706 $834 $1,000 $1,249
33 Concordia Parish $601 $647 $834 $1,139 $1,249
34 East Carroll Parish $601 $647 $834 $1,139 $1,249
35 Evangeline Parish $601 $667 $834 $1,085 $1,104
36 Franklin Parish $601 $698 $834 $1,067 $1,249
37 Jackson Parish $601 $761 $834 $1,160 $1,225
38 Jefferson Davis Parish $601 $664 $871 $1,201 $1,461
39 Red River Parish $601 $647 $834 $1,073 $1,251
40 Tensas Parish $601 $761 $834 $1,160 $1,249
41 West Carroll Parish $601 $636 $834 $1,088 $1,138
42 Winn Parish $601 $761 $834 $1,160 $1,249
43 Ramsey County $602 $719 $873 $1,214 $1,464
44 Dale County $603 $690 $776 $1,079 $1,302
45 Caldwell Parish $604 $647 $834 $1,072 $1,249
46 Labette County $605 $668 $877 $1,052 $1,209
47 Panola County $605 $743 $878 $1,121 $1,455
48 Boone County $607 $671 $880 $1,224 $1,343
49 Conway County $607 $671 $880 $1,224 $1,448
50 Logan County $607 $803 $880 $1,224 $1,362

Top 25 Cheapest Metro Areas, Studio Apartments

# Metro Area Studio 1 BR 2 BR 3 BR 4 BR
1 Morehouse Parish, LA HUD Metro FMR Area $631 $636 $834 $1,143 $1,172
2 Cherokee County, KS HUD Metro FMR Area $664 $668 $877 $1,157 $1,161
3 Little River County, AR HUD Metro FMR Area $666 $671 $880 $1,166 $1,170
4 Acadia Parish, LA HUD Metro FMR Area $607 $671 $880 $1,055 $1,194
5 Boone County, WV HUD Metro FMR Area $669 $674 $869 $1,195 $1,458
6 Fayette County, WV HUD Metro FMR Area $631 $697 $915 $1,195 $1,535
7 Fort Smith, AR-OK MSA $683 $714 $937 $1,266 $1,532
8 Benton County, IA HUD Metro FMR Area $659 $729 $956 $1,209 $1,348
9 Rock County, MN HUD Metro FMR Area $727 $742 $973 $1,353 $1,357
10 Bosque County, TX HUD Metro FMR Area $671 $742 $973 $1,283 $1,288
11 Parkersburg-Vienna, WV MSA $741 $745 $928 $1,194 $1,253
12 Anniston-Oxford, AL MSA $753 $757 $962 $1,300 $1,361
13 Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH MSA $752 $757 $973 $1,285 $1,482
14 Allen County, KY HUD Metro FMR Area $759 $759 $996 $1,224 $1,520
15 Dothan, AL HUD Metro FMR Area $757 $762 $950 $1,288 $1,428
16 Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA $735 $771 $973 $1,270 $1,345
17 Mansfield, OH MSA $671 $773 $973 $1,315 $1,530
18 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL MSA $698 $775 $1,000 $1,242 $1,409
19 Decatur, AL MSA $755 $776 $961 $1,262 $1,550
20 Alexandria, LA MSA $728 $780 $994 $1,342 $1,523
21 Lawton, OK HUD Metro FMR Area $779 $784 $1,001 $1,392 $1,679
22 Boone County, IA HUD Metro FMR Area $783 $788 $1,026 $1,427 $1,500
23 Massac County, IL HUD Metro FMR Area $784 $789 $969 $1,348 $1,415
24 Gadsden, AL MSA $639 $792 $927 $1,124 $1,304
25 Callaway County, MO HUD Metro FMR Area $789 $794 $1,042 $1,249 $1,472

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cheapest studio apartment rent in the US? ▼
Based on FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents, the most affordable counties for studio apartments have 0-bedroom FMRs starting under $600/mo. Rural counties in states like West Virginia, Arkansas, and Mississippi typically offer the lowest studio FMRs.
How is studio (0-bedroom) FMR calculated? ▼
HUD's Fair Market Rent for studios (0-bedroom units) represents the 40th percentile of gross rents paid for standard quality studio apartments in a given housing market area. It includes utilities and is updated annually.
Who benefits most from knowing studio FMR data? ▼
Studio FMR data is most useful for single-person households, students, young professionals, and Section 8 voucher holders. It helps identify where studio-sized units are most affordable relative to income.
Is a studio apartment the same as a 0-bedroom unit? ▼
Yes. HUD classifies studio apartments as 0-bedroom (BR0) units in its Fair Market Rent calculations. They are self-contained units without a separate bedroom, distinct from 1-bedroom apartments.
Cheapest 1-BR rent → Cheapest 2-BR → Cheapest 3-BR → Most expensive areas → Rent growth rankings →

Rankings based on FY 2026 Fair Market Rents (FMR) published by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Sorted by 0-bedroom (studio) FMR in ascending order. Metro areas sorted by 0-bedroom FMR.