State FMR profile · HUD FY2026

Fair Market Rents in Connecticut

The average 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent across Connecticut is $1,590/mo - 66% above the US average.

$1,590
Avg 1BR FMR
17
Counties
5
Metro areas

The verdict

Connecticut's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent averages $1,955 - 66% above the US average, the 6th highest of 51 states.

Connecticut's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom averages $1,955, 66% above the US average - the 6th highest of 51 states. A household needs about $78,200 in annual income to afford it under HUD's 30% affordability rule, and rents vary 61% between the state's cheapest and priciest counties.

#6
most expensive of 51 states (2BR)
+66%
vs the US 2-bedroom average
$78,200
income to afford it (30% rule)
61%
gap, cheapest→priciest county

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents for 17 counties and 5 metro areas in CT. Verify with HUD →

What these rents mean for Connecticut

Across Connecticut's 17 counties and 5 metro areas, HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent averages $1,590/mo for a 1-bedroom (studio through 4-bedroom averages are broken out below). FMR is set at the county or metro FMR area level, not statewide, so that figure is the arithmetic average of every FMR area inside CT, weighted equally. Local housing authorities use each county's or metro's FMR (not the state average) to calibrate Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher payment standards, typically ranging from 90% to 110% of FMR.

Benchmarked against the rest of the country, Connecticut's average 1-bedroom FMR of $1,590 is 66% above the US average of $959. Inside the state, rents are not uniform - the cheapest 1-bedroom FMR is in Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region at $1,304, while the most expensive is in Western Connecticut Planning Region at $2,100, a spread of roughly 61% between the lowest- and highest-cost counties. That intra-state dispersion is why urban voucher recipients, families relocating for jobs, and landlords setting Section 8 rents all need to check the specific FMR area rather than rely on a statewide figure.

For affordability, the 30% rule implies a household income of $63,600 per year (about $5,300/month) to afford Connecticut's average 1-bedroom at $1,590. With a state population of 3,598,348 and median household income of $93,760, a significant share of Connecticut renters fall above the 30% cost-burden threshold in higher-FMR counties. Pair these rent figures with Connecticut's rent burden rankings and year-over-year rent growth pages to see which counties are tightening fastest and which remain comparatively affordable.

Where Connecticut sits among all 50 states + DC

Average 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. every US state

$1,955 Top 12% higher than 88% of 51 states

$900–$1,000: 11 states (22%). Below this entry. $1,000–$1,100: 7 states (14%). Below this entry. $1,100–$1,200: 8 states (16%). Below this entry. $1,200–$1,300: 2 states (4%). Below this entry. $1,300–$1,400: 3 states (6%). Below this entry. $1,400–$1,500: 8 states (16%). Below this entry. $1,500–$1,600: 3 states (6%). Below this entry. $1,600–$1,700: 1 states (2%). Below this entry. $1,700–$1,800: 1 states (2%). Below this entry. $1,800–$1,900: 1 states (2%). Below this entry. $1,900–$2,000: 1 states (2%). This entry sits in this band. $2,000–$2,100: 1 states (2%). Above this entry. $2,100–$2,200: 1 states (2%). Above this entry. $2,200–$2,300: 2 states (4%). Above this entry. $2,300–$2,400: 0 states (0%). Above this entry. $2,400–$2,500: 1 states (2%). Above this entry. CT $900 $2,500 every US state, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $0.1K-wide band; taller bars hold more states. 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 Average vs National Average

Studio
$1,351
+51% vs US avg
1 BR
$1,590
+66% vs US avg
2 BR
$1,955
+66% vs US avg
3 BR
$2,415
+58% vs US avg
4 BR
$2,852
+62% vs US avg

Most expensive counties in Connecticut by 1-bedroom FMR

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent, the highest-cost 9 of 17 CT counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Inside CT, 1-bedroom FMR runs from $1,304 in Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region to $2,100 in Western Connecticut Planning Region.

Source HUD Fair Market Rents and U.S. Census Bureau ACS data As of FY2026

Cheapest Counties

Lowest FMR rental costs →

Most Expensive Counties

Highest FMR rental costs →

Rent Burden

% of income spent on rent →

Rent Growth

YoY rent trends by county →

Metro areas in Connecticut

Each metro FMR area applies one rent schedule across all its counties, ranked here by 1-bedroom FMR.

# Metro area Studio1 BR2 BR3 BR4 BR
1 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT MSA $1,731
$2,100
$2,511$3,036$3,598
2 New Haven, CT MSA $1,372
$1,591
$1,969$2,433$2,872
3 Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT MSA $1,287
$1,496
$1,866$2,406$2,988
4 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA $1,286
$1,477
$1,865$2,236$2,537
5 Ansonia town, CT Exception Area $1,246
$1,445
$1,788$2,210$2,864

Counties in Connecticut, ranked by rent (17)

All 17 counties with a published FY2026 Fair Market Rent, highest 1-bedroom first.

17 of 17
# County Studio1 BR2 BR3 BR4 BR
1 Greater Bridgeport Planning Region $1,731
$2,100
$2,511$3,036$3,598
2 Western Connecticut Planning Region $1,731
$2,100
$2,511$3,036$3,598
3 South Central Connecticut Planning Region $1,372
$1,591
$1,969$2,433$2,872
4 Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region $1,287
$1,496
$1,866$2,406$2,988
5 Capitol Planning Region $1,286
$1,477
$1,865$2,236$2,537
6 Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region $1,286
$1,477
$1,865$2,236$2,537
7 Naugatuck Valley Planning Region $1,246
$1,445
$1,788$2,210$2,864
8 Northwest Hills Planning Region $1,114
$1,316
$1,616$2,082$2,348
9 Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region $1,104
$1,304
$1,601$2,062$2,326
10 Fairfield County -
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11 Hartford County -
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12 Litchfield County -
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13 Middlesex County -
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14 New Haven County -
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15 New London County -
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16 Tolland County -
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17 Windham County -
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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Connecticut? ▼
The average FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Connecticut is $1,590 per month. A 2-bedroom averages $1,955.
How does Connecticut rent compare to the national average? ▼
Connecticut rents are 66% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here averages $1,590 vs $959 nationally.
Where is the cheapest rent in Connecticut? ▼
The most affordable county is Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region with a 1-bedroom FMR of $1,304. The most expensive is Western Connecticut Planning Region at $2,100.
What income do I need to afford rent in Connecticut? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need at least $63,600/year ($5,300/month) to afford the average 1-bedroom FMR in Connecticut.

Explore Connecticut rent data

Rent burden → Rent growth → Cheapest counties → Most expensive counties → National rent-burden rankings → Affordability calculator →

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

What this means for renters

Treat Connecticut's FY2026 average Fair Market Rent as HUD's affordability benchmark, not a single market quote.

  • Budget to roughly 30% of income: the FY2026 average 1-bedroom FMR of $1,590 implies about $63,600/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
  • Connecticut's counties vary widely around this average -- compare specific counties before assuming this figure applies to yours. View county rankings
  • See where Connecticut ranks nationally on rent. National rankings

Fair Market Rent is HUD's 40th-percentile policy benchmark used to set Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. This is a state-level average across 17 counties; actual asking rents in any specific county can run higher or lower, and HUD updates FMRs once a year. This site is informational and not financial or relocation advice.

Related

Browse all counties → | Rankings →
Data sourced from HUD Fair Market Rents and U.S. Census Bureau ACS data. See our methodology for details. Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rent data (huduser.gov). Median household income and homeownership rate: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (census.gov/programs-surveys/acs).

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.