State FMR profile · HUD FY2026

Fair Market Rents in Hawaii

The average 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent across Hawaii is $1,859/mo — 94% above the US average.

$1,859
Avg 1BR FMR
5
Counties
2
Metro areas

The verdict

Hawaii's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent averages $2,433 — 107% above the US average, the 1st highest of 51 states.

#1
most expensive of 51 states (2BR)
+107%
vs the US 2-bedroom average
$97,320
income to afford it (30% rule)
26%
gap, cheapest→priciest county

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents for 5 counties and 2 metro areas in HI. Verify with HUD →

What these rents mean for Hawaii

Across Hawaii's 5 counties and 2 metro areas, HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rents average $1,786 for a studio, $1,859 for a 1-bedroom, $2,433 for a 2-bedroom, $3,157 for a 3-bedroom, and $3,779 for a 4-bedroom. FMR is set at the county or metro FMR area level — not statewide — so the numbers above are the arithmetic average of every FMR area inside HI, 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, Hawaii's average 1-bedroom FMR of $1,859 is 94% above the US average of $959. Inside the state, rents are not uniform — the cheapest 1-bedroom FMR is in Hawaii County at $1,603, while the most expensive is in Honolulu County at $2,016, a spread of roughly 26% 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 $74,360 per year (about $6,197/month) to afford Hawaii's average 1-bedroom at $1,859. The ratio of FMR to local wages determines how many households are rent-burdened. Pair these rent figures with Hawaii's rent burden rankings and year-over-year rent growth pages to see which counties are tightening fastest and which remain comparatively affordable.

Where Hawaii sits among all 50 states + DC

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

$2,433 Top 2% higher than 98% 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%). Below this entry. $2,000–$2,100: 1 states (2%). Below this entry. $2,100–$2,200: 1 states (2%). Below this entry. $2,200–$2,300: 2 states (4%). Below this entry. $2,300–$2,400: 0 states (0%). Below this entry. $2,400–$2,500: 1 states (2%). This entry sits in this band. HI $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
$1,786
+100% vs US avg
1 BR
$1,859
+94% vs US avg
2 BR
$2,433
+107% vs US avg
3 BR
$3,157
+107% vs US avg
4 BR
$3,779
+115% vs US avg

Most expensive counties in Hawaii by 1-bedroom FMR

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent — the highest-cost 5 of 5 HI counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Inside HI, 1-bedroom FMR runs from $1,603 in Hawaii County to $2,016 in Honolulu County.

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 Hawaii

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 Urban Honolulu, HI MSA $1,877$2,016$2,642$3,674$4,432
2 Kalawao County, HI HUD Metro FMR Area $1,801$1,899$2,492$3,227$4,024

Counties in Hawaii, ranked by rent (5)

All 5 counties with a published FY2026 Fair Market Rent, highest 1-bedroom first.

# County Studio1 BR2 BR3 BR4 BR
1 Honolulu County $1,877$2,016$2,642$3,674$4,432
2 Maui County $1,896$2,000$2,624$3,398$4,236
3 Kalawao County $1,801$1,899$2,492$3,227$4,024
4 Kauai County $1,766$1,777$2,332$2,866$3,179
5 Hawaii County $1,592$1,603$2,076$2,622$3,024

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Hawaii? ▼
The average FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Hawaii is $1,859 per month. A 2-bedroom averages $2,433.
How does Hawaii rent compare to the national average? ▼
Hawaii rents are 94% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here averages $1,859 vs $959 nationally.
Where is the cheapest rent in Hawaii? ▼
The most affordable county is Hawaii County with a 1-bedroom FMR of $1,603. The most expensive is Honolulu County at $2,016.
What income do I need to afford rent in Hawaii? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need at least $74,360/year ($6,197/month) to afford the average 1-bedroom FMR in Hawaii.

Explore Hawaii 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.

Related

Browse all → | 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).