State FMR profile · HUD FY2026

Fair Market Rents in Maryland

The average 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent across Maryland is $1,404/mo - 46% above the US average.

$1,404
Avg 1BR FMR
24
Counties
6
Metro areas

The verdict

Maryland's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent averages $1,657 - 41% above the US average, the 9th highest of 51 states.

Maryland's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom averages $1,657, 41% above the US average - the 9th highest of 51 states. A household needs about $66,280 in annual income to afford it under HUD's 30% affordability rule, and rents vary 145% between the state's cheapest and priciest counties.

#9
most expensive of 51 states (2BR)
+41%
vs the US 2-bedroom average
$66,280
income to afford it (30% rule)
145%
gap, cheapest→priciest county

Maryland ranks 9th priciest but 49th of 51 by rent GROWTH (-3.5% YoY) - a pricey state whose growth has actually cooled relative to the rest of the country.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents for 24 counties and 6 metro areas in MD. Verify with HUD →

What these rents mean for Maryland

Across Maryland's 24 counties and 6 metro areas, HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent averages $1,404/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 MD, 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, Maryland's average 1-bedroom FMR of $1,404 is 46% above the US average of $959. Inside the state, rents are not uniform - the cheapest 1-bedroom FMR is in Allegany County at $823, while the most expensive is in Prince George's County at $2,015, a spread of roughly 145% 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 $56,160 per year (about $4,680/month) to afford Maryland's average 1-bedroom at $1,404. With a state population of 6,170,738 and median household income of $101,652, a significant share of Maryland renters fall above the 30% cost-burden threshold in higher-FMR counties. Pair these rent figures with Maryland's rent burden rankings and year-over-year rent growth pages to see which counties are tightening fastest and which remain comparatively affordable.

Where Maryland sits among all 50 states + DC

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

$1,657 Top 18% higher than 82% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $1,700–$1,800: 1 states (2%). Above this entry. $1,800–$1,900: 1 states (2%). Above this entry. $1,900–$2,000: 1 states (2%). Above this entry. $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. MD $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
$1,314
+47% vs US avg
1 BR
$1,404
+46% vs US avg
2 BR
$1,657
+41% vs US avg
3 BR
$2,133
+40% vs US avg
4 BR
$2,449
+39% vs US avg

Most expensive counties in Maryland by 1-bedroom FMR

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent, the highest-cost 10 of 24 MD counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Inside MD, 1-bedroom FMR runs from $823 in Allegany County to $2,015 in Prince George's 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 Maryland

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 Calvert County, MD HUD Metro FMR Area $1,811
$1,851
$2,083$2,639$3,106
2 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA $1,362
$1,511
$1,857$2,358$2,611
3 Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area $869
$961
$1,261$1,700$1,901
4 Somerset County, MD HUD Metro FMR Area $901
$907
$1,167$1,586$1,667
5 California-Lexington Park, MD MSA -
-
---
6 Cumberland, MD-WV MSA -
-
---

Counties in Maryland, ranked by rent (24)

All 24 counties with a published FY2026 Fair Market Rent, highest 1-bedroom first.

24 of 24
# County Studio1 BR2 BR3 BR4 BR
1 Charles County $1,953
$2,015
$2,246$2,835$3,332
2 Frederick County $1,953
$2,015
$2,246$2,835$3,332
3 Montgomery County $1,953
$2,015
$2,246$2,835$3,332
4 Prince George's County $1,953
$2,015
$2,246$2,835$3,332
5 Calvert County $1,811
$1,851
$2,083$2,639$3,106
6 St. Mary's County $1,394
$1,672
$1,833$2,264$2,889
7 Cecil County $1,397
$1,520
$1,810$2,170$2,423
8 Anne Arundel County $1,362
$1,511
$1,857$2,358$2,611
9 Baltimore County $1,362
$1,511
$1,857$2,358$2,611
10 Baltimore city $1,362
$1,511
$1,857$2,358$2,611
11 Carroll County $1,362
$1,511
$1,857$2,358$2,611
12 Harford County $1,362
$1,511
$1,857$2,358$2,611
13 Howard County $1,362
$1,511
$1,857$2,358$2,611
14 Queen Anne's County $1,362
$1,511
$1,857$2,358$2,611
15 Talbot County $1,201
$1,282
$1,409$1,960$2,364
16 Kent County $1,062
$1,137
$1,246$1,635$2,090
17 Wicomico County $1,054
$1,061
$1,378$1,818$1,825
18 Worcester County $1,027
$1,035
$1,194$1,661$1,919
19 Caroline County $995
$1,001
$1,314$1,642$2,184
20 Washington County $869
$961
$1,261$1,700$1,901
21 Dorchester County $947
$952
$1,144$1,591$1,919
22 Somerset County $901
$907
$1,167$1,586$1,667
23 Garrett County $848
$864
$973$1,353$1,441
24 Allegany County $694
$823
$973$1,333$1,452

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Maryland? ▼
The average FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Maryland is $1,404 per month. A 2-bedroom averages $1,657.
How does Maryland rent compare to the national average? ▼
Maryland rents are 46% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here averages $1,404 vs $959 nationally.
Where is the cheapest rent in Maryland? ▼
The most affordable county is Allegany County with a 1-bedroom FMR of $823. The most expensive is Prince George's County at $2,015.
What income do I need to afford rent in Maryland? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need at least $56,160/year ($4,680/month) to afford the average 1-bedroom FMR in Maryland.

Explore Maryland 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 Maryland'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 $1,404 implies about $56,160/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
  • Maryland's counties vary widely around this average -- compare specific counties before assuming this figure applies to yours. View county rankings
  • See where Maryland 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 24 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.