State FMR profile · HUD FY2026

Fair Market Rents in Minnesota

The average 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent across Minnesota is $899/mo - 6% below the US average.

$899
Avg 1BR FMR
87
Counties
6
Metro areas

The verdict

Minnesota's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent averages $1,125 - 4% below the US average, the 21st lowest of 51 states.

Minnesota's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom averages $1,125, 4% below the US average - the 21st lowest of 51 states. A household needs about $45,000 in annual income to afford it under HUD's 30% affordability rule, and rents vary 89% between the state's cheapest and priciest counties.

#21
most affordable of 51 states (2BR)
-4%
vs the US 2-bedroom average
$45,000
income to afford it (30% rule)
89%
gap, cheapest→priciest county

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents for 87 counties and 6 metro areas in MN. Verify with HUD →

What these rents mean for Minnesota

Across Minnesota's 87 counties and 6 metro areas, HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent averages $899/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 MN, 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, Minnesota's average 1-bedroom FMR of $899 is 6% below the US average of $959. Inside the state, rents are not uniform - the cheapest 1-bedroom FMR is in Aitkin County at $742, while the most expensive is in Wright County at $1,405, a spread of roughly 89% 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 $35,960 per year (about $2,997/month) to afford Minnesota's average 1-bedroom at $899. With a state population of 5,713,716 and median household income of $87,556, a significant share of Minnesota renters fall above the 30% cost-burden threshold in higher-FMR counties. Pair these rent figures with Minnesota's rent burden rankings and year-over-year rent growth pages to see which counties are tightening fastest and which remain comparatively affordable.

Where Minnesota sits among all 50 states + DC

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

$1,125 higher than 39% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $1,200–$1,300: 2 states (4%). Above this entry. $1,300–$1,400: 3 states (6%). Above this entry. $1,400–$1,500: 8 states (16%). Above this entry. $1,500–$1,600: 3 states (6%). Above this entry. $1,600–$1,700: 1 states (2%). Above this entry. $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. MN $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
$809
-9% vs US avg
1 BR
$899
-6% vs US avg
2 BR
$1,125
-4% vs US avg
3 BR
$1,483
-3% vs US avg
4 BR
$1,698
-3% vs US avg

Most expensive counties in Minnesota by 1-bedroom FMR

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent, the highest-cost 10 of 87 MN counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Inside MN, 1-bedroom FMR runs from $742 in Aitkin County to $1,405 in Wright 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 Minnesota

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 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area $1,242
$1,405
$1,709$2,262$2,531
2 Rochester, MN HUD Metro FMR Area $1,112
$1,189
$1,407$1,957$2,360
3 Duluth, MN-WI MSA $849
$978
$1,232$1,689$2,067
4 Mankato, MN MSA $971
$977
$1,171$1,629$1,916
5 St. Cloud, MN MSA $874
$919
$1,206$1,604$1,873
6 Rock County, MN HUD Metro FMR Area $727
$742
$973$1,353$1,357

Counties in Minnesota, ranked by rent (87)

All 87 counties with a published FY2026 Fair Market Rent, highest 1-bedroom first.

87 of 87
# County Studio1 BR2 BR3 BR4 BR
1 Anoka County $1,242
$1,405
$1,709$2,262$2,531
2 Carver County $1,242
$1,405
$1,709$2,262$2,531
3 Chisago County $1,242
$1,405
$1,709$2,262$2,531
4 Dakota County $1,242
$1,405
$1,709$2,262$2,531
5 Hennepin County $1,242
$1,405
$1,709$2,262$2,531
6 Isanti County $1,242
$1,405
$1,709$2,262$2,531
7 Ramsey County $1,242
$1,405
$1,709$2,262$2,531
8 Scott County $1,242
$1,405
$1,709$2,262$2,531
9 Sherburne County $1,242
$1,405
$1,709$2,262$2,531
10 Washington County $1,242
$1,405
$1,709$2,262$2,531
11 Wright County $1,242
$1,405
$1,709$2,262$2,531
12 Dodge County $1,112
$1,189
$1,407$1,957$2,360
13 Olmsted County $1,112
$1,189
$1,407$1,957$2,360
14 Carlton County $849
$978
$1,232$1,689$2,067
15 St. Louis County $849
$978
$1,232$1,689$2,067
16 Blue Earth County $971
$977
$1,171$1,629$1,916
17 Nicollet County $971
$977
$1,171$1,629$1,916
18 Lake County $880
$973
$1,277$1,531$1,869
19 Benton County $874
$919
$1,206$1,604$1,873
20 Stearns County $874
$919
$1,206$1,604$1,873
21 Clay County $768
$917
$1,112$1,547$1,865
22 Wabasha County $872
$913
$1,001$1,334$1,679
23 Rice County $899
$905
$1,187$1,534$1,991
24 Goodhue County $755
$901
$1,095$1,523$1,837
25 Houston County $804
$889
$1,166$1,515$1,903
26 Cook County $671
$888
$973$1,288$1,415
27 Beltrami County $870
$876
$1,135$1,361$1,715
28 Steele County $787
$870
$1,142$1,549$1,816
29 Polk County $863
$868
$1,089$1,515$1,827
30 Winona County $791
$868
$1,066$1,336$1,543
31 Roseau County $671
$867
$973$1,256$1,450
32 McLeod County $823
$865
$999$1,198$1,662
33 Itasca County $754
$860
$1,074$1,401$1,516
34 Kanabec County $671
$858
$973$1,353$1,387
35 Mille Lacs County $850
$856
$1,123$1,346$1,884
36 Pennington County $774
$855
$1,122$1,496$1,631
37 Crow Wing County $772
$854
$1,120$1,345$1,569
38 Meeker County $687
$854
$997$1,387$1,407
39 Murray County $671
$852
$973$1,232$1,573
40 Jackson County $671
$846
$973$1,283$1,288
41 Watonwan County $671
$842
$973$1,283$1,288
42 Pine County $834
$839
$1,101$1,320$1,458
43 Lyon County $678
$834
$973$1,353$1,632
44 Lac qui Parle County $671
$833
$973$1,353$1,415
45 Le Sueur County $816
$822
$1,078$1,499$1,748
46 Big Stone County $671
$816
$973$1,178$1,329
47 Martin County $671
$803
$973$1,283$1,288
48 Pope County $726
$803
$1,053$1,263$1,394
49 Mower County $723
$799
$1,049$1,350$1,461
50 Nobles County $723
$799
$1,049$1,294$1,389
51 Faribault County $671
$790
$973$1,312$1,317
52 Kandiyohi County $782
$787
$973$1,353$1,632
53 Clearwater County $671
$785
$973$1,179$1,632
54 Becker County $708
$783
$1,027$1,341$1,474
55 Wadena County $701
$783
$1,016$1,218$1,345
56 Renville County $776
$781
$973$1,353$1,602
57 Fillmore County $774
$779
$1,022$1,370$1,375
58 Lake of the Woods County $699
$773
$1,014$1,216$1,474
59 Chippewa County $671
$772
$973$1,353$1,382
60 Douglas County $737
$772
$991$1,378$1,441
61 Cass County $729
$768
$973$1,300$1,632
62 Hubbard County $695
$768
$1,008$1,395$1,642
63 Swift County $671
$768
$973$1,285$1,314
64 Cottonwood County $671
$766
$973$1,353$1,415
65 Morrison County $671
$757
$973$1,353$1,454
66 Stevens County $683
$755
$991$1,378$1,662
67 Yellow Medicine County $671
$753
$973$1,169$1,312
68 Wilkin County $671
$751
$973$1,283$1,288
69 Otter Tail County $678
$749
$983$1,367$1,432
70 Kittson County $684
$745
$973$1,167$1,415
71 Aitkin County $737
$742
$973$1,353$1,471
72 Brown County $671
$742
$973$1,177$1,609
73 Freeborn County $672
$742
$974$1,283$1,432
74 Grant County $671
$742
$973$1,353$1,632
75 Koochiching County $671
$742
$973$1,243$1,415
76 Lincoln County $671
$742
$973$1,283$1,288
77 Mahnomen County $671
$742
$973$1,217$1,488
78 Marshall County $671
$742
$973$1,182$1,632
79 Norman County $671
$742
$973$1,167$1,288
80 Pipestone County $671
$742
$973$1,203$1,538
81 Red Lake County $671
$742
$973$1,277$1,288
82 Redwood County $671
$742
$973$1,321$1,566
83 Rock County $727
$742
$973$1,353$1,357
84 Sibley County $671
$742
$973$1,299$1,304
85 Todd County $737
$742
$973$1,318$1,550
86 Traverse County $671
$742
$973$1,353$1,609
87 Waseca County $677
$742
$973$1,353$1,495

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Minnesota? ▼
The average FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Minnesota is $899 per month. A 2-bedroom averages $1,125.
How does Minnesota rent compare to the national average? ▼
Minnesota rents are 6% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here averages $899 vs $959 nationally.
Where is the cheapest rent in Minnesota? ▼
The most affordable county is Aitkin County with a 1-bedroom FMR of $742. The most expensive is Wright County at $1,405.
What income do I need to afford rent in Minnesota? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need at least $35,960/year ($2,997/month) to afford the average 1-bedroom FMR in Minnesota.

Explore Minnesota 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 Minnesota'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 $899 implies about $35,960/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
  • Minnesota's counties vary widely around this average -- compare specific counties before assuming this figure applies to yours. View county rankings
  • See where Minnesota 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 87 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.