State FMR profile · HUD FY2026

Fair Market Rents in Rhode Island

The average 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent across Rhode Island is $1,402/mo - 46% above the US average.

$1,402
Avg 1BR FMR
5
Counties

The verdict

Rhode Island's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent averages $1,729 - 47% above the US average, the 8th highest of 51 states.

Rhode Island's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom averages $1,729, 47% above the US average - the 8th highest of 51 states. A household needs about $69,160 in annual income to afford it under HUD's 30% affordability rule, and rents vary 0% between the state's cheapest and priciest counties.

#8
most expensive of 51 states (2BR)
+47%
vs the US 2-bedroom average
$69,160
income to afford it (30% rule)
0%
gap, cheapest→priciest county

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents for 5 counties in RI. Verify with HUD →

What these rents mean for Rhode Island

Across Rhode Island's 5 counties, HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent averages $1,402/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 RI, 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, Rhode Island's average 1-bedroom FMR of $1,402 is 46% above the US average of $959. Inside the state, rents are not uniform - the cheapest 1-bedroom FMR is in Bristol County at $1,402, while the most expensive is in Washington County at $1,402, a spread of roughly 0% 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 $56,080 per year (about $4,673/month) to afford Rhode Island's average 1-bedroom at $1,402. With a state population of 1,095,371 and median household income of $86,372, a significant share of Rhode Island renters fall above the 30% cost-burden threshold in higher-FMR counties. Pair these rent figures with Rhode Island's rent burden rankings and year-over-year rent growth pages to see which counties are tightening fastest and which remain comparatively affordable.

Where Rhode Island sits among all 50 states + DC

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

$1,729 Top 16% higher than 84% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. RI $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
$1,318
+48% vs US avg
1 BR
$1,402
+46% vs US avg
2 BR
$1,729
+47% vs US avg
3 BR
$2,087
+37% vs US avg
4 BR
$2,480
+41% vs US avg

Most expensive counties in Rhode Island by 1-bedroom FMR

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent, the highest-cost 5 of 5 RI counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Inside RI, 1-bedroom FMR runs from $1,402 in Bristol County to $1,402 in Washington 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 →

Counties in Rhode Island, 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 Bristol County $1,318
$1,402
$1,729$2,087$2,480
2 Kent County $1,318
$1,402
$1,729$2,087$2,480
3 Newport County $1,318
$1,402
$1,729$2,087$2,480
4 Providence County $1,318
$1,402
$1,729$2,087$2,480
5 Washington County $1,318
$1,402
$1,729$2,087$2,480

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Rhode Island? ▼
The average FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Rhode Island is $1,402 per month. A 2-bedroom averages $1,729.
How does Rhode Island rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rhode Island rents are 46% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here averages $1,402 vs $959 nationally.
Where is the cheapest rent in Rhode Island? ▼
The most affordable county is Bristol County with a 1-bedroom FMR of $1,402. The most expensive is Washington County at $1,402.
What income do I need to afford rent in Rhode Island? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need at least $56,080/year ($4,673/month) to afford the average 1-bedroom FMR in Rhode Island.

Explore Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island'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 $1,402 implies about $56,080/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
  • Rhode Island's counties vary widely around this average -- compare specific counties before assuming this figure applies to yours. View county rankings
  • See where Rhode Island 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 5 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.