Fair Market Rents in Utah

What these rents mean for Utah

Across Utah's 29 counties and 5 metro areas, HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rents average $981 for a studio, $1,082 for a 1-bedroom, $1,313 for a 2-bedroom, $1,746 for a 3-bedroom, and $2,105 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 UT, 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, Utah's average 1-bedroom FMR of $1,082 is 13% above the US average of $959. Inside the state, rents are not uniform - the cheapest 1-bedroom FMR is in Rich County at $810, while the most expensive is in Summit County at $1,887, a spread of roughly 133% 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 $43,280 per year (about $3,607/month) to afford Utah's average 1-bedroom at $1,082. The ratio of FMR to local wages determines how many households are rent-burdened. Pair these rent figures with Utah's rent burden rankings and year-over-year rent growth pages to see which counties are tightening fastest and which remain comparatively affordable.