California · FIPS 06029 · HUD FY 2027
Kern County, California Fair Market Rent
HUD’s FY 2027 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Kern County is $1,656 a month (rent plus utilities), 37% below the California average of $2,632 and 6% below the U.S. average of $1,761. That is up $173 (11.7%) from FY 2026. At 30% of income, a household needs about $66,240 a year to afford it.
- $1,6562-bedroom FMR+$173 (+11.7%) vs FY 2026
- $1,2731-bedroom FMRCalifornia: $2,151 · U.S.: $1,478
- $66,240Income for a 2-bedroom$32/hour full-time
- 32 of 582BR rank in California1 = highest rent
| Unit | Kern County FY 2027 | FY 2026 | Change | California avg | U.S. avg | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,265 | $1,132 | +$133 (+11.7%) | $1,986 | $1,379 | $50,600 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,273 | $1,140 | +$133 (+11.7%) | $2,151 | $1,478 | $50,920 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,656 | $1,483 | +$173 (+11.7%) | $2,632 | $1,761 | $66,240 |
| 3 bedrooms | $2,293 | $2,062 | +$231 (+11.2%) | $3,457 | $2,266 | $91,720 |
| 4 bedrooms | $2,768 | $2,488 | +$280 (+11.3%) | $3,986 | $2,607 | $110,720 |
How Kern County compares
- HUD sets this rent for the Bakersfield-Delano, CA metro FMR area, which covers 915,075 residents in 1 county.
- Across California, 2-bedroom FMRs run from $1,084 (Modoc County) to $4,254 (Santa Cruz County).
- Studio to 4-bedroom: $1,265, $1,273, $1,656, $2,293, $2,768. HUD derives the other sizes from the 2-bedroom figure with fixed ratios, adjusted where local data warrant.
- HUD also publishes ZIP-level Small Area FMRs. For the 47 ZIP codes mostly in Kern County (by land area), the 2-bedroom figure ranges from $1,340 to $2,480.
Small Area FMRs by ZIP code in Kern County
| ZIP | Studio | 1BR | 2BR | 3BR | 4BR | 2BR vs FY 2026 | 2BR vs area FMR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 93203 | $1,140 | $1,150 | $1,490 | $2,060 | $2,490 | +$140 (+10.4%) | 10% below |
| 93205 | $1,020 | $1,030 | $1,340 | $1,860 | $2,240 | +$90 (+7.2%) | 19% below |
| 93206 | $1,090 | $1,100 | $1,430 | $1,980 | $2,390 | +$150 (+11.7%) | 14% below |
| 93215 | $1,150 | $1,160 | $1,510 | $2,090 | $2,520 | +$160 (+11.9%) | 9% below |
| 93220 | $1,270 | $1,280 | $1,660 | $2,300 | $2,770 | +$180 (+12.2%) | about the same as |
| 93222 | $1,890 | $1,910 | $2,480 | $3,430 | $4,150 | +$430 (+21.0%) | 50% above |
| 93224 | $1,190 | $1,200 | $1,560 | $2,160 | $2,610 | +$20 (+1.3%) | 6% below |
| 93226 | $1,150 | $1,160 | $1,510 | $2,080 | $2,480 | +$20 (+1.3%) | 9% below |
| 93240 | $1,120 | $1,120 | $1,460 | $2,020 | $2,440 | +$140 (+10.6%) | 12% below |
| 93241 | $1,020 | $1,030 | $1,340 | $1,860 | $2,240 | +$90 (+7.2%) | 19% below |
| 93243 | $1,570 | $1,690 | $2,110 | $2,800 | $3,260 | +$40 (+1.9%) | 27% above |
| 93249 | $1,020 | $1,030 | $1,340 | $1,860 | $2,240 | +$90 (+7.2%) | 19% below |
| 93250 | $1,120 | $1,120 | $1,460 | $2,020 | $2,440 | +$120 (+9.0%) | 12% below |
| 93251 | $1,100 | $1,110 | $1,440 | $1,990 | $2,410 | +$190 (+15.2%) | 13% below |
| 93255 | $1,030 | $1,040 | $1,340 | $1,860 | $2,240 | +$90 (+7.2%) | 19% below |
| 93263 | $1,280 | $1,280 | $1,670 | $2,310 | $2,790 | +$180 (+12.1%) | 1% above |
| 93268 | $1,020 | $1,030 | $1,340 | $1,860 | $2,240 | +$90 (+7.2%) | 19% below |
| 93276 | $1,020 | $1,030 | $1,340 | $1,860 | $2,240 | +$90 (+7.2%) | 19% below |
| 93280 | $1,080 | $1,080 | $1,410 | $1,950 | $2,360 | +$160 (+12.8%) | 15% below |
| 93283 | $1,070 | $1,080 | $1,400 | $1,940 | $2,340 | +$150 (+12.0%) | 15% below |
| 93285 | $1,080 | $1,080 | $1,410 | $1,950 | $2,360 | +$90 (+6.8%) | 15% below |
| 93287 | $1,280 | $1,290 | $1,670 | $2,320 | $2,790 | +$190 (+12.8%) | 1% above |
| 93301 | $1,140 | $1,150 | $1,490 | $2,060 | $2,490 | +$160 (+12.0%) | 10% below |
| 93304 | $1,210 | $1,220 | $1,590 | $2,200 | $2,660 | +$160 (+11.2%) | 4% below |
| 93305 | $1,170 | $1,180 | $1,530 | $2,120 | $2,560 | +$180 (+13.3%) | 8% below |
| 93306 | $1,300 | $1,310 | $1,700 | $2,350 | $2,840 | +$180 (+11.8%) | 3% above |
| 93307 | $1,180 | $1,190 | $1,550 | $2,150 | $2,590 | +$160 (+11.5%) | 6% below |
| 93308 | $1,370 | $1,380 | $1,790 | $2,480 | $2,990 | +$210 (+13.3%) | 8% above |
| 93309 | $1,380 | $1,390 | $1,810 | $2,510 | $3,030 | +$190 (+11.7%) | 9% above |
| 93311 | $1,860 | $1,870 | $2,430 | $3,360 | $4,060 | +$290 (+13.6%) | 47% above |
| 93312 | $1,890 | $1,910 | $2,480 | $3,430 | $4,150 | +$260 (+11.7%) | 50% above |
| 93313 | $1,850 | $1,860 | $2,420 | $3,350 | $4,040 | +$200 (+9.0%) | 46% above |
| 93314 | $1,890 | $1,910 | $2,480 | $3,430 | $4,150 | +$260 (+11.7%) | 50% above |
| 93501 | $1,210 | $1,220 | $1,590 | $2,200 | $2,660 | +$200 (+14.4%) | 4% below |
| 93505 | $1,210 | $1,210 | $1,580 | $2,190 | $2,640 | +$280 (+21.5%) | 5% below |
| 93516 | $1,530 | $1,600 | $1,990 | $2,630 | $3,170 | −$90 (−4.3%) | 20% above |
| 93518 | $1,400 | $1,410 | $1,830 | $2,530 | $3,060 | +$130 (+7.6%) | 11% above |
| 93519 | $1,210 | $1,220 | $1,590 | $2,200 | $2,660 | +$200 (+14.4%) | 4% below |
| 93523 | $1,890 | $1,910 | $2,480 | $3,430 | $4,150 | +$260 (+11.7%) | 50% above |
| 93524 | $1,890 | $1,910 | $2,480 | $3,430 | $4,150 | +$260 (+11.7%) | 50% above |
| 93528 | $1,270 | $1,280 | $1,660 | $2,300 | $2,770 | +$180 (+12.2%) | about the same as |
| 93531 | $1,340 | $1,350 | $1,750 | $2,420 | $2,930 | +$150 (+9.4%) | 6% above |
| 93554 | $1,270 | $1,280 | $1,660 | $2,300 | $2,770 | +$180 (+12.2%) | about the same as |
| 93555 | $1,530 | $1,600 | $1,990 | $2,630 | $3,170 | −$90 (−4.3%) | 20% above |
| 93560 | $1,320 | $1,470 | $1,870 | $2,400 | $2,890 | −$200 (−9.7%) | 13% above |
| 93561 | $1,300 | $1,310 | $1,700 | $2,350 | $2,840 | +$170 (+11.1%) | 3% above |
| 93581 | $1,300 | $1,310 | $1,700 | $2,350 | $2,840 | +$170 (+11.1%) | 3% above |
Sources
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, HUD User Fair Market Rents: FY 2027 FMRs (file dated August 26, 2026) and FY 2026 FMRs (file dated April 21, 2026).
- HUD User Small Area Fair Market Rents: FY 2027 SAFMRs (file dated August 31, 2026) and FY 2026 SAFMRs (file dated April 21, 2026).
- ZIP-to-county assignment: Census Bureau 2020 ZCTA-to-county relationship file (file dated December 9, 2021), largest land-area overlap.
Fair Market Rents are HUD’s estimate of gross rent (rent plus utilities) for a modest unit, set at the 40th percentile of recent-mover rents. FY 2027 is HUD’s fiscal year beginning October 1, 2026. Housing authorities set voucher payment standards from these figures; check yours.