Iowa · FIPS 19089 · HUD FY 2027
Howard County, Iowa Fair Market Rent
HUD’s FY 2027 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Howard County is $927 a month (rent plus utilities), 17% below the Iowa average of $1,113 and 47% below the U.S. average of $1,761. That is up $8 (0.9%) from FY 2026. At 30% of income, a household needs about $37,080 a year to afford it.
- $9272-bedroom FMR+$8 (+0.9%) vs FY 2026
- $8521-bedroom FMRIowa: $902 · U.S.: $1,478
- $37,080Income for a 2-bedroom$18/hour full-time
- 50 of 992BR rank in Iowa1 = highest rent
| Unit | Howard County FY 2027 | FY 2026 | Change | Iowa avg | U.S. avg | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $688 | $682 | +$6 (+0.9%) | $846 | $1,379 | $27,520 |
| 1 bedroom | $852 | $838 | +$14 (+1.7%) | $902 | $1,478 | $34,080 |
| 2 bedrooms | $927 | $919 | +$8 (+0.9%) | $1,113 | $1,761 | $37,080 |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,284 | $1,278 | +$6 (+0.5%) | $1,475 | $2,266 | $51,360 |
| 4 bedrooms | $1,523 | $1,476 | +$47 (+3.2%) | $1,649 | $2,607 | $60,920 |
How Howard County compares
- Howard County is a non-metro county, so HUD sets one Fair Market Rent for the whole county.
- Across Iowa, 2-bedroom FMRs run from $927 (Worth County) to $1,450 (Harrison County).
- Studio to 4-bedroom: $688, $852, $927, $1,284, $1,523. 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 6 ZIP codes mostly in Howard County (by land area), the 2-bedroom figure ranges from $930 to $1,300.
Small Area FMRs by ZIP code in Howard County
| ZIP | Studio | 1BR | 2BR | 3BR | 4BR | 2BR vs FY 2026 | 2BR vs area FMR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50466 | $970 | $1,160 | $1,300 | $1,740 | $1,930 | +$180 (+16.1%) | 40% above |
| 50628 | $690 | $850 | $930 | $1,280 | $1,510 | +$10 (+1.1%) | about the same as |
| 52134 | $780 | $920 | $1,070 | $1,440 | $1,590 | +$70 (+7.0%) | 15% above |
| 52136 | $720 | $880 | $970 | $1,340 | $1,580 | −$30 (−3.0%) | 5% above |
| 52155 | $690 | $850 | $930 | $1,280 | $1,520 | +$10 (+1.1%) | about the same as |
| 52163 | $690 | $850 | $930 | $1,280 | $1,520 | +$10 (+1.1%) | about the same as |
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.