Minnesota · FIPS 27131 · HUD FY 2027
Rice County, Minnesota Fair Market Rent
HUD’s FY 2027 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Rice County is $1,226 a month (rent plus utilities), 19% below the Minnesota average of $1,507 and 30% below the U.S. average of $1,761. That is up $39 (3.3%) from FY 2026. At 30% of income, a household needs about $49,040 a year to afford it.
- $1,2262-bedroom FMR+$39 (+3.3%) vs FY 2026
- $9371-bedroom FMRMinnesota: $1,231 · U.S.: $1,478
- $49,040Income for a 2-bedroom$24/hour full-time
- 22 of 872BR rank in Minnesota1 = highest rent
| Unit | Rice County FY 2027 | FY 2026 | Change | Minnesota avg | U.S. avg | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $931 | $899 | +$32 (+3.6%) | $1,102 | $1,379 | $37,240 |
| 1 bedroom | $937 | $905 | +$32 (+3.5%) | $1,231 | $1,478 | $37,480 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,226 | $1,187 | +$39 (+3.3%) | $1,507 | $1,761 | $49,040 |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,621 | $1,534 | +$87 (+5.7%) | $1,980 | $2,266 | $64,840 |
| 4 bedrooms | $2,049 | $1,991 | +$58 (+2.9%) | $2,243 | $2,607 | $81,960 |
How Rice County compares
- Rice County is a non-metro county, so HUD sets one Fair Market Rent for the whole county.
- Across Minnesota, 2-bedroom FMRs run from $1,014 (Yellow Medicine County) to $1,734 (Anoka County).
- Studio to 4-bedroom: $931, $937, $1,226, $1,621, $2,049. 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 8 ZIP codes mostly in Rice County (by land area), the 2-bedroom figure ranges from $1,240 to $1,760.
Small Area FMRs by ZIP code in Rice County
| ZIP | Studio | 1BR | 2BR | 3BR | 4BR | 2BR vs FY 2026 | 2BR vs area FMR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55019 | $1,340 | $1,350 | $1,760 | $2,330 | $2,940 | +$190 (+12.1%) | 44% above |
| 55021 | $940 | $950 | $1,240 | $1,640 | $2,070 | +$30 (+2.5%) | 1% above |
| 55046 | $1,070 | $1,080 | $1,410 | $1,840 | $2,360 | −$150 (−9.6%) | 15% above |
| 55052 | $980 | $990 | $1,290 | $1,710 | $2,150 | +$80 (+6.6%) | 5% above |
| 55053 | $1,180 | $1,220 | $1,580 | $2,100 | $2,640 | −$20 (−1.2%) | 29% above |
| 55057 | $1,120 | $1,270 | $1,540 | $2,040 | $2,280 | +$20 (+1.3%) | 26% above |
| 55087 | $970 | $980 | $1,280 | $1,700 | $2,140 | +$70 (+5.8%) | 4% above |
| 55088 | $1,120 | $1,270 | $1,540 | $2,040 | $2,280 | no change | 26% 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.