North Carolina · FIPS 37011 · HUD FY 2027
Avery County, North Carolina Fair Market Rent
HUD’s FY 2027 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Avery County is $1,012 a month (rent plus utilities), 30% below the North Carolina average of $1,441 and 43% below the U.S. average of $1,761. That is up $7 (0.7%) from FY 2026. At 30% of income, a household needs about $40,480 a year to afford it.
- $1,0122-bedroom FMR+$7 (+0.7%) vs FY 2026
- $7741-bedroom FMRNorth Carolina: $1,282 · U.S.: $1,478
- $40,480Income for a 2-bedroom$19/hour full-time
- 66 of 1002BR rank in North Carolina1 = highest rent
| Unit | Avery County FY 2027 | FY 2026 | Change | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $769 | $761 | +$8 (+1.1%) | $1,215 | $1,379 | $30,760 |
| 1 bedroom | $774 | $766 | +$8 (+1.0%) | $1,282 | $1,478 | $30,960 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,012 | $1,005 | +$7 (+0.7%) | $1,441 | $1,761 | $40,480 |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,346 | $1,205 | +$141 (+11.7%) | $1,823 | $2,266 | $53,840 |
| 4 bedrooms | $1,531 | $1,510 | +$21 (+1.4%) | $2,256 | $2,607 | $61,240 |
How Avery County compares
- Avery County is a non-metro county, so HUD sets one Fair Market Rent for the whole county.
- Across North Carolina, 2-bedroom FMRs run from $1,012 (Wilkes County) to $1,866 (Buncombe County).
- Studio to 4-bedroom: $769, $774, $1,012, $1,346, $1,531. 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 Avery County (by land area), the 2-bedroom figure ranges from $1,010 to $1,170.
Small Area FMRs by ZIP code in Avery County
| ZIP | Studio | 1BR | 2BR | 3BR | 4BR | 2BR vs FY 2026 | 2BR vs area FMR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28616 | $770 | $780 | $1,010 | $1,340 | $1,530 | +$60 (+6.3%) | about the same as |
| 28622 | $890 | $890 | $1,170 | $1,560 | $1,780 | +$20 (+1.7%) | 16% above |
| 28646 | $820 | $900 | $1,120 | $1,480 | $1,760 | +$90 (+8.7%) | 11% above |
| 28652 | $770 | $780 | $1,010 | $1,340 | $1,530 | +$60 (+6.3%) | about the same as |
| 28653 | $770 | $780 | $1,010 | $1,340 | $1,530 | +$60 (+6.3%) | about the same as |
| 28657 | $780 | $820 | $1,010 | $1,340 | $1,530 | +$60 (+6.3%) | about the same as |
| 28662 | $770 | $780 | $1,010 | $1,340 | $1,530 | +$60 (+6.3%) | about the same as |
| 28664 | $770 | $780 | $1,010 | $1,340 | $1,530 | +$60 (+6.3%) | 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.