North Carolina · FIPS 37035 · HUD FY 2027
Catawba County, North Carolina Fair Market Rent
HUD’s FY 2027 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Catawba County is $1,147 a month (rent plus utilities), 20% below the North Carolina average of $1,441 and 35% below the U.S. average of $1,761. That is up $52 (4.7%) from FY 2026. At 30% of income, a household needs about $45,880 a year to afford it.
- $1,1472-bedroom FMR+$52 (+4.7%) vs FY 2026
- $9651-bedroom FMRNorth Carolina: $1,282 · U.S.: $1,478
- $45,880Income for a 2-bedroom$22/hour full-time
- 47 of 1002BR rank in North Carolina1 = highest rent
| Unit | Catawba County FY 2027 | FY 2026 | Change | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $961 | $858 | +$103 (+12.0%) | $1,215 | $1,379 | $38,440 |
| 1 bedroom | $965 | $908 | +$57 (+6.3%) | $1,282 | $1,478 | $38,600 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,147 | $1,095 | +$52 (+4.7%) | $1,441 | $1,761 | $45,880 |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,399 | $1,372 | +$27 (+2.0%) | $1,823 | $2,266 | $55,960 |
| 4 bedrooms | $1,707 | $1,660 | +$47 (+2.8%) | $2,256 | $2,607 | $68,280 |
How Catawba County compares
- HUD sets this rent for the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro FMR area, which covers 368,316 residents in 4 counties.
- Across North Carolina, 2-bedroom FMRs run from $1,012 (Wilkes County) to $1,866 (Buncombe County).
- Studio to 4-bedroom: $961, $965, $1,147, $1,399, $1,707. 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 9 ZIP codes mostly in Catawba County (by land area), the 2-bedroom figure ranges from $1,010 to $1,720.
Small Area FMRs by ZIP code in Catawba County
| ZIP | Studio | 1BR | 2BR | 3BR | 4BR | 2BR vs FY 2026 | 2BR vs area FMR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28601 | $1,110 | $1,110 | $1,320 | $1,610 | $1,960 | +$60 (+4.8%) | 15% above |
| 28602 | $1,050 | $1,050 | $1,250 | $1,520 | $1,860 | +$110 (+9.6%) | 9% above |
| 28609 | $1,270 | $1,280 | $1,520 | $1,850 | $2,260 | +$150 (+10.9%) | 33% above |
| 28610 | $980 | $980 | $1,170 | $1,430 | $1,740 | +$30 (+2.6%) | 2% above |
| 28613 | $950 | $950 | $1,130 | $1,380 | $1,680 | +$60 (+5.6%) | 1% below |
| 28650 | $860 | $870 | $1,010 | $1,330 | $1,560 | −$50 (−4.7%) | 12% below |
| 28658 | $1,060 | $1,060 | $1,260 | $1,540 | $1,870 | +$60 (+5.0%) | 10% above |
| 28673 | $1,360 | $1,360 | $1,620 | $1,980 | $2,410 | −$20 (−1.2%) | 41% above |
| 28682 | $1,440 | $1,450 | $1,720 | $2,100 | $2,560 | +$80 (+4.9%) | 50% 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.