North Carolina · FIPS 37179 · HUD FY 2027
Union County, North Carolina Fair Market Rent
HUD’s FY 2027 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Union County is $1,785 a month (rent plus utilities), 24% above the North Carolina average of $1,441 and 1% above the U.S. average of $1,761. That is up $99 (5.9%) from FY 2026. At 30% of income, a household needs about $71,400 a year to afford it.
- $1,7852-bedroom FMR+$99 (+5.9%) vs FY 2026
- $1,6401-bedroom FMRNorth Carolina: $1,282 · U.S.: $1,478
- $71,400Income for a 2-bedroom$34/hour full-time
- 4 of 1002BR rank in North Carolina1 = highest rent
| Unit | Union County FY 2027 | FY 2026 | Change | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,574 | $1,469 | +$105 (+7.1%) | $1,215 | $1,379 | $62,960 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,640 | $1,538 | +$102 (+6.6%) | $1,282 | $1,478 | $65,600 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,785 | $1,686 | +$99 (+5.9%) | $1,441 | $1,761 | $71,400 |
| 3 bedrooms | $2,179 | $2,076 | +$103 (+5.0%) | $1,823 | $2,266 | $87,160 |
| 4 bedrooms | $2,773 | $2,637 | +$136 (+5.2%) | $2,256 | $2,607 | $110,920 |
How Union County compares
- HUD sets this rent for the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro FMR area, which covers 2,170,326 residents in 5 counties.
- Across North Carolina, 2-bedroom FMRs run from $1,012 (Wilkes County) to $1,866 (Buncombe County).
- Studio to 4-bedroom: $1,574, $1,640, $1,785, $2,179, $2,773. 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 Union County (by land area), the 2-bedroom figure ranges from $1,300 to $2,360.
Small Area FMRs by ZIP code in Union County
| ZIP | Studio | 1BR | 2BR | 3BR | 4BR | 2BR vs FY 2026 | 2BR vs area FMR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28079 | $2,080 | $2,170 | $2,360 | $2,880 | $3,670 | +$140 (+6.3%) | 32% above |
| 28103 | $1,150 | $1,190 | $1,300 | $1,590 | $2,020 | +$100 (+8.3%) | 27% below |
| 28104 | $1,900 | $1,980 | $2,150 | $2,620 | $3,340 | +$110 (+5.4%) | 20% above |
| 28108 | $1,740 | $1,810 | $1,970 | $2,410 | $3,060 | +$110 (+5.9%) | 10% above |
| 28110 | $1,430 | $1,490 | $1,620 | $1,980 | $2,520 | +$70 (+4.5%) | 9% below |
| 28112 | $1,200 | $1,250 | $1,360 | $1,660 | $2,110 | +$80 (+6.2%) | 24% below |
| 28173 | $1,860 | $1,940 | $2,110 | $2,580 | $3,280 | +$120 (+6.0%) | 18% above |
| 28174 | $1,170 | $1,220 | $1,330 | $1,620 | $2,070 | +$80 (+6.4%) | 25% below |
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.