North Carolina · FIPS 37183 · HUD FY 2027
Wake County, North Carolina Fair Market Rent
HUD’s FY 2027 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Wake County is $1,689 a month (rent plus utilities), 17% above the North Carolina average of $1,441 and 4% below the U.S. average of $1,761. That is down $61 (3.5%) from FY 2026. At 30% of income, a household needs about $67,560 a year to afford it.
- $1,6892-bedroom FMR−$61 (−3.5%) vs FY 2026
- $1,5521-bedroom FMRNorth Carolina: $1,282 · U.S.: $1,478
- $67,560Income for a 2-bedroom$32/hour full-time
- 12 of 1002BR rank in North Carolina1 = highest rent
| Unit | Wake County FY 2027 | FY 2026 | Change | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,489 | $1,524 | −$35 (−2.3%) | $1,215 | $1,379 | $59,560 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,552 | $1,596 | −$44 (−2.8%) | $1,282 | $1,478 | $62,080 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,689 | $1,750 | −$61 (−3.5%) | $1,441 | $1,761 | $67,560 |
| 3 bedrooms | $2,103 | $2,196 | −$93 (−4.2%) | $1,823 | $2,266 | $84,120 |
| 4 bedrooms | $2,823 | $2,936 | −$113 (−3.8%) | $2,256 | $2,607 | $112,920 |
How Wake County compares
- HUD sets this rent for the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro FMR area, which covers 1,487,302 residents in 3 counties.
- Across North Carolina, 2-bedroom FMRs run from $1,012 (Wilkes County) to $1,866 (Buncombe County).
- Studio to 4-bedroom: $1,489, $1,552, $1,689, $2,103, $2,823. 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 32 ZIP codes mostly in Wake County (by land area), the 2-bedroom figure ranges from $1,220 to $2,140.
Small Area FMRs by ZIP code in Wake County
| ZIP | Studio | 1BR | 2BR | 3BR | 4BR | 2BR vs FY 2026 | 2BR vs area FMR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27502 | $1,820 | $1,890 | $2,060 | $2,570 | $3,440 | −$80 (−3.7%) | 22% above |
| 27511 | $1,420 | $1,480 | $1,610 | $2,000 | $2,690 | −$10 (−0.6%) | 5% below |
| 27513 | $1,620 | $1,690 | $1,840 | $2,290 | $3,080 | −$80 (−4.2%) | 9% above |
| 27518 | $1,590 | $1,650 | $1,800 | $2,240 | $3,010 | −$100 (−5.3%) | 7% above |
| 27519 | $1,880 | $1,960 | $2,140 | $2,660 | $3,550 | −$100 (−4.5%) | 27% above |
| 27529 | $1,390 | $1,450 | $1,580 | $1,970 | $2,640 | −$80 (−4.8%) | 6% below |
| 27539 | $1,750 | $1,830 | $1,990 | $2,480 | $3,330 | −$50 (−2.5%) | 18% above |
| 27540 | $1,820 | $1,890 | $2,060 | $2,570 | $3,450 | −$50 (−2.4%) | 22% above |
| 27545 | $1,570 | $1,640 | $1,780 | $2,220 | $2,980 | −$10 (−0.6%) | 5% above |
| 27560 | $1,860 | $1,940 | $2,120 | $2,640 | $3,460 | −$110 (−4.9%) | 26% above |
| 27571 | $1,470 | $1,540 | $1,670 | $2,080 | $2,780 | −$80 (−4.6%) | 1% below |
| 27587 | $1,470 | $1,540 | $1,670 | $2,080 | $2,780 | −$80 (−4.6%) | 1% below |
| 27591 | $1,270 | $1,320 | $1,440 | $1,790 | $2,410 | −$50 (−3.4%) | 15% below |
| 27592 | $1,060 | $1,080 | $1,220 | $1,500 | $1,980 | −$130 (−9.6%) | 28% below |
| 27597 | $1,060 | $1,080 | $1,220 | $1,500 | $1,980 | −$130 (−9.6%) | 28% below |
| 27601 | $1,540 | $1,610 | $1,750 | $2,180 | $2,930 | −$90 (−4.9%) | 4% above |
| 27603 | $1,410 | $1,470 | $1,600 | $1,990 | $2,670 | −$70 (−4.2%) | 5% below |
| 27604 | $1,430 | $1,490 | $1,620 | $2,020 | $2,710 | −$100 (−5.8%) | 4% below |
| 27605 | $1,610 | $1,680 | $1,830 | $2,280 | $3,060 | −$100 (−5.2%) | 8% above |
| 27606 | $1,460 | $1,520 | $1,660 | $2,070 | $2,770 | −$90 (−5.1%) | 2% below |
| 27607 | $1,530 | $1,590 | $1,730 | $2,150 | $2,890 | −$50 (−2.8%) | 2% above |
| 27608 | $1,590 | $1,650 | $1,800 | $2,240 | $3,010 | +$40 (+2.3%) | 7% above |
| 27609 | $1,530 | $1,590 | $1,730 | $2,150 | $2,890 | −$90 (−4.9%) | 2% above |
| 27610 | $1,250 | $1,300 | $1,420 | $1,770 | $2,370 | −$120 (−7.8%) | 16% below |
| 27612 | $1,720 | $1,790 | $1,950 | $2,430 | $3,260 | −$110 (−5.3%) | 15% above |
| 27613 | $1,490 | $1,550 | $1,690 | $2,110 | $2,820 | −$50 (−2.9%) | about the same as |
| 27614 | $1,540 | $1,610 | $1,750 | $2,180 | $2,930 | −$110 (−5.9%) | 4% above |
| 27615 | $1,660 | $1,730 | $1,880 | $2,340 | $3,140 | −$90 (−4.6%) | 11% above |
| 27616 | $1,530 | $1,600 | $1,740 | $2,170 | $2,910 | −$80 (−4.4%) | 3% above |
| 27617 | $1,680 | $1,750 | $1,910 | $2,370 | $3,170 | −$100 (−5.0%) | 13% above |
| 27695 | $1,530 | $1,590 | $1,730 | $2,150 | $2,890 | −$50 (−2.8%) | 2% above |
| 27697 | $1,530 | $1,600 | $1,740 | $2,170 | $2,910 | −$70 (−3.9%) | 3% 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.