North Carolina · FIPS 37187 · HUD FY 2027
Washington County, North Carolina Fair Market Rent
HUD’s FY 2027 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Washington 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 $87 (9.4%) from FY 2026. At 30% of income, a household needs about $40,480 a year to afford it.
- $1,0122-bedroom FMR+$87 (+9.4%) vs FY 2026
- $8171-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 | Washington County FY 2027 | FY 2026 | Change | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $811 | $739 | +$72 (+9.7%) | $1,215 | $1,379 | $32,440 |
| 1 bedroom | $817 | $744 | +$73 (+9.8%) | $1,282 | $1,478 | $32,680 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,012 | $925 | +$87 (+9.4%) | $1,441 | $1,761 | $40,480 |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,401 | $1,197 | +$204 (+17.0%) | $1,823 | $2,266 | $56,040 |
| 4 bedrooms | $1,691 | $1,391 | +$300 (+21.6%) | $2,256 | $2,607 | $67,640 |
How Washington County compares
- Washington 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: $811, $817, $1,012, $1,401, $1,691. 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 3 ZIP codes mostly in Washington County (by land area), the 2-bedroom figure ranges from $1,010 to $1,220.
Small Area FMRs by ZIP code in Washington County
| ZIP | Studio | 1BR | 2BR | 3BR | 4BR | 2BR vs FY 2026 | 2BR vs area FMR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27928 | $810 | $820 | $1,010 | $1,400 | $1,690 | +$50 (+5.2%) | about the same as |
| 27962 | $810 | $820 | $1,010 | $1,400 | $1,680 | +$80 (+8.6%) | about the same as |
| 27970 | $980 | $980 | $1,220 | $1,690 | $2,040 | +$50 (+4.3%) | 21% 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.