North Carolina · FIPS 37189 · HUD FY 2027
Watauga County, North Carolina Fair Market Rent
HUD’s FY 2027 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Watauga County is $1,311 a month (rent plus utilities), 9% below the North Carolina average of $1,441 and 26% below the U.S. average of $1,761. That is up $134 (11.4%) from FY 2026. At 30% of income, a household needs about $52,440 a year to afford it.
- $1,3112-bedroom FMR+$134 (+11.4%) vs FY 2026
- $1,1241-bedroom FMRNorth Carolina: $1,282 · U.S.: $1,478
- $52,440Income for a 2-bedroom$25/hour full-time
- 30 of 1002BR rank in North Carolina1 = highest rent
| Unit | Watauga County FY 2027 | FY 2026 | Change | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $916 | $822 | +$94 (+11.4%) | $1,215 | $1,379 | $36,640 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,124 | $988 | +$136 (+13.8%) | $1,282 | $1,478 | $44,960 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,311 | $1,177 | +$134 (+11.4%) | $1,441 | $1,761 | $52,440 |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,737 | $1,504 | +$233 (+15.5%) | $1,823 | $2,266 | $69,480 |
| 4 bedrooms | $2,191 | $1,974 | +$217 (+11.0%) | $2,256 | $2,607 | $87,640 |
How Watauga County compares
- Watauga 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: $916, $1,124, $1,311, $1,737, $2,191. 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 7 ZIP codes mostly in Watauga County (by land area), the 2-bedroom figure ranges from $1,060 to $1,340.
Small Area FMRs by ZIP code in Watauga County
| ZIP | Studio | 1BR | 2BR | 3BR | 4BR | 2BR vs FY 2026 | 2BR vs area FMR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28604 | $850 | $940 | $1,170 | $1,550 | $1,850 | +$20 (+1.7%) | 11% below |
| 28605 | $930 | $1,140 | $1,330 | $1,760 | $2,220 | +$130 (+10.8%) | 1% above |
| 28607 | $940 | $1,150 | $1,340 | $1,780 | $2,240 | +$50 (+3.9%) | 2% above |
| 28618 | $930 | $1,130 | $1,320 | $1,740 | $2,190 | +$170 (+14.8%) | 1% above |
| 28679 | $870 | $1,050 | $1,230 | $1,630 | $2,040 | +$20 (+1.7%) | 6% below |
| 28692 | $840 | $1,030 | $1,200 | $1,590 | $2,010 | +$50 (+4.3%) | 8% below |
| 28698 | $740 | $890 | $1,060 | $1,360 | $1,780 | −$90 (−7.8%) | 19% 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.