North Dakota · FIPS 38057 · HUD FY 2027
Mercer County, North Dakota Fair Market Rent
HUD’s FY 2027 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Mercer County is $1,290 a month (rent plus utilities), 17% above the North Dakota average of $1,102 and 27% below the U.S. average of $1,761. That is up $134 (11.6%) from FY 2026. At 30% of income, a household needs about $51,600 a year to afford it.
- $1,2902-bedroom FMR+$134 (+11.6%) vs FY 2026
- $9861-bedroom FMRNorth Dakota: $911 · U.S.: $1,478
- $51,600Income for a 2-bedroom$25/hour full-time
- 5 of 532BR rank in North Dakota1 = highest rent
| Unit | Mercer County FY 2027 | FY 2026 | Change | North Dakota avg | U.S. avg | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $980 | $875 | +$105 (+12.0%) | $847 | $1,379 | $39,200 |
| 1 bedroom | $986 | $881 | +$105 (+11.9%) | $911 | $1,478 | $39,440 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,290 | $1,156 | +$134 (+11.6%) | $1,102 | $1,761 | $51,600 |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,689 | $1,386 | +$303 (+21.9%) | $1,502 | $2,266 | $67,560 |
| 4 bedrooms | $1,695 | $1,531 | +$164 (+10.7%) | $1,789 | $2,607 | $67,800 |
How Mercer County compares
- Mercer County is a non-metro county, so HUD sets one Fair Market Rent for the whole county.
- Across North Dakota, 2-bedroom FMRs run from $1,014 (Wells County) to $1,858 (Divide County).
- Studio to 4-bedroom: $980, $986, $1,290, $1,689, $1,695. 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 5 ZIP codes mostly in Mercer County (by land area), the 2-bedroom figure ranges from $1,090 to $1,380.
Small Area FMRs by ZIP code in Mercer County
| ZIP | Studio | 1BR | 2BR | 3BR | 4BR | 2BR vs FY 2026 | 2BR vs area FMR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 58523 | $1,050 | $1,050 | $1,380 | $1,800 | $1,820 | +$220 (+19.0%) | 7% above |
| 58541 | $920 | $940 | $1,160 | $1,520 | $1,730 | +$130 (+12.6%) | 10% below |
| 58545 | $920 | $930 | $1,200 | $1,580 | $1,700 | +$20 (+1.7%) | 7% below |
| 58571 | $880 | $930 | $1,090 | $1,480 | $1,700 | +$60 (+5.8%) | 16% below |
| 58580 | $990 | $1,000 | $1,310 | $1,720 | $1,720 | +$270 (+26.0%) | 2% 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.