Texas · FIPS 48061 · HUD FY 2027
Cameron County, Texas Fair Market Rent
HUD’s FY 2027 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Cameron County is $1,042 a month (rent plus utilities), 30% below the Texas average of $1,488 and 41% below the U.S. average of $1,761. That is down $5 (0.5%) from FY 2026. At 30% of income, a household needs about $41,680 a year to afford it.
- $1,0422-bedroom FMR−$5 (−0.5%) vs FY 2026
- $8841-bedroom FMRTexas: $1,247 · U.S.: $1,478
- $41,680Income for a 2-bedroom$20/hour full-time
- 183 of 2542BR rank in Texas1 = highest rent
| Unit | Cameron County FY 2027 | FY 2026 | Change | Texas avg | U.S. avg | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $827 | $773 | +$54 (+7.0%) | $1,192 | $1,379 | $33,080 |
| 1 bedroom | $884 | $866 | +$18 (+2.1%) | $1,247 | $1,478 | $35,360 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,042 | $1,047 | −$5 (−0.5%) | $1,488 | $1,761 | $41,680 |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,393 | $1,414 | −$21 (−1.5%) | $1,939 | $2,266 | $55,720 |
| 4 bedrooms | $1,496 | $1,479 | +$17 (+1.1%) | $2,341 | $2,607 | $59,840 |
How Cameron County compares
- HUD sets this rent for the Brownsville-Harlingen, TX metro FMR area, which covers 426,120 residents in 1 county.
- Across Texas, 2-bedroom FMRs run from $1,014 (Zavala County) to $1,817 (Bastrop County).
- Studio to 4-bedroom: $827, $884, $1,042, $1,393, $1,496. 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 16 ZIP codes mostly in Cameron County (by land area), the 2-bedroom figure ranges from $1,010 to $1,490.
Small Area FMRs by ZIP code in Cameron County
| ZIP | Studio | 1BR | 2BR | 3BR | 4BR | 2BR vs FY 2026 | 2BR vs area FMR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78520 | $830 | $890 | $1,050 | $1,400 | $1,510 | no change | 1% above |
| 78521 | $830 | $890 | $1,050 | $1,400 | $1,510 | no change | 1% above |
| 78526 | $980 | $1,040 | $1,230 | $1,640 | $1,770 | −$10 (−0.8%) | 18% above |
| 78535 | $930 | $1,000 | $1,170 | $1,570 | $1,680 | +$20 (+1.7%) | 12% above |
| 78550 | $840 | $900 | $1,060 | $1,420 | $1,520 | −$10 (−0.9%) | 2% above |
| 78552 | $970 | $1,040 | $1,220 | $1,630 | $1,750 | +$30 (+2.5%) | 17% above |
| 78559 | $900 | $970 | $1,140 | $1,520 | $1,640 | −$10 (−0.9%) | 9% above |
| 78566 | $800 | $860 | $1,010 | $1,370 | $1,470 | +$10 (+1.0%) | 3% below |
| 78567 | $800 | $860 | $1,010 | $1,370 | $1,470 | +$20 (+2.0%) | 3% below |
| 78575 | $970 | $1,040 | $1,220 | $1,630 | $1,750 | −$30 (−2.4%) | 17% above |
| 78578 | $800 | $860 | $1,010 | $1,370 | $1,470 | +$40 (+4.1%) | 3% below |
| 78583 | $800 | $860 | $1,010 | $1,370 | $1,470 | −$40 (−3.8%) | 3% below |
| 78586 | $800 | $860 | $1,010 | $1,370 | $1,470 | +$20 (+2.0%) | 3% below |
| 78592 | $850 | $910 | $1,080 | $1,440 | $1,550 | +$10 (+0.9%) | 4% above |
| 78593 | $810 | $870 | $1,020 | $1,360 | $1,460 | +$30 (+3.0%) | 2% below |
| 78597 | $1,180 | $1,260 | $1,490 | $1,990 | $2,140 | −$60 (−3.9%) | 43% 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.