Lowndes County, AL: Fair Market Rent 2027 and Income Limits

Official HUD figures for landlords and renters, effective October 1, 2026 (rents) and May 1, 2026 (income limits).

$1,1502-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$1,0031-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$71,05080% income limit, family of 4 (FY2026)

$88,800Median family income (FY2026)

The FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit in Lowndes County is $1,150 a month, up 13.2% from $1,016 in FY2026. Lowndes County belongs to the Montgomery, AL MSA FMR area, so the same figures apply across that area. FMRs are gross rents: rent plus all tenant-paid utilities except phone, cable and internet.

Fair market rent in Lowndes County by bedroom count

Unit size	FY2027 FMR	FY2026 FMR	Change	Payment standard range (90–110%)
Studio	$986	$860	+14.7%	$888 – $1,084
1 bedroom	$1,003	$870	+15.3%	$903 – $1,103
2 bedrooms	$1,150	$1,016	+13.2%	$1,035 – $1,265
3 bedrooms	$1,476	$1,304	+13.2%	$1,329 – $1,623
4 bedrooms	$1,708	$1,537	+11.1%	$1,538 – $1,878

Source: HUD Fair Market Rents FY2027 (effective October 1, 2026) and FY2026 (revised file), details.

What can a landlord charge a Section 8 tenant here?

The FMR is not a cap on what you can ask on the open market. For a Housing Choice Voucher tenant, the local housing authority sets a payment standard, normally between 90% and 110% of the FMR (or of the ZIP-level Small Area FMR where those apply). For a two-bedroom unit in Lowndes County that is typically $1,035 to $1,265 including utilities. You can charge more than the payment standard if the rent passes the housing authority's rent-reasonableness test and, at move-in, the tenant's share stays within 40% of their adjusted monthly income. Ask the housing authority for its current payment standard schedule.

Can local renters afford the fair market rent?

$20,114median income of renter households

$710Median gross rent, all units

42%Rent-to-income ratio (median rent ÷ median renter income)

54%of renter households pay 30% or more of income on rent

At the 30% rule, a renter household earning the local median of $20,114 can afford about $503 a month including utilities. The FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,150 is $647 (128.7%) more than that. To rent a two-bedroom at the FMR, a household needs $46,000 a year under the 30% rule, or $41,400 under the common landlord rule that income must be three times the rent.

Lowndes County, ACS 2020–2024	Estimate ± MOE
Median gross rent (rent + utilities)	$710 ±$160
Median income of renter households	$20,114 ±$7,786
Renters paying 30% or more of income (cost-burdened)	53.8% ±6.0
Renters paying 50% or more (severely cost-burdened)	27.1% ±10.7
Renter households (where the share can be computed)	613

Change since 2015–2019

	ACS 2015–2019	ACS 2020–2024	Change
Median gross rent	$586	$710	+21.2%
Median renter household income	$14,650	$20,114	+37.3%
Renters paying 30%+ of income	73.1%	53.8%	−19.3 pts

Rent-to-income calculator: does an applicant qualify? → · Most affordable counties to rent in this state →

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates 2020–2024 and 2015–2019 (tables B25064, B25119, B25070). ± = margin of error at 90% confidence. Dollar figures are not adjusted for inflation.

Small Area FMRs by ZIP code (FY2027)

In metro areas HUD also publishes ZIP-level Small Area Fair Market Rents. Housing authorities in designated areas must use them for voucher payment standards; others may opt in. Here the two-bedroom SAFMR ranges from $920 to $1,730 depending on the ZIP code.

All 66 ZIP codes in this FMR area

ZIP	0 BR	1 BR	2 BR	3 BR	4 BR
35010	$740	$740	$970	$1,190	$1,540
35136	$720	$740	$920	$1,280	$1,370
36003	$1,150	$1,170	$1,340	$1,720	$1,990
36006	$860	$870	$1,070	$1,360	$1,620
36008	$1,150	$1,170	$1,340	$1,720	$1,990
36013	$1,270	$1,300	$1,530	$1,950	$2,280
36020	$880	$900	$1,030	$1,320	$1,530
36022	$920	$930	$1,070	$1,370	$1,590
36024	$790	$800	$920	$1,180	$1,370
36025	$1,020	$1,040	$1,190	$1,530	$1,770
36026	$790	$810	$980	$1,260	$1,480
36029	$770	$850	$1,000	$1,220	$1,480
36032	$780	$800	$920	$1,180	$1,360
36036	$910	$920	$1,120	$1,390	$1,580
36040	$790	$800	$920	$1,180	$1,370
36041	$730	$730	$950	$1,140	$1,290
36043	$930	$940	$1,080	$1,390	$1,600
36046	$850	$870	$1,030	$1,300	$1,490
36047	$820	$840	$960	$1,240	$1,430
36051	$950	$970	$1,130	$1,450	$1,700
36052	$1,110	$1,130	$1,300	$1,660	$1,920
36054	$970	$990	$1,130	$1,450	$1,680
36057	$1,110	$1,130	$1,290	$1,660	$1,920
36064	$1,400	$1,420	$1,630	$2,090	$2,420
36066	$1,210	$1,230	$1,410	$1,810	$2,090
36067	$960	$980	$1,120	$1,440	$1,660
36068	$1,150	$1,170	$1,340	$1,720	$1,990
36069	$820	$840	$980	$1,240	$1,440
36078	$840	$850	$1,020	$1,290	$1,560
36080	$990	$1,000	$1,150	$1,480	$1,710
36091	$710	$710	$920	$1,160	$1,450
36092	$930	$950	$1,090	$1,400	$1,620
36093	$850	$860	$990	$1,270	$1,520
36101	$800	$810	$930	$1,190	$1,380
36102	$980	$990	$1,140	$1,460	$1,690
36103	$980	$990	$1,140	$1,460	$1,690
36104	$790	$800	$920	$1,180	$1,370
36105	$870	$880	$1,010	$1,300	$1,500
36106	$1,050	$1,060	$1,220	$1,570	$1,810
36107	$830	$850	$970	$1,250	$1,440
36108	$790	$800	$920	$1,180	$1,370
36109	$1,010	$1,030	$1,180	$1,510	$1,750
36110	$910	$920	$1,060	$1,360	$1,570
36111	$960	$980	$1,120	$1,440	$1,660
36112	$1,030	$1,050	$1,200	$1,540	$1,860
36113	$1,480	$1,510	$1,730	$2,220	$2,570
36114	$980	$990	$1,140	$1,460	$1,690
36115	$1,300	$1,330	$1,520	$1,950	$2,260
36116	$980	$990	$1,140	$1,460	$1,690
36117	$1,110	$1,130	$1,290	$1,660	$1,920
36119	$980	$990	$1,140	$1,460	$1,690
36120	$980	$990	$1,140	$1,460	$1,690
36121	$980	$990	$1,140	$1,460	$1,690
36123	$980	$990	$1,140	$1,460	$1,690
36124	$980	$990	$1,140	$1,460	$1,690
36125	$980	$990	$1,140	$1,460	$1,690
36130	$980	$990	$1,140	$1,460	$1,690
36131	$980	$990	$1,140	$1,460	$1,690
36701	$750	$750	$980	$1,350	$1,360
36703	$700	$710	$920	$1,270	$1,290
36749	$710	$710	$920	$1,260	$1,290
36752	$820	$830	$960	$1,240	$1,420
36758	$720	$720	$930	$1,250	$1,330
36761	$760	$830	$950	$1,260	$1,400
36775	$830	$860	$1,110	$1,460	$1,490
36785	$750	$750	$930	$1,250	$1,330

Source: HUD FY2027 Small Area FMRs (effective October 1, 2026).

HUD income limits for Lowndes County (FY2026)

Income limits decide who qualifies for Section 8 vouchers, public housing and most HUD-assisted units. The area median family income is $88,800 (FY2025: $83,600, +6.2%). Small figures under each limit show the change from FY2025.

Household size	1 person	2 people	3 people	4 people	5 people	6 people	7 people	8 people
Extremely low income (30%)	$18,700 +6.3%	$21,640 +2.3%	$27,320 +2.5%	$33,000 +2.6%	$38,680 +2.7%	$44,360 +2.8%	$50,040 +2.9%	$55,720 +2.9%
Very low income (50%)	$31,100 +6.1%	$35,550 +6.3%	$40,000 +6.2%	$44,400 +6.2%	$48,000 +6.3%	$51,550 +6.3%	$55,100 +6.3%	$58,650 +6.3%
Low income (80%)	$49,750 +6.2%	$56,850 +6.2%	$63,950 +6.1%	$71,050 +6.2%	$76,750 +6.2%	$82,450 +6.2%	$88,150 +6.2%	$93,800 +6.2%

The 30% limit is HUD's “extremely low income” limit: the higher of 30% of median income or the federal poverty guideline, but never above the 50% limit. That is why it can rise faster than 30% of median for larger households. Tax-credit (LIHTC) properties use separate Multifamily Tax Subsidy Project limits.

Source: HUD Section 8 Income Limits FY2026 (effective May 1, 2026) and FY2025, details.