Contra Costa County, CA: 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).

$2,8052-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$2,2901-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$135,75080% income limit, family of 4 (FY2026)

$162,800Median family income (FY2026)

The FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit in Contra Costa County is $2,805 a month, down 3.7% from $2,912 in FY2026. Contra Costa County belongs to the Oakland-Fremont, CA HUD Metro FMR Area 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 Contra Costa County by bedroom count

Unit size	FY2027 FMR	FY2026 FMR	Change	Payment standard range (90–110%)
Studio	$2,088	$2,142	−2.5%	$1,880 – $2,296
1 bedroom	$2,290	$2,385	−4.0%	$2,061 – $2,519
2 bedrooms	$2,805	$2,912	−3.7%	$2,525 – $3,085
3 bedrooms	$3,592	$3,724	−3.5%	$3,233 – $3,951
4 bedrooms	$4,250	$4,413	−3.7%	$3,825 – $4,675

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 Contra Costa County that is typically $2,525 to $3,085 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.

California has a statewide cap on rent increases. 5% plus regional inflation, never more than 10% in 12 months. For increases from Aug 1, 2026: 8.1% to 8.8% depending on the county. Calculate the maximum increase for California →

Can local renters afford the fair market rent?

$81,336median income of renter households

$2,375Median gross rent, all units

35%Rent-to-income ratio (median rent ÷ median renter income)

56%of renter households pay 30% or more of income on rent

At the 30% rule, a renter household earning the local median of $81,336 can afford about $2,033 a month including utilities. The FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $2,805 is $772 (37.9%) more than that. To rent a two-bedroom at the FMR, a household needs $112,200 a year under the 30% rule, or $100,980 under the common landlord rule that income must be three times the rent.

Contra Costa County, ACS 2020–2024	Estimate ± MOE
Median gross rent (rent + utilities)	$2,375 ±$22
Median income of renter households	$81,336 ±$2,108
Renters paying 30% or more of income (cost-burdened)	56.1% ±1.6
Renters paying 50% or more (severely cost-burdened)	28.1% ±1.1
Renter households (where the share can be computed)	126,137

Change since 2015–2019

	ACS 2015–2019	ACS 2020–2024	Change
Median gross rent	$1,819	$2,375	+30.6%
Median renter household income	$65,583	$81,336	+24.0%
Renters paying 30%+ of income	52.3%	56.1%	+3.8 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 $2,270 to $3,830 depending on the ZIP code.

All 115 ZIP codes in this FMR area

ZIP	0 BR	1 BR	2 BR	3 BR	4 BR
94501	$2,270	$2,490	$3,050	$3,910	$4,620
94502	$2,210	$2,520	$3,060	$3,900	$4,640
94505	$2,590	$2,840	$3,480	$4,460	$5,270
94506	$2,690	$2,950	$3,610	$4,620	$5,470
94507	$2,510	$2,750	$3,370	$4,310	$5,100
94509	$1,930	$2,150	$2,630	$3,360	$3,980
94511	$1,930	$2,150	$2,630	$3,360	$3,980
94513	$2,290	$2,510	$3,070	$3,930	$4,650
94514	$2,200	$2,420	$2,960	$3,790	$4,480
94516	$1,930	$2,150	$2,630	$3,360	$3,980
94517	$2,420	$2,680	$3,260	$4,170	$4,950
94518	$2,030	$2,230	$2,730	$3,500	$4,140
94519	$2,070	$2,270	$2,780	$3,560	$4,210
94520	$1,970	$2,160	$2,640	$3,380	$4,000
94521	$2,110	$2,310	$2,830	$3,620	$4,290
94522	$2,080	$2,280	$2,790	$3,570	$4,230
94523	$2,210	$2,420	$2,970	$3,800	$4,500
94524	$2,080	$2,280	$2,790	$3,570	$4,230
94525	$1,940	$2,150	$2,630	$3,360	$3,980
94526	$2,080	$2,350	$2,860	$3,650	$4,340
94528	$2,080	$2,280	$2,790	$3,570	$4,230
94530	$2,220	$2,430	$2,980	$3,820	$4,520
94531	$2,700	$2,960	$3,630	$4,650	$5,500
94536	$2,560	$2,810	$3,440	$4,410	$5,210
94537	$2,090	$2,290	$2,810	$3,600	$4,260
94538	$2,640	$2,890	$3,540	$4,530	$5,360
94539	$2,830	$3,100	$3,800	$4,870	$5,760
94540	$2,090	$2,290	$2,810	$3,600	$4,260
94541	$2,060	$2,260	$2,770	$3,550	$4,200
94542	$2,280	$2,500	$3,060	$3,920	$4,640
94543	$2,090	$2,290	$2,810	$3,600	$4,260
94544	$2,080	$2,290	$2,800	$3,590	$4,240
94545	$2,180	$2,390	$2,930	$3,750	$4,440
94546	$2,260	$2,480	$3,040	$3,890	$4,610
94547	$2,600	$2,850	$3,490	$4,470	$5,290
94548	$2,050	$2,240	$2,750	$3,510	$4,160
94549	$2,720	$2,980	$3,650	$4,670	$5,530
94550	$2,380	$2,610	$3,200	$4,100	$4,850
94551	$2,310	$2,530	$3,100	$3,970	$4,700
94552	$2,620	$2,870	$3,520	$4,510	$5,330
94553	$2,030	$2,230	$2,730	$3,500	$4,140
94555	$2,850	$3,130	$3,830	$4,910	$5,800
94556	$2,590	$2,840	$3,480	$4,460	$5,270
94557	$2,090	$2,290	$2,810	$3,600	$4,260
94560	$2,450	$2,690	$3,290	$4,210	$4,980
94561	$1,930	$2,150	$2,630	$3,360	$3,980
94563	$2,360	$2,590	$3,170	$4,060	$4,810
94564	$2,290	$2,510	$3,080	$3,940	$4,670
94565	$1,930	$2,150	$2,630	$3,360	$3,980
94566	$2,350	$2,570	$3,150	$4,030	$4,770
94568	$2,840	$3,110	$3,810	$4,880	$5,770
94569	$2,020	$2,220	$2,720	$3,480	$4,120
94570	$2,080	$2,280	$2,790	$3,570	$4,230
94572	$1,930	$2,150	$2,630	$3,360	$3,980
94575	$2,590	$2,840	$3,480	$4,460	$5,270
94577	$2,030	$2,230	$2,730	$3,500	$4,140
94578	$1,990	$2,180	$2,670	$3,420	$4,050
94579	$1,930	$2,150	$2,630	$3,360	$3,980
94580	$1,990	$2,180	$2,670	$3,420	$4,050
94582	$2,550	$2,800	$3,430	$4,390	$5,200
94583	$2,640	$2,900	$3,550	$4,550	$5,380
94586	$2,610	$2,860	$3,510	$4,500	$5,320
94587	$2,290	$2,510	$3,070	$3,930	$4,650
94588	$2,810	$3,080	$3,770	$4,830	$5,710
94595	$2,100	$2,300	$2,820	$3,610	$4,270
94596	$2,420	$2,650	$3,250	$4,160	$4,920
94597	$2,340	$2,560	$3,140	$4,020	$4,760
94598	$2,700	$2,960	$3,630	$4,650	$5,500
94601	$1,930	$2,150	$2,630	$3,360	$3,980
94602	$1,930	$2,150	$2,630	$3,360	$3,980
94603	$1,930	$2,150	$2,630	$3,360	$3,980
94604	$2,090	$2,290	$2,810	$3,600	$4,260
94605	$1,930	$2,150	$2,630	$3,360	$3,980
94606	$1,930	$2,150	$2,630	$3,360	$3,980
94607	$1,960	$2,150	$2,630	$3,370	$3,980
94608	$2,430	$2,670	$3,270	$4,190	$4,950
94609	$2,150	$2,360	$2,890	$3,700	$4,380
94610	$2,170	$2,380	$2,910	$3,730	$4,410
94611	$2,230	$2,450	$3,000	$3,840	$4,550
94612	$2,260	$2,470	$3,030	$3,880	$4,590
94613	$1,930	$2,150	$2,630	$3,360	$3,980
94614	$2,090	$2,290	$2,810	$3,600	$4,260
94615	$2,090	$2,290	$2,810	$3,600	$4,260
94618	$2,370	$2,600	$3,180	$4,070	$4,820
94619	$1,930	$2,150	$2,630	$3,360	$3,980
94620	$2,090	$2,290	$2,810	$3,600	$4,260
94621	$1,930	$2,150	$2,630	$3,360	$3,980
94623	$2,090	$2,290	$2,810	$3,600	$4,260
94624	$2,090	$2,290	$2,810	$3,600	$4,260
94661	$2,090	$2,290	$2,810	$3,600	$4,260
94662	$2,090	$2,290	$2,810	$3,600	$4,260
94701	$2,090	$2,290	$2,810	$3,600	$4,260
94702	$1,930	$2,150	$2,630	$3,360	$3,980
94703	$2,000	$2,190	$2,680	$3,430	$4,060
94704	$1,950	$2,150	$2,630	$3,360	$3,980
94705	$2,110	$2,310	$2,830	$3,620	$4,290
94706	$2,200	$2,420	$2,960	$3,790	$4,480
94707	$2,120	$2,330	$2,850	$3,650	$4,320
94708	$2,670	$2,930	$3,590	$4,600	$5,440
94709	$2,100	$2,300	$2,820	$3,610	$4,270
94710	$2,290	$2,510	$3,070	$3,930	$4,650
94712	$2,090	$2,290	$2,810	$3,600	$4,260
94720	$2,060	$2,260	$2,770	$3,540	$4,190
94801	$1,930	$2,150	$2,630	$3,360	$3,980
94802	$2,080	$2,280	$2,790	$3,570	$4,230
94803	$2,000	$2,200	$2,690	$3,450	$4,080
94804	$1,930	$2,150	$2,630	$3,360	$3,980
94805	$1,970	$2,160	$2,650	$3,390	$4,020
94806	$1,930	$2,150	$2,630	$3,360	$3,980
94807	$2,080	$2,280	$2,790	$3,570	$4,230
94820	$2,080	$2,280	$2,790	$3,570	$4,230
94850	$2,080	$2,280	$2,790	$3,570	$4,230
95219	$1,720	$1,830	$2,270	$3,140	$3,790
95377	$2,290	$2,440	$3,020	$4,180	$5,050
95391	$2,290	$2,440	$3,020	$4,180	$5,050

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

HUD income limits for Contra Costa County (FY2026)

Income limits decide who qualifies for Section 8 vouchers, public housing and most HUD-assisted units. The area median family income is $162,800 (FY2025: $159,800, +1.9%). 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%)	$35,650 +6.1%	$40,750 +6.1%	$45,850 +6.1%	$50,900 +6.2%	$55,000 +6.2%	$59,050 +6.1%	$63,150 +6.1%	$67,200 +6.2%
Very low income (50%)	$59,400 +6.2%	$67,900 +6.2%	$76,400 +6.2%	$84,850 +6.2%	$91,650 +6.2%	$98,450 +6.2%	$105,250 +6.2%	$112,050 +6.2%
Low income (80%)	$95,050 +8.6%	$108,600 +8.5%	$122,200 +8.6%	$135,750 +8.6%	$146,650 +8.5%	$157,500 +8.5%	$168,350 +8.5%	$179,200 +8.5%

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.