San Joaquin 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).

$2,0152-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$1,6281-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$86,50080% income limit, family of 4 (FY2026)

$108,100Median family income (FY2026)

The FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit in San Joaquin County is $2,015 a month, up 15.7% from $1,742 in FY2026. San Joaquin County belongs to the Stockton-Lodi, CA 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 San Joaquin County by bedroom count

Unit size	FY2027 FMR	FY2026 FMR	Change	Payment standard range (90–110%)
Studio	$1,525	$1,288	+18.4%	$1,373 – $1,677
1 bedroom	$1,628	$1,395	+16.7%	$1,466 – $1,790
2 bedrooms	$2,015	$1,742	+15.7%	$1,814 – $2,216
3 bedrooms	$2,790	$2,423	+15.1%	$2,511 – $3,069
4 bedrooms	$3,368	$2,922	+15.3%	$3,032 – $3,704

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 San Joaquin County that is typically $1,814 to $2,216 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?

$63,916median income of renter households

$1,734Median gross rent, all units

33%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 $63,916 can afford about $1,598 a month including utilities. The FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $2,015 is $417 (26.1%) more than that. To rent a two-bedroom at the FMR, a household needs $80,600 a year under the 30% rule, or $72,540 under the common landlord rule that income must be three times the rent.

San Joaquin County, ACS 2020–2024	Estimate ± MOE
Median gross rent (rent + utilities)	$1,734 ±$23
Median income of renter households	$63,916 ±$1,622
Renters paying 30% or more of income (cost-burdened)	53.9% ±1.8
Renters paying 50% or more (severely cost-burdened)	25.7% ±1.2
Renter households (where the share can be computed)	87,289

Change since 2015–2019

	ACS 2015–2019	ACS 2020–2024	Change
Median gross rent	$1,208	$1,734	+43.5%
Median renter household income	$43,808	$63,916	+45.9%
Renters paying 30%+ of income	54.7%	53.9%	−0.8 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 $1,180 to $3,480 depending on the ZIP code.

All 47 ZIP codes in this FMR area

ZIP	0 BR	1 BR	2 BR	3 BR	4 BR
94505	$2,590	$2,840	$3,480	$4,460	$5,270
95201	$1,530	$1,630	$2,020	$2,800	$3,380
95202	$880	$940	$1,180	$1,660	$2,000
95203	$1,150	$1,230	$1,520	$2,100	$2,540
95204	$1,260	$1,350	$1,670	$2,310	$2,790
95205	$1,260	$1,340	$1,660	$2,300	$2,770
95206	$1,360	$1,450	$1,790	$2,480	$2,990
95207	$1,540	$1,640	$2,030	$2,810	$3,390
95208	$1,530	$1,630	$2,020	$2,800	$3,380
95209	$1,630	$1,740	$2,150	$2,980	$3,590
95210	$1,340	$1,430	$1,770	$2,450	$2,960
95211	$1,360	$1,450	$1,790	$2,480	$3,000
95212	$2,130	$2,270	$2,810	$3,890	$4,700
95213	$1,530	$1,630	$2,020	$2,800	$3,380
95215	$1,210	$1,290	$1,600	$2,220	$2,670
95219	$1,720	$1,830	$2,270	$3,140	$3,790
95220	$1,320	$1,410	$1,740	$2,410	$2,910
95227	$1,410	$1,490	$1,840	$2,490	$2,960
95230	$1,600	$1,730	$2,190	$3,050	$3,600
95231	$1,760	$1,880	$2,330	$3,230	$3,890
95234	$1,530	$1,630	$2,020	$2,800	$3,380
95236	$1,500	$1,600	$1,980	$2,740	$3,300
95237	$1,170	$1,240	$1,540	$2,130	$2,570
95240	$1,440	$1,530	$1,900	$2,630	$3,180
95241	$1,530	$1,630	$2,020	$2,800	$3,380
95242	$1,740	$1,860	$2,300	$3,180	$3,840
95253	$1,140	$1,210	$1,500	$2,080	$2,510
95258	$1,360	$1,450	$1,790	$2,480	$2,990
95267	$1,530	$1,630	$2,020	$2,800	$3,380
95269	$1,530	$1,630	$2,020	$2,800	$3,380
95304	$2,180	$2,330	$2,880	$3,990	$4,810
95320	$1,480	$1,580	$1,960	$2,710	$3,280
95330	$2,130	$2,270	$2,810	$3,890	$4,700
95336	$1,640	$1,740	$2,160	$2,990	$3,610
95337	$1,860	$1,990	$2,460	$3,410	$4,110
95361	$1,250	$1,350	$1,770	$2,370	$2,780
95366	$1,640	$1,750	$2,170	$3,000	$3,630
95367	$1,320	$1,420	$1,860	$2,490	$2,920
95376	$1,790	$1,910	$2,370	$3,280	$3,960
95377	$2,290	$2,440	$3,020	$4,180	$5,050
95378	$1,530	$1,630	$2,020	$2,800	$3,380
95385	$1,140	$1,220	$1,570	$2,120	$2,510
95391	$2,290	$2,440	$3,020	$4,180	$5,050
95632	$1,520	$1,570	$1,930	$2,530	$2,930
95641	$1,100	$1,130	$1,390	$1,820	$2,100
95686	$900	$960	$1,190	$1,660	$2,000
95690	$1,310	$1,360	$1,670	$2,190	$2,520

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

HUD income limits for San Joaquin County (FY2026)

Income limits decide who qualifies for Section 8 vouchers, public housing and most HUD-assisted units. The area median family income is $108,100 (FY2025: $104,600, +3.3%). 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%)	$22,750 +3.4%	$26,000 +3.4%	$29,250 +3.4%	$33,000 +2.6%	$38,680 +2.7%	$44,360 +2.8%	$50,040 +2.9%	$55,720 +2.9%
Very low income (50%)	$37,850 +3.3%	$43,250 +3.3%	$48,650 +3.3%	$54,050 +3.3%	$58,400 +3.4%	$62,700 +3.3%	$67,050 +3.3%	$71,350 +3.3%
Low income (80%)	$60,550 +3.3%	$69,200 +3.3%	$77,850 +3.3%	$86,500 +3.3%	$93,450 +3.4%	$100,350 +3.3%	$107,300 +3.4%	$114,200 +3.3%

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.