San Mateo 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).

$3,6972-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$3,0031-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$168,10080% income limit, family of 4 (FY2026)

$200,800Median family income (FY2026)

The FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit in San Mateo County is $3,697 a month, up 2.6% from $3,604 in FY2026. San Mateo County belongs to the San Francisco, 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 San Mateo County by bedroom count

Unit size	FY2027 FMR	FY2026 FMR	Change	Payment standard range (90–110%)
Studio	$2,574	$2,485	+3.6%	$2,317 – $2,831
1 bedroom	$3,003	$2,977	+0.9%	$2,703 – $3,303
2 bedrooms	$3,697	$3,604	+2.6%	$3,328 – $4,066
3 bedrooms	$4,832	$4,604	+5.0%	$4,349 – $5,315
4 bedrooms	$5,439	$4,772	+14.0%	$4,896 – $5,982

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 Mateo County that is typically $3,328 to $4,066 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?

$119,424median income of renter households

$2,922Median gross rent, all units

29%Rent-to-income ratio (median rent ÷ median renter income)

48%of renter households pay 30% or more of income on rent

At the 30% rule, a renter household earning the local median of $119,424 can afford about $2,986 a month including utilities. The FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $3,697 is $711 (23.8%) more than that. To rent a two-bedroom at the FMR, a household needs $147,880 a year under the 30% rule, or $133,092 under the common landlord rule that income must be three times the rent.

San Mateo County, ACS 2020–2024	Estimate ± MOE
Median gross rent (rent + utilities)	$2,922 ±$40
Median income of renter households	$119,424 ±$3,650
Renters paying 30% or more of income (cost-burdened)	48.4% ±1.6
Renters paying 50% or more (severely cost-burdened)	24.9% ±1.1
Renter households (where the share can be computed)	105,260

Change since 2015–2019

	ACS 2015–2019	ACS 2020–2024	Change
Median gross rent	$2,316	$2,922	+26.2%
Median renter household income	$91,040	$119,424	+31.2%
Renters paying 30%+ of income	48.3%	48.4%	+0.1 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 $3,250 to $5,050 depending on the ZIP code.

All 113 ZIP codes in this FMR area

ZIP	0 BR	1 BR	2 BR	3 BR	4 BR
94002	$2,740	$3,200	$3,940	$5,150	$5,800
94005	$2,470	$2,880	$3,540	$4,630	$5,210
94010	$2,700	$3,150	$3,880	$5,070	$5,710
94011	$2,740	$3,190	$3,930	$5,140	$5,780
94014	$2,240	$2,680	$3,250	$4,150	$4,380
94015	$2,650	$3,090	$3,800	$4,970	$5,590
94017	$2,740	$3,190	$3,930	$5,140	$5,780
94018	$2,310	$2,700	$3,320	$4,340	$4,880
94019	$2,310	$2,700	$3,320	$4,340	$4,880
94020	$2,980	$3,320	$4,100	$5,370	$5,830
94021	$2,740	$3,190	$3,930	$5,140	$5,780
94025	$2,990	$3,490	$4,290	$5,610	$6,310
94026	$2,740	$3,190	$3,930	$5,140	$5,780
94027	$2,900	$3,380	$4,160	$5,440	$6,110
94028	$2,700	$3,120	$3,790	$5,000	$5,540
94030	$3,110	$3,620	$4,460	$5,830	$6,560
94037	$2,900	$3,390	$4,170	$5,450	$6,130
94038	$2,310	$2,700	$3,320	$4,340	$4,880
94044	$2,900	$3,390	$4,170	$5,450	$6,130
94060	$2,870	$3,190	$3,930	$5,140	$5,780
94061	$2,650	$3,100	$3,810	$4,980	$5,600
94062	$2,690	$3,140	$3,870	$5,060	$5,690
94063	$2,680	$3,130	$3,850	$5,030	$5,660
94064	$2,740	$3,190	$3,930	$5,140	$5,780
94065	$3,040	$3,550	$4,370	$5,710	$6,430
94066	$2,490	$2,910	$3,580	$4,680	$5,270
94070	$2,670	$3,120	$3,840	$5,020	$5,650
94074	$2,510	$2,930	$3,600	$4,710	$5,300
94080	$2,530	$2,960	$3,640	$4,760	$5,350
94083	$2,740	$3,190	$3,930	$5,140	$5,780
94102	$2,240	$2,680	$3,250	$4,160	$4,680
94103	$2,740	$3,190	$3,930	$5,140	$5,780
94104	$2,420	$2,830	$3,480	$4,550	$5,120
94105	$2,940	$3,520	$4,260	$5,440	$5,780
94107	$3,430	$4,010	$4,930	$6,440	$7,250
94108	$2,240	$2,680	$3,250	$4,150	$4,370
94109	$2,240	$2,680	$3,250	$4,170	$4,690
94110	$2,350	$2,740	$3,370	$4,400	$4,960
94111	$2,690	$3,140	$3,870	$5,060	$5,690
94112	$2,240	$2,680	$3,250	$4,150	$4,300
94114	$2,870	$3,350	$4,120	$5,390	$6,060
94115	$2,900	$3,380	$4,160	$5,440	$6,120
94116	$2,840	$3,310	$4,080	$5,330	$6,000
94117	$2,790	$3,260	$4,010	$5,240	$5,900
94118	$2,390	$2,790	$3,430	$4,480	$5,050
94119	$2,470	$2,880	$3,540	$4,630	$5,210
94121	$2,240	$2,680	$3,250	$4,150	$4,350
94122	$2,370	$2,770	$3,410	$4,460	$5,020
94123	$3,240	$3,780	$4,650	$6,080	$6,840
94124	$2,240	$2,680	$3,250	$4,150	$4,300
94125	$2,740	$3,190	$3,930	$5,140	$5,780
94126	$2,470	$2,880	$3,540	$4,630	$5,210
94127	$2,470	$2,930	$3,560	$4,650	$5,230
94128	$2,740	$3,190	$3,930	$5,140	$5,780
94129	$2,570	$3,000	$3,690	$4,830	$5,440
94130	$2,490	$2,900	$3,570	$4,670	$5,250
94131	$2,800	$3,270	$4,020	$5,250	$5,910
94132	$2,240	$2,680	$3,250	$4,150	$4,490
94133	$2,240	$2,680	$3,250	$4,150	$4,300
94134	$2,240	$2,680	$3,250	$4,150	$4,300
94140	$2,470	$2,880	$3,540	$4,630	$5,210
94141	$2,470	$2,880	$3,540	$4,630	$5,210
94146	$2,470	$2,880	$3,540	$4,630	$5,210
94147	$2,470	$2,880	$3,540	$4,630	$5,210
94158	$3,430	$4,010	$4,930	$6,440	$7,250
94159	$2,470	$2,880	$3,540	$4,630	$5,210
94164	$2,470	$2,880	$3,540	$4,630	$5,210
94188	$2,470	$2,880	$3,540	$4,630	$5,210
94303	$2,430	$2,800	$3,390	$4,480	$4,950
94401	$2,490	$2,910	$3,580	$4,680	$5,270
94402	$2,810	$3,360	$4,070	$5,200	$5,800
94403	$3,130	$3,650	$4,490	$5,870	$6,610
94404	$3,520	$4,100	$5,050	$6,600	$7,430
94901	$2,240	$2,680	$3,250	$4,150	$4,550
94903	$3,030	$3,530	$4,350	$5,690	$6,400
94904	$2,370	$2,770	$3,410	$4,460	$5,020
94912	$2,500	$2,920	$3,590	$4,690	$5,280
94913	$2,500	$2,920	$3,590	$4,690	$5,280
94914	$2,500	$2,920	$3,590	$4,690	$5,280
94915	$2,500	$2,920	$3,590	$4,690	$5,280
94920	$2,980	$3,480	$4,280	$5,600	$6,300
94924	$2,240	$2,680	$3,250	$4,150	$4,300
94925	$3,280	$3,830	$4,710	$6,160	$6,930
94929	$2,240	$2,680	$3,250	$4,150	$4,570
94930	$2,280	$2,680	$3,280	$4,290	$4,830
94933	$2,900	$3,380	$4,160	$5,440	$6,120
94937	$2,500	$2,920	$3,590	$4,690	$5,280
94938	$2,240	$2,680	$3,250	$4,180	$4,700
94939	$2,900	$3,390	$4,170	$5,450	$6,130
94940	$2,240	$2,680	$3,250	$4,150	$4,400
94941	$2,860	$3,340	$4,110	$5,370	$6,050
94942	$2,500	$2,920	$3,590	$4,690	$5,280
94945	$2,240	$2,680	$3,250	$4,150	$4,530
94946	$2,240	$2,680	$3,250	$4,150	$4,300
94947	$2,370	$2,760	$3,400	$4,440	$5,000
94948	$2,500	$2,920	$3,590	$4,690	$5,280
94949	$2,500	$2,920	$3,590	$4,690	$5,280
94950	$2,240	$2,680	$3,250	$4,150	$4,300
94952	$2,240	$2,680	$3,250	$4,150	$4,570
94956	$2,240	$2,680	$3,250	$4,150	$4,300
94957	$3,150	$3,670	$4,520	$5,910	$6,650
94960	$2,700	$3,150	$3,880	$5,070	$5,710
94963	$2,620	$3,050	$3,750	$4,910	$5,520
94964	$2,620	$3,050	$3,760	$4,910	$5,530
94965	$2,880	$3,360	$4,140	$5,410	$6,090
94966	$2,500	$2,920	$3,590	$4,690	$5,280
94970	$2,260	$2,680	$3,250	$4,230	$4,760
94971	$2,500	$2,920	$3,590	$4,690	$5,280
94973	$2,250	$2,680	$3,250	$4,220	$4,750
94976	$2,500	$2,920	$3,590	$4,690	$5,280
94977	$2,500	$2,920	$3,590	$4,690	$5,280
94978	$2,500	$2,920	$3,590	$4,690	$5,280
94979	$2,500	$2,920	$3,590	$4,690	$5,280

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

HUD income limits for San Mateo County (FY2026)

Income limits decide who qualifies for Section 8 vouchers, public housing and most HUD-assisted units. The area median family income is $200,800 (FY2025: $185,700, +8.1%). 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%)	$44,150 +8.7%	$50,450 +8.7%	$56,750 +8.7%	$63,050 +8.7%	$68,100 +8.7%	$73,150 +8.7%	$78,200 +8.7%	$83,250 +8.7%
Very low income (50%)	$73,550 +8.6%	$84,050 +8.6%	$94,550 +8.6%	$105,050 +8.6%	$113,500 +8.7%	$121,900 +8.6%	$130,300 +8.6%	$138,700 +8.7%
Low income (80%)	$117,700 +8.7%	$134,500 +8.6%	$151,300 +8.7%	$168,100 +8.7%	$181,550 +8.6%	$195,000 +8.6%	$208,450 +8.7%	$221,900 +8.6%

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.