Santa Clara 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).

$3,2722-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$2,7781-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$162,40080% income limit, family of 4 (FY2026)

$205,500Median family income (FY2026)

The FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit in Santa Clara County is $3,272 a month, down 6.1% from $3,483 in FY2026. Santa Clara County belongs to the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, 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 Santa Clara County by bedroom count

Unit size	FY2027 FMR	FY2026 FMR	Change	Payment standard range (90–110%)
Studio	$2,458	$2,621	−6.2%	$2,213 – $2,703
1 bedroom	$2,778	$2,982	−6.8%	$2,501 – $3,055
2 bedrooms	$3,272	$3,483	−6.1%	$2,945 – $3,599
3 bedrooms	$4,396	$4,602	−4.5%	$3,957 – $4,835
4 bedrooms	$4,688	$5,010	−6.4%	$4,220 – $5,156

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 Santa Clara County that is typically $2,945 to $3,599 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?

$122,974median income of renter households

$2,857Median gross rent, all units

28%Rent-to-income ratio (median rent ÷ median renter income)

45%of renter households pay 30% or more of income on rent

At the 30% rule, a renter household earning the local median of $122,974 can afford about $3,074 a month including utilities. The FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $3,272 is $198 (6.4%) more than that. To rent a two-bedroom at the FMR, a household needs $130,880 a year under the 30% rule, or $117,792 under the common landlord rule that income must be three times the rent.

Santa Clara County, ACS 2020–2024	Estimate ± MOE
Median gross rent (rent + utilities)	$2,857 ±$19
Median income of renter households	$122,974 ±$2,206
Renters paying 30% or more of income (cost-burdened)	45.0% ±0.9
Renters paying 50% or more (severely cost-burdened)	21.0% ±0.7
Renter households (where the share can be computed)	284,954

Change since 2015–2019

	ACS 2015–2019	ACS 2020–2024	Change
Median gross rent	$2,268	$2,857	+26.0%
Median renter household income	$91,265	$122,974	+34.7%
Renters paying 30%+ of income	46.4%	45.0%	−1.4 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 $2,290 to $4,480 depending on the ZIP code.

All 106 ZIP codes in this FMR area

ZIP	0 BR	1 BR	2 BR	3 BR	4 BR
94020	$2,980	$3,320	$4,100	$5,370	$5,830
94022	$3,010	$3,350	$3,990	$5,330	$5,660
94023	$2,460	$2,780	$3,270	$4,390	$4,690
94024	$3,030	$3,420	$4,030	$5,420	$5,770
94028	$2,700	$3,120	$3,790	$5,000	$5,540
94035	$2,460	$2,780	$3,270	$4,390	$4,690
94039	$2,460	$2,780	$3,270	$4,390	$4,690
94040	$3,040	$3,440	$4,050	$5,440	$5,800
94041	$2,790	$3,150	$3,710	$4,980	$5,320
94042	$2,460	$2,780	$3,270	$4,390	$4,690
94043	$2,760	$3,120	$3,670	$4,930	$5,260
94085	$3,020	$3,410	$4,020	$5,400	$5,760
94086	$2,710	$3,070	$3,610	$4,850	$5,170
94087	$2,900	$3,280	$3,860	$5,190	$5,530
94088	$2,460	$2,780	$3,270	$4,390	$4,690
94089	$2,840	$3,230	$3,770	$5,050	$5,410
94301	$2,680	$3,050	$3,650	$4,830	$5,300
94302	$2,460	$2,780	$3,270	$4,390	$4,690
94303	$2,430	$2,800	$3,390	$4,480	$4,950
94304	$2,920	$3,290	$3,880	$5,210	$5,560
94305	$1,750	$1,980	$2,290	$2,970	$3,240
94306	$2,650	$3,000	$3,530	$4,740	$5,060
94309	$2,460	$2,780	$3,270	$4,390	$4,690
94550	$2,380	$2,610	$3,200	$4,100	$4,850
95002	$2,030	$2,310	$2,700	$3,590	$3,870
95008	$2,490	$2,810	$3,310	$4,450	$4,740
95009	$2,460	$2,780	$3,270	$4,390	$4,690
95011	$2,460	$2,780	$3,270	$4,390	$4,690
95013	$2,340	$2,660	$3,110	$4,110	$4,470
95014	$3,040	$3,440	$4,050	$5,440	$5,800
95015	$2,460	$2,780	$3,270	$4,390	$4,690
95020	$1,980	$2,230	$2,630	$3,530	$3,770
95021	$2,460	$2,780	$3,270	$4,390	$4,690
95023	$2,280	$2,300	$3,010	$4,160	$4,560
95026	$2,460	$2,780	$3,270	$4,390	$4,690
95030	$2,500	$2,830	$3,330	$4,470	$4,770
95031	$2,460	$2,780	$3,270	$4,390	$4,690
95032	$2,730	$3,080	$3,630	$4,880	$5,200
95033	$3,390	$3,650	$4,480	$5,890	$6,180
95035	$2,780	$3,140	$3,700	$4,970	$5,300
95036	$2,460	$2,780	$3,270	$4,390	$4,690
95037	$2,070	$2,340	$2,750	$3,690	$3,940
95038	$2,460	$2,780	$3,270	$4,390	$4,690
95044	$2,460	$2,780	$3,270	$4,390	$4,690
95046	$2,100	$2,380	$2,800	$3,760	$4,010
95050	$2,400	$2,710	$3,190	$4,290	$4,570
95051	$2,770	$3,130	$3,690	$4,960	$5,290
95052	$2,460	$2,780	$3,270	$4,390	$4,690
95053	$2,400	$2,710	$3,190	$4,290	$4,570
95054	$3,180	$3,590	$4,230	$5,680	$6,060
95055	$2,460	$2,780	$3,270	$4,390	$4,690
95056	$2,460	$2,780	$3,270	$4,390	$4,690
95070	$2,850	$3,170	$3,780	$5,040	$5,350
95071	$2,460	$2,780	$3,270	$4,390	$4,690
95076	$2,510	$2,640	$3,300	$4,280	$4,460
95101	$2,460	$2,780	$3,270	$4,390	$4,690
95103	$2,460	$2,780	$3,270	$4,390	$4,690
95106	$2,460	$2,780	$3,270	$4,390	$4,690
95108	$2,460	$2,780	$3,270	$4,390	$4,690
95109	$2,460	$2,780	$3,270	$4,390	$4,690
95110	$2,280	$2,570	$3,030	$4,070	$4,340
95111	$1,800	$2,040	$2,400	$3,220	$3,440
95112	$2,180	$2,460	$2,900	$3,900	$4,160
95113	$2,700	$3,060	$3,600	$4,840	$5,160
95116	$1,960	$2,220	$2,610	$3,510	$3,740
95117	$2,190	$2,480	$2,920	$3,920	$4,180
95118	$2,220	$2,500	$2,950	$3,960	$4,230
95119	$2,690	$3,040	$3,580	$4,810	$5,130
95120	$2,630	$2,940	$3,500	$4,670	$4,960
95121	$2,580	$2,920	$3,440	$4,620	$4,930
95122	$2,060	$2,330	$2,740	$3,680	$3,930
95123	$2,530	$2,860	$3,370	$4,530	$4,830
95124	$2,520	$2,840	$3,350	$4,500	$4,800
95125	$2,270	$2,560	$3,020	$4,060	$4,330
95126	$2,440	$2,760	$3,250	$4,370	$4,660
95127	$2,210	$2,500	$2,940	$3,950	$4,210
95128	$2,490	$2,810	$3,310	$4,450	$4,740
95129	$2,430	$2,770	$3,230	$4,330	$4,640
95130	$1,980	$2,240	$2,640	$3,550	$3,780
95131	$2,720	$3,070	$3,620	$4,860	$5,190
95132	$2,730	$3,080	$3,630	$4,880	$5,200
95133	$2,250	$2,550	$3,000	$4,030	$4,300
95134	$3,350	$3,790	$4,460	$5,990	$6,390
95135	$2,760	$3,150	$3,640	$4,720	$5,140
95136	$2,370	$2,670	$3,150	$4,230	$4,510
95138	$2,400	$2,710	$3,190	$4,290	$4,570
95139	$2,910	$3,310	$3,870	$5,110	$5,560
95140	$2,380	$2,650	$3,180	$4,170	$4,710
95141	$2,460	$2,780	$3,270	$4,390	$4,690
95148	$2,760	$3,130	$3,670	$4,930	$5,260
95150	$2,460	$2,780	$3,270	$4,390	$4,690
95151	$2,460	$2,780	$3,270	$4,390	$4,690
95152	$2,460	$2,780	$3,270	$4,390	$4,690
95153	$2,460	$2,780	$3,270	$4,390	$4,690
95154	$2,460	$2,780	$3,270	$4,390	$4,690
95155	$2,460	$2,780	$3,270	$4,390	$4,690
95156	$2,460	$2,780	$3,270	$4,390	$4,690
95157	$2,460	$2,780	$3,270	$4,390	$4,690
95158	$2,460	$2,780	$3,270	$4,390	$4,690
95159	$2,460	$2,780	$3,270	$4,390	$4,690
95160	$2,460	$2,780	$3,270	$4,390	$4,690
95161	$2,460	$2,780	$3,270	$4,390	$4,690
95164	$2,460	$2,780	$3,270	$4,390	$4,690
95170	$2,460	$2,780	$3,270	$4,390	$4,690
95172	$2,460	$2,780	$3,270	$4,390	$4,690
95173	$2,460	$2,780	$3,270	$4,390	$4,690

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

HUD income limits for Santa Clara County (FY2026)

Income limits decide who qualifies for Section 8 vouchers, public housing and most HUD-assisted units. The area median family income is $205,500 (FY2025: $195,200, +5.3%). 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%)	$43,200 +2.4%	$49,350 +2.4%	$55,500 +2.3%	$61,650 +2.3%	$66,600 +2.3%	$71,550 +2.4%	$76,450 +2.3%	$81,400 +2.3%
Very low income (50%)	$71,950 +2.3%	$82,200 +2.2%	$92,500 +2.3%	$102,750 +2.3%	$111,000 +2.3%	$119,200 +2.3%	$127,450 +2.3%	$135,650 +2.3%
Low income (80%)	$113,700 +1.8%	$129,950 +1.8%	$146,200 +1.8%	$162,400 +1.8%	$175,400 +1.8%	$188,400 +1.8%	$201,400 +1.8%	$214,400 +1.8%

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.