Palm Beach County, FL: 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).

$2,3492-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$2,0081-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$102,80080% income limit, family of 4 (FY2026)

$107,600Median family income (FY2026)

The FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit in Palm Beach County is $2,349 a month, up 4.2% from $2,254 in FY2026. Palm Beach County belongs to the West Palm Beach-Boca Raton, FL 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 Palm Beach County by bedroom count

Unit size	FY2027 FMR	FY2026 FMR	Change	Payment standard range (90–110%)
Studio	$1,907	$1,788	+6.7%	$1,717 – $2,097
1 bedroom	$2,008	$1,901	+5.6%	$1,808 – $2,208
2 bedrooms	$2,349	$2,254	+4.2%	$2,115 – $2,583
3 bedrooms	$3,052	$2,920	+4.5%	$2,747 – $3,357
4 bedrooms	$3,523	$3,388	+4.0%	$3,171 – $3,875

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 Palm Beach County that is typically $2,115 to $2,583 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?

$60,689median income of renter households

$1,916Median gross rent, all units

38%Rent-to-income ratio (median rent ÷ median renter income)

62%of renter households pay 30% or more of income on rent

At the 30% rule, a renter household earning the local median of $60,689 can afford about $1,517 a month including utilities. The FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $2,349 is $832 (54.8%) more than that. To rent a two-bedroom at the FMR, a household needs $93,960 a year under the 30% rule, or $84,564 under the common landlord rule that income must be three times the rent.

Palm Beach County, ACS 2020–2024	Estimate ± MOE
Median gross rent (rent + utilities)	$1,916 ±$19
Median income of renter households	$60,689 ±$1,327
Renters paying 30% or more of income (cost-burdened)	62.3% ±1.4
Renters paying 50% or more (severely cost-burdened)	34.1% ±1.1
Renter households (where the share can be computed)	170,598

Change since 2015–2019

	ACS 2015–2019	ACS 2020–2024	Change
Median gross rent	$1,398	$1,916	+37.1%
Median renter household income	$45,076	$60,689	+34.6%
Renters paying 30%+ of income	59.2%	62.3%	+3.1 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 $1,080 to $3,520 depending on the ZIP code.

All 73 ZIP codes in this FMR area

ZIP	0 BR	1 BR	2 BR	3 BR	4 BR
33401	$1,870	$1,970	$2,300	$2,990	$3,450
33402	$1,910	$2,010	$2,350	$3,050	$3,520
33403	$1,540	$1,620	$1,900	$2,470	$2,850
33404	$1,500	$1,580	$1,850	$2,400	$2,770
33405	$1,570	$1,650	$1,930	$2,510	$2,890
33406	$1,760	$1,860	$2,170	$2,820	$3,250
33407	$1,790	$1,890	$2,210	$2,870	$3,310
33408	$1,970	$2,070	$2,420	$3,140	$3,630
33409	$1,870	$1,970	$2,300	$2,990	$3,450
33410	$2,200	$2,320	$2,710	$3,520	$4,060
33411	$1,990	$2,090	$2,450	$3,180	$3,670
33412	$2,140	$2,260	$2,640	$3,430	$3,960
33413	$2,110	$2,220	$2,600	$3,380	$3,900
33414	$2,430	$2,560	$2,990	$3,890	$4,480
33415	$1,760	$1,860	$2,170	$2,820	$3,250
33416	$1,910	$2,010	$2,350	$3,050	$3,520
33417	$1,950	$2,050	$2,400	$3,120	$3,600
33418	$2,450	$2,580	$3,020	$3,920	$4,530
33419	$1,910	$2,010	$2,350	$3,050	$3,520
33420	$1,910	$2,010	$2,350	$3,050	$3,520
33421	$1,910	$2,010	$2,350	$3,050	$3,520
33422	$1,910	$2,010	$2,350	$3,050	$3,520
33424	$1,910	$2,010	$2,350	$3,050	$3,520
33425	$1,910	$2,010	$2,350	$3,050	$3,520
33426	$2,100	$2,210	$2,580	$3,350	$3,870
33427	$1,910	$2,010	$2,350	$3,050	$3,520
33428	$2,450	$2,580	$3,020	$3,920	$4,530
33429	$1,910	$2,010	$2,350	$3,050	$3,520
33430	$890	$940	$1,100	$1,430	$1,650
33431	$2,550	$2,680	$3,140	$4,080	$4,710
33432	$2,600	$2,740	$3,200	$4,160	$4,800
33433	$2,340	$2,460	$2,880	$3,740	$4,320
33434	$1,600	$1,680	$1,970	$2,560	$2,950
33435	$2,050	$2,150	$2,520	$3,270	$3,780
33436	$1,970	$2,080	$2,430	$3,160	$3,640
33437	$2,040	$2,150	$2,510	$3,260	$3,760
33438	$1,360	$1,430	$1,670	$2,170	$2,500
33440	$910	$920	$1,080	$1,340	$1,600
33444	$1,780	$1,870	$2,190	$2,850	$3,280
33445	$2,010	$2,120	$2,480	$3,220	$3,720
33446	$1,820	$1,910	$2,240	$2,910	$3,360
33448	$1,910	$2,010	$2,350	$3,050	$3,520
33449	$2,860	$3,010	$3,520	$4,570	$5,280
33454	$1,910	$2,010	$2,350	$3,050	$3,520
33458	$2,160	$2,270	$2,660	$3,460	$3,980
33460	$1,670	$1,760	$2,060	$2,680	$3,090
33461	$1,800	$1,900	$2,220	$2,880	$3,330
33462	$1,740	$1,830	$2,140	$2,780	$3,210
33463	$1,810	$1,910	$2,230	$2,900	$3,340
33465	$1,910	$2,010	$2,350	$3,050	$3,520
33466	$1,910	$2,010	$2,350	$3,050	$3,520
33467	$2,020	$2,130	$2,490	$3,240	$3,730
33468	$1,910	$2,010	$2,350	$3,050	$3,520
33469	$1,980	$2,060	$2,430	$3,200	$3,570
33470	$2,740	$2,890	$3,380	$4,390	$5,070
33472	$2,450	$2,580	$3,020	$3,920	$4,530
33473	$2,180	$2,290	$2,680	$3,480	$4,150
33474	$1,910	$2,010	$2,350	$3,050	$3,520
33476	$1,040	$1,090	$1,280	$1,660	$1,920
33477	$2,650	$2,790	$3,260	$4,240	$4,890
33478	$2,130	$2,210	$2,610	$3,440	$3,830
33480	$2,090	$2,200	$2,570	$3,340	$3,850
33481	$1,910	$2,010	$2,350	$3,050	$3,520
33482	$1,910	$2,010	$2,350	$3,050	$3,520
33483	$2,520	$2,650	$3,100	$4,030	$4,650
33484	$1,910	$2,010	$2,350	$3,050	$3,520
33486	$2,350	$2,480	$2,900	$3,770	$4,350
33487	$2,490	$2,620	$3,070	$3,990	$4,600
33488	$1,910	$2,010	$2,350	$3,050	$3,520
33493	$1,140	$1,210	$1,410	$1,830	$2,110
33496	$2,650	$2,790	$3,260	$4,240	$4,890
33497	$1,910	$2,010	$2,350	$3,050	$3,520
33498	$2,080	$2,230	$2,670	$3,480	$4,150

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

HUD income limits for Palm Beach County (FY2026)

Income limits decide who qualifies for Section 8 vouchers, public housing and most HUD-assisted units. The area median family income is $107,600 (FY2025: $111,800, −3.8%). 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%)	$27,000 +10.0%	$30,850 +10.0%	$34,700 +10.0%	$38,550 +10.0%	$41,650 +9.9%	$44,750 +3.7%	$50,040 +2.9%	$55,720 +2.9%
Very low income (50%)	$45,000 +9.9%	$51,400 +9.8%	$57,850 +10.0%	$64,250 +9.9%	$69,400 +9.9%	$74,550 +9.9%	$79,700 +9.9%	$84,850 +9.9%
Low income (80%)	$71,950 +9.9%	$82,250 +10.0%	$92,550 +10.0%	$102,800 +9.9%	$111,050 +10.0%	$119,250 +9.9%	$127,500 +10.0%	$135,700 +9.9%

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.