Sarasota 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).

$2,1882-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$1,8761-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$91,30080% income limit, family of 4 (FY2026)

$109,700Median family income (FY2026)

The FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit in Sarasota County is $2,188 a month, up 11.7% from $1,958 in FY2026. Sarasota County belongs to the North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL 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 Sarasota County by bedroom count

Unit size	FY2027 FMR	FY2026 FMR	Change	Payment standard range (90–110%)
Studio	$1,749	$1,418	+23.3%	$1,575 – $1,923
1 bedroom	$1,876	$1,686	+11.3%	$1,689 – $2,063
2 bedrooms	$2,188	$1,958	+11.7%	$1,970 – $2,406
3 bedrooms	$2,775	$2,537	+9.4%	$2,498 – $3,052
4 bedrooms	$3,309	$3,027	+9.3%	$2,979 – $3,639

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 Sarasota County that is typically $1,970 to $2,406 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?

$60,613median income of renter households

$1,818Median gross rent, all units

36%Rent-to-income ratio (median rent ÷ median renter income)

59%of renter households pay 30% or more of income on rent

At the 30% rule, a renter household earning the local median of $60,613 can afford about $1,515 a month including utilities. The FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $2,188 is $673 (44.4%) more than that. To rent a two-bedroom at the FMR, a household needs $87,520 a year under the 30% rule, or $78,768 under the common landlord rule that income must be three times the rent.

Sarasota County, ACS 2020–2024	Estimate ± MOE
Median gross rent (rent + utilities)	$1,818 ±$31
Median income of renter households	$60,613 ±$2,413
Renters paying 30% or more of income (cost-burdened)	59.3% ±2.3
Renters paying 50% or more (severely cost-burdened)	30.8% ±1.6
Renter households (where the share can be computed)	45,510

Change since 2015–2019

	ACS 2015–2019	ACS 2020–2024	Change
Median gross rent	$1,277	$1,818	+42.4%
Median renter household income	$48,990	$60,613	+23.7%
Renters paying 30%+ of income	53.0%	59.3%	+6.3 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 $1,350 to $3,280 depending on the ZIP code.

All 63 ZIP codes in this FMR area

ZIP	0 BR	1 BR	2 BR	3 BR	4 BR
33598	$1,380	$1,430	$1,660	$2,120	$2,580
34201	$1,910	$2,050	$2,390	$3,040	$3,620
34202	$2,240	$2,400	$2,800	$3,550	$4,230
34203	$1,510	$1,620	$1,890	$2,400	$2,860
34204	$1,660	$1,780	$2,080	$2,640	$3,150
34205	$1,390	$1,490	$1,740	$2,210	$2,630
34206	$1,660	$1,780	$2,080	$2,640	$3,150
34207	$1,480	$1,590	$1,850	$2,350	$2,800
34208	$1,530	$1,640	$1,910	$2,420	$2,890
34209	$1,890	$2,030	$2,370	$3,010	$3,580
34210	$1,600	$1,710	$2,000	$2,540	$3,020
34211	$2,170	$2,330	$2,720	$3,450	$4,110
34212	$2,030	$2,180	$2,540	$3,220	$3,840
34215	$1,710	$1,840	$2,150	$2,720	$3,240
34216	$1,790	$1,920	$2,240	$2,840	$3,390
34217	$1,790	$1,920	$2,240	$2,840	$3,390
34219	$2,010	$2,160	$2,520	$3,200	$3,810
34220	$1,660	$1,780	$2,080	$2,640	$3,150
34221	$1,640	$1,760	$2,050	$2,600	$3,100
34222	$1,550	$1,660	$1,940	$2,460	$2,930
34223	$1,330	$1,430	$1,690	$2,160	$2,580
34224	$990	$1,090	$1,420	$1,930	$2,300
34228	$2,620	$2,810	$3,280	$4,160	$4,960
34229	$1,900	$2,040	$2,380	$3,020	$3,600
34230	$1,830	$1,960	$2,290	$2,900	$3,460
34231	$1,810	$1,940	$2,260	$2,870	$3,420
34232	$1,930	$2,070	$2,410	$3,060	$3,640
34233	$1,940	$2,080	$2,430	$3,080	$3,670
34234	$1,520	$1,630	$1,900	$2,410	$2,870
34235	$1,820	$1,950	$2,280	$2,890	$3,450
34236	$2,170	$2,320	$2,710	$3,440	$4,100
34237	$1,670	$1,790	$2,090	$2,650	$3,160
34238	$1,980	$2,130	$2,480	$3,140	$3,750
34239	$1,650	$1,770	$2,070	$2,620	$3,130
34240	$2,500	$2,680	$3,130	$3,970	$4,730
34241	$2,000	$2,140	$2,500	$3,170	$3,780
34242	$2,620	$2,810	$3,280	$4,160	$4,960
34243	$2,100	$2,250	$2,630	$3,340	$3,980
34249	$1,830	$1,960	$2,290	$2,900	$3,460
34250	$1,640	$1,760	$2,050	$2,600	$3,100
34251	$1,880	$2,000	$2,330	$2,980	$3,560
34260	$1,660	$1,780	$2,080	$2,640	$3,150
34264	$1,660	$1,780	$2,080	$2,640	$3,150
34266	$960	$1,110	$1,350	$1,790	$2,130
34270	$1,660	$1,780	$2,080	$2,640	$3,150
34272	$1,830	$1,960	$2,290	$2,900	$3,460
34274	$1,830	$1,960	$2,290	$2,900	$3,460
34275	$1,690	$1,820	$2,120	$2,690	$3,210
34276	$1,830	$1,960	$2,290	$2,900	$3,460
34277	$1,830	$1,960	$2,290	$2,900	$3,460
34280	$1,660	$1,780	$2,080	$2,640	$3,150
34282	$1,660	$1,780	$2,080	$2,640	$3,150
34284	$1,830	$1,960	$2,290	$2,900	$3,460
34285	$1,540	$1,650	$1,930	$2,450	$2,920
34286	$2,130	$2,280	$2,660	$3,370	$4,020
34287	$1,390	$1,490	$1,740	$2,210	$2,630
34288	$2,170	$2,320	$2,710	$3,440	$4,100
34289	$1,860	$2,000	$2,330	$2,950	$3,520
34290	$1,830	$1,960	$2,290	$2,900	$3,460
34291	$2,020	$2,170	$2,530	$3,210	$3,830
34292	$1,970	$2,120	$2,470	$3,130	$3,740
34293	$1,950	$2,090	$2,440	$3,090	$3,690
34295	$1,830	$1,960	$2,290	$2,900	$3,460

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

HUD income limits for Sarasota County (FY2026)

Income limits decide who qualifies for Section 8 vouchers, public housing and most HUD-assisted units. The area median family income is $109,700 (FY2025: $106,100, +3.4%). 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%)	$24,000 +6.0%	$27,400 +6.0%	$30,850 +6.0%	$34,250 +6.0%	$38,680 +2.7%	$44,360 +2.8%	$50,040 +2.9%	$55,720 +2.9%
Very low income (50%)	$39,950 +6.0%	$45,650 +6.0%	$51,350 +6.0%	$57,050 +6.0%	$61,650 +6.0%	$66,200 +6.0%	$70,750 +6.0%	$75,350 +6.1%
Low income (80%)	$63,950 +6.1%	$73,050 +6.0%	$82,200 +6.1%	$91,300 +6.0%	$98,650 +6.1%	$105,950 +6.1%	$113,250 +6.0%	$120,550 +6.0%

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.