Elkhart County, IN: 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).

$1,2532-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$1,0481-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$71,90080% income limit, family of 4 (FY2026)

$89,900Median family income (FY2026)

The FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit in Elkhart County is $1,253 a month, up 5.9% from $1,183 in FY2026. Elkhart County belongs to the Elkhart-Goshen, IN 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 Elkhart County by bedroom count

Unit size	FY2027 FMR	FY2026 FMR	Change	Payment standard range (90–110%)
Studio	$1,008	$968	+4.1%	$908 – $1,108
1 bedroom	$1,048	$992	+5.6%	$944 – $1,152
2 bedrooms	$1,253	$1,183	+5.9%	$1,128 – $1,378
3 bedrooms	$1,653	$1,553	+6.4%	$1,488 – $1,818
4 bedrooms	$1,752	$1,581	+10.8%	$1,577 – $1,927

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 Elkhart County that is typically $1,128 to $1,378 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?

$40,379median income of renter households

$1,047Median gross rent, all units

31%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 $40,379 can afford about $1,009 a month including utilities. The FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,253 is $244 (24.1%) more than that. To rent a two-bedroom at the FMR, a household needs $50,120 a year under the 30% rule, or $45,108 under the common landlord rule that income must be three times the rent.

Elkhart County, ACS 2020–2024	Estimate ± MOE
Median gross rent (rent + utilities)	$1,047 ±$29
Median income of renter households	$40,379 ±$2,819
Renters paying 30% or more of income (cost-burdened)	47.9% ±3.6
Renters paying 50% or more (severely cost-burdened)	25.5% ±3.2
Renter households (where the share can be computed)	18,508

Change since 2015–2019

	ACS 2015–2019	ACS 2020–2024	Change
Median gross rent	$810	$1,047	+29.3%
Median renter household income	$34,945	$40,379	+15.6%
Renters paying 30%+ of income	43.1%	47.9%	+4.8 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 $1,070 to $1,910 depending on the ZIP code.

All 19 ZIP codes in this FMR area

ZIP	0 BR	1 BR	2 BR	3 BR	4 BR
46507	$1,030	$1,070	$1,280	$1,690	$1,790
46514	$1,060	$1,100	$1,320	$1,740	$1,850
46515	$1,010	$1,050	$1,250	$1,650	$1,750
46516	$990	$1,030	$1,230	$1,620	$1,720
46517	$890	$1,000	$1,170	$1,460	$1,550
46526	$1,070	$1,110	$1,330	$1,750	$1,860
46527	$1,010	$1,050	$1,250	$1,650	$1,750
46528	$1,020	$1,060	$1,270	$1,680	$1,780
46530	$1,410	$1,630	$1,910	$2,320	$2,520
46540	$1,070	$1,110	$1,340	$1,760	$1,870
46542	$910	$920	$1,200	$1,460	$1,580
46543	$1,000	$1,030	$1,270	$1,620	$1,740
46550	$880	$1,000	$1,170	$1,420	$1,540
46553	$990	$1,030	$1,230	$1,620	$1,720
46561	$1,060	$1,210	$1,420	$1,740	$1,880
46565	$880	$900	$1,070	$1,400	$1,430
46567	$880	$900	$1,130	$1,400	$1,490
46573	$1,020	$1,080	$1,290	$1,680	$1,780
46767	$880	$900	$1,080	$1,400	$1,800

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

HUD income limits for Elkhart County (FY2026)

Income limits decide who qualifies for Section 8 vouchers, public housing and most HUD-assisted units. The area median family income is $89,900 (FY2025: $89,600, +0.3%). 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%)	$18,900 +0.5%	$21,640 +0.7%	$27,320 +2.5%	$33,000 +2.6%	$38,680 +2.7%	$44,360 +2.8%	$50,040 +2.9%	$55,720 +2.9%
Very low income (50%)	$31,500 +0.6%	$36,000 +0.6%	$40,500 +0.5%	$44,950 +0.4%	$48,550 +0.4%	$52,150 +0.4%	$55,750 +0.5%	$59,350 +0.4%
Low income (80%)	$50,350 +0.4%	$57,550 +0.4%	$64,750 +0.5%	$71,900 +0.4%	$77,700 +0.5%	$83,450 +0.4%	$89,200 +0.5%	$94,950 +0.4%

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.