St. Joseph 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).

$1,2762-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$1,0931-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$70,50080% income limit, family of 4 (FY2026)

$88,100Median family income (FY2026)

The FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit in St. Joseph County is $1,276 a month, down 1.2% from $1,292 in FY2026. St. Joseph County belongs to the South Bend-Mishawaka, IN 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 St. Joseph County by bedroom count

Unit size	FY2027 FMR	FY2026 FMR	Change	Payment standard range (90–110%)
Studio	$937	$898	+4.3%	$844 – $1,030
1 bedroom	$1,093	$1,105	−1.1%	$984 – $1,202
2 bedrooms	$1,276	$1,292	−1.2%	$1,149 – $1,403
3 bedrooms	$1,545	$1,567	−1.4%	$1,391 – $1,699
4 bedrooms	$1,677	$1,711	−2.0%	$1,510 – $1,844

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 St. Joseph County that is typically $1,149 to $1,403 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?

$42,214median income of renter households

$1,062Median gross rent, all units

30%Rent-to-income ratio (median rent ÷ median renter income)

49%of renter households pay 30% or more of income on rent

At the 30% rule, a renter household earning the local median of $42,214 can afford about $1,055 a month including utilities. The FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,276 is $221 (20.9%) more than that. To rent a two-bedroom at the FMR, a household needs $51,040 a year under the 30% rule, or $45,936 under the common landlord rule that income must be three times the rent.

St. Joseph County, ACS 2020–2024	Estimate ± MOE
Median gross rent (rent + utilities)	$1,062 ±$22
Median income of renter households	$42,214 ±$2,546
Renters paying 30% or more of income (cost-burdened)	49.1% ±2.5
Renters paying 50% or more (severely cost-burdened)	24.5% ±1.8
Renter households (where the share can be computed)	31,404

Change since 2015–2019

	ACS 2015–2019	ACS 2020–2024	Change
Median gross rent	$793	$1,062	+33.9%
Median renter household income	$30,374	$42,214	+39.0%
Renters paying 30%+ of income	46.8%	49.1%	+2.3 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 $1,170 to $1,910 depending on the ZIP code.

All 30 ZIP codes in this FMR area

ZIP	0 BR	1 BR	2 BR	3 BR	4 BR
46506	$810	$1,000	$1,170	$1,420	$1,540
46517	$890	$1,000	$1,170	$1,460	$1,550
46530	$1,410	$1,630	$1,910	$2,320	$2,520
46536	$810	$1,000	$1,170	$1,420	$1,540
46544	$910	$1,060	$1,240	$1,500	$1,630
46545	$990	$1,160	$1,350	$1,630	$1,770
46546	$940	$1,100	$1,280	$1,550	$1,680
46550	$880	$1,000	$1,170	$1,420	$1,540
46552	$940	$1,060	$1,260	$1,530	$1,700
46554	$840	$1,000	$1,170	$1,420	$1,540
46556	$960	$1,170	$1,370	$1,670	$1,820
46561	$1,060	$1,210	$1,420	$1,740	$1,880
46563	$830	$1,000	$1,170	$1,420	$1,540
46573	$1,020	$1,080	$1,290	$1,680	$1,780
46574	$810	$1,000	$1,170	$1,420	$1,540
46595	$940	$1,100	$1,280	$1,550	$1,680
46601	$810	$1,000	$1,170	$1,420	$1,540
46613	$900	$1,050	$1,220	$1,480	$1,600
46614	$810	$1,000	$1,170	$1,420	$1,540
46615	$870	$1,010	$1,180	$1,430	$1,550
46616	$940	$1,100	$1,280	$1,550	$1,680
46617	$1,300	$1,520	$1,770	$2,140	$2,330
46619	$870	$1,020	$1,190	$1,440	$1,560
46624	$890	$1,040	$1,210	$1,460	$1,590
46628	$960	$1,120	$1,310	$1,590	$1,720
46634	$940	$1,100	$1,280	$1,550	$1,680
46635	$850	$1,000	$1,170	$1,420	$1,540
46637	$1,040	$1,220	$1,420	$1,720	$1,870
46660	$940	$1,100	$1,280	$1,550	$1,680
46680	$940	$1,100	$1,280	$1,550	$1,680

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

HUD income limits for St. Joseph County (FY2026)

Income limits decide who qualifies for Section 8 vouchers, public housing and most HUD-assisted units. The area median family income is $88,100 (FY2025: $88,000, +0.1%). 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%)	$18,550 +0.3%	$21,640 +2.3%	$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%)	$30,850 +0.2%	$35,250 +0.1%	$39,650 +0.1%	$44,050 +0.1%	$47,600 +0.1%	$51,100 +0.1%	$54,650 +0.1%	$58,150 +0.1%
Low income (80%)	$49,350 +0.1%	$56,400 +0.1%	$63,450 +0.1%	$70,500 +0.1%	$76,150 +0.1%	$81,800 +0.1%	$87,450 +0.2%	$93,100 +0.2%

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.