Starke 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).

$1,0142-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$7751-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$67,85080% income limit, family of 4 (FY2026)

$78,700Median family income (FY2026)

The FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit in Starke County is $1,014 a month, up 6.1% from $956 in FY2026. Starke County belongs to the Starke County, IN FMR area (non-metro county), 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 Starke County by bedroom count

Unit size	FY2027 FMR	FY2026 FMR	Change	Payment standard range (90–110%)
Studio	$759	$685	+10.8%	$684 – $834
1 bedroom	$775	$729	+6.3%	$698 – $852
2 bedrooms	$1,014	$956	+6.1%	$913 – $1,115
3 bedrooms	$1,244	$1,151	+8.1%	$1,120 – $1,368
4 bedrooms	$1,579	$1,517	+4.1%	$1,422 – $1,736

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 Starke County that is typically $913 to $1,115 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?

$33,117median income of renter households

$712Median gross rent, all units

26%Rent-to-income ratio (median rent ÷ median renter income)

37%of renter households pay 30% or more of income on rent

At the 30% rule, a renter household earning the local median of $33,117 can afford about $828 a month including utilities. The FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,014 is $186 (22.5%) more than that. To rent a two-bedroom at the FMR, a household needs $40,560 a year under the 30% rule, or $36,504 under the common landlord rule that income must be three times the rent.

Starke County, ACS 2020–2024	Estimate ± MOE
Median gross rent (rent + utilities)	$712 ±$103
Median income of renter households	$33,117 ±$4,967
Renters paying 30% or more of income (cost-burdened)	36.9% ±8.4
Renters paying 50% or more (severely cost-burdened)	16.4% ±6.4
Renter households (where the share can be computed)	1,317

Change since 2015–2019

	ACS 2015–2019	ACS 2020–2024	Change
Median gross rent	$697	$712	+2.2%
Median renter household income	$34,851	$33,117	−5.0%
Renters paying 30%+ of income	41.2%	36.9%	−4.3 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.

HUD income limits for Starke County (FY2026)

Income limits decide who qualifies for Section 8 vouchers, public housing and most HUD-assisted units. The area median family income is $78,700 (FY2025: $81,000, −2.8%). 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%)	$17,850 ±0.0%	$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%)	$29,700 −0.2%	$33,950 −0.1%	$38,200 −0.1%	$42,400 −0.1%	$45,800 −0.1%	$49,200 −0.1%	$52,600 −0.1%	$56,000 −0.1%
Low income (80%)	$47,500 −0.1%	$54,300 −0.1%	$61,100 −0.1%	$67,850 −0.1%	$73,300 −0.1%	$78,750 −0.1%	$84,150 −0.1%	$89,600 −0.1%

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.