Pottawattamie County, IA: 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).

$1,4502-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$1,2191-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$91,20080% income limit, family of 4 (FY2026)

$114,000Median family income (FY2026)

The FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit in Pottawattamie County is $1,450 a month, up 6.0% from $1,368 in FY2026. Pottawattamie County belongs to the Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA 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 Pottawattamie County by bedroom count

Unit size	FY2027 FMR	FY2026 FMR	Change	Payment standard range (90–110%)
Studio	$1,167	$1,090	+7.1%	$1,051 – $1,283
1 bedroom	$1,219	$1,148	+6.2%	$1,098 – $1,340
2 bedrooms	$1,450	$1,368	+6.0%	$1,305 – $1,595
3 bedrooms	$1,924	$1,813	+6.1%	$1,732 – $2,116
4 bedrooms	$2,179	$2,046	+6.5%	$1,962 – $2,396

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 Pottawattamie County that is typically $1,305 to $1,595 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?

$42,408median income of renter households

$1,018Median gross rent, all units

29%Rent-to-income ratio (median rent ÷ median renter income)

45%of renter households pay 30% or more of income on rent

At the 30% rule, a renter household earning the local median of $42,408 can afford about $1,060 a month including utilities. The FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,450 is $390 (36.8%) more than that. To rent a two-bedroom at the FMR, a household needs $58,000 a year under the 30% rule, or $52,200 under the common landlord rule that income must be three times the rent.

Pottawattamie County, ACS 2020–2024	Estimate ± MOE
Median gross rent (rent + utilities)	$1,018 ±$33
Median income of renter households	$42,408 ±$3,093
Renters paying 30% or more of income (cost-burdened)	44.8% ±4.0
Renters paying 50% or more (severely cost-burdened)	22.0% ±3.2
Renter households (where the share can be computed)	10,284

Change since 2015–2019

	ACS 2015–2019	ACS 2020–2024	Change
Median gross rent	$842	$1,018	+20.9%
Median renter household income	$35,845	$42,408	+18.3%
Renters paying 30%+ of income	44.1%	44.8%	+0.7 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 $1,010 to $2,180 depending on the ZIP code.

All 134 ZIP codes in this FMR area

ZIP	0 BR	1 BR	2 BR	3 BR	4 BR
51501	$1,050	$1,100	$1,310	$1,740	$1,970
51503	$990	$1,030	$1,230	$1,630	$1,850
51510	$1,180	$1,230	$1,460	$1,940	$2,190
51521	$860	$900	$1,070	$1,410	$1,590
51523	$750	$820	$1,020	$1,320	$1,570
51525	$820	$850	$1,010	$1,360	$1,530
51526	$990	$1,030	$1,230	$1,630	$1,840
51529	$860	$910	$1,090	$1,450	$1,620
51532	$750	$930	$1,010	$1,400	$1,520
51533	$1,040	$1,120	$1,310	$1,750	$1,970
51534	$880	$920	$1,090	$1,450	$1,640
51535	$830	$870	$1,090	$1,500	$1,770
51536	$850	$890	$1,060	$1,410	$1,590
51540	$930	$980	$1,160	$1,540	$1,740
51541	$890	$960	$1,120	$1,510	$1,700
51542	$880	$910	$1,090	$1,440	$1,640
51544	$770	$810	$1,010	$1,400	$1,650
51545	$820	$870	$1,050	$1,390	$1,560
51546	$880	$920	$1,090	$1,450	$1,640
51548	$970	$1,010	$1,200	$1,590	$1,800
51549	$820	$850	$1,010	$1,360	$1,530
51550	$870	$900	$1,070	$1,420	$1,610
51551	$890	$930	$1,110	$1,470	$1,670
51552	$750	$820	$1,010	$1,400	$1,610
51553	$820	$850	$1,010	$1,360	$1,530
51554	$890	$930	$1,110	$1,470	$1,670
51555	$850	$880	$1,050	$1,390	$1,580
51556	$1,160	$1,210	$1,440	$1,910	$2,160
51557	$910	$950	$1,130	$1,500	$1,700
51558	$770	$800	$1,010	$1,300	$1,650
51559	$950	$990	$1,180	$1,570	$1,770
51560	$920	$960	$1,140	$1,510	$1,710
51561	$950	$1,000	$1,190	$1,580	$1,780
51562	$770	$890	$1,010	$1,340	$1,410
51563	$1,010	$1,050	$1,250	$1,660	$1,880
51564	$820	$850	$1,010	$1,360	$1,530
51565	$770	$900	$1,010	$1,340	$1,390
51566	$750	$930	$1,010	$1,400	$1,520
51570	$770	$900	$1,010	$1,340	$1,390
51571	$950	$990	$1,180	$1,560	$1,770
51575	$1,080	$1,130	$1,340	$1,780	$2,010
51576	$940	$980	$1,170	$1,550	$1,760
51577	$820	$860	$1,020	$1,350	$1,530
51579	$880	$920	$1,090	$1,450	$1,640
51645	$830	$860	$1,090	$1,460	$1,560
51649	$960	$990	$1,290	$1,790	$1,840
51653	$910	$940	$1,190	$1,620	$1,720
68002	$990	$1,030	$1,230	$1,630	$1,850
68003	$900	$980	$1,120	$1,490	$1,790
68005	$1,070	$1,120	$1,330	$1,760	$2,000
68007	$1,430	$1,500	$1,780	$2,360	$2,670
68008	$970	$1,010	$1,200	$1,590	$1,800
68010	$1,170	$1,230	$1,460	$1,930	$2,190
68016	$1,130	$1,180	$1,410	$1,870	$2,110
68019	$780	$900	$1,060	$1,410	$1,500
68022	$1,390	$1,450	$1,730	$2,300	$2,600
68023	$980	$1,030	$1,220	$1,620	$1,830
68025	$900	$950	$1,230	$1,480	$1,670
68028	$1,470	$1,540	$1,830	$2,430	$2,750
68029	$1,000	$1,060	$1,260	$1,670	$1,860
68031	$770	$810	$1,060	$1,270	$1,420
68034	$1,090	$1,140	$1,360	$1,800	$2,040
68037	$1,090	$1,140	$1,360	$1,800	$2,040
68044	$880	$930	$1,200	$1,450	$1,630
68046	$1,260	$1,310	$1,560	$2,070	$2,340
68048	$980	$1,030	$1,220	$1,620	$1,830
68056	$1,290	$1,350	$1,600	$2,120	$2,400
68058	$950	$990	$1,180	$1,570	$1,770
68059	$1,290	$1,350	$1,600	$2,120	$2,400
68064	$1,000	$1,040	$1,240	$1,640	$1,870
68068	$1,340	$1,400	$1,670	$2,210	$2,500
68069	$1,240	$1,290	$1,540	$2,040	$2,310
68101	$1,180	$1,230	$1,460	$1,940	$2,190
68102	$1,440	$1,510	$1,790	$2,370	$2,690
68103	$1,180	$1,230	$1,460	$1,940	$2,190
68104	$1,090	$1,140	$1,360	$1,800	$2,040
68105	$1,080	$1,130	$1,340	$1,780	$2,010
68106	$1,280	$1,340	$1,590	$2,110	$2,390
68107	$1,090	$1,140	$1,350	$1,790	$2,030
68108	$1,170	$1,220	$1,450	$1,920	$2,180
68109	$1,180	$1,230	$1,460	$1,940	$2,190
68110	$960	$1,000	$1,190	$1,580	$1,790
68111	$1,020	$1,070	$1,270	$1,680	$1,910
68112	$1,180	$1,240	$1,470	$1,950	$2,210
68113	$1,470	$1,530	$1,820	$2,410	$2,730
68114	$1,310	$1,370	$1,630	$2,160	$2,450
68116	$1,430	$1,490	$1,770	$2,350	$2,660
68117	$1,330	$1,390	$1,650	$2,190	$2,480
68118	$1,760	$1,830	$2,180	$2,890	$3,280
68122	$1,290	$1,350	$1,600	$2,120	$2,400
68123	$1,330	$1,390	$1,650	$2,190	$2,480
68124	$1,220	$1,270	$1,510	$2,000	$2,270
68127	$1,160	$1,210	$1,440	$1,910	$2,160
68128	$1,260	$1,310	$1,560	$2,070	$2,340
68130	$1,550	$1,610	$1,920	$2,550	$2,890
68131	$1,130	$1,180	$1,400	$1,860	$2,100
68132	$1,000	$1,040	$1,240	$1,650	$1,860
68133	$1,330	$1,390	$1,650	$2,190	$2,480
68134	$1,150	$1,200	$1,430	$1,900	$2,150
68135	$1,760	$1,830	$2,180	$2,890	$3,280
68136	$1,650	$1,720	$2,050	$2,720	$3,080
68137	$1,390	$1,450	$1,730	$2,300	$2,600
68138	$1,150	$1,200	$1,430	$1,900	$2,150
68139	$1,180	$1,230	$1,460	$1,940	$2,190
68142	$1,760	$1,830	$2,180	$2,890	$3,280
68144	$1,130	$1,180	$1,400	$1,860	$2,100
68145	$1,180	$1,230	$1,460	$1,940	$2,190
68147	$1,220	$1,280	$1,520	$2,020	$2,280
68152	$1,040	$1,080	$1,290	$1,710	$1,940
68154	$1,180	$1,240	$1,470	$1,950	$2,210
68157	$1,410	$1,470	$1,750	$2,320	$2,630
68164	$1,320	$1,380	$1,640	$2,180	$2,460
68175	$1,180	$1,230	$1,460	$1,940	$2,190
68178	$950	$990	$1,180	$1,570	$1,770
68179	$1,180	$1,230	$1,460	$1,940	$2,190
68182	$1,130	$1,180	$1,410	$1,870	$2,110
68183	$1,180	$1,230	$1,460	$1,940	$2,190
68197	$1,180	$1,230	$1,460	$1,940	$2,190
68198	$1,180	$1,230	$1,460	$1,940	$2,190
68304	$950	$990	$1,190	$1,590	$1,790
68307	$900	$940	$1,120	$1,480	$1,670
68347	$830	$870	$1,060	$1,400	$1,550
68349	$820	$850	$1,010	$1,360	$1,530
68366	$1,120	$1,180	$1,400	$1,870	$2,120
68403	$960	$1,000	$1,190	$1,580	$1,790
68407	$960	$1,000	$1,190	$1,580	$1,790
68409	$1,160	$1,210	$1,440	$1,910	$2,160
68413	$1,130	$1,180	$1,430	$1,900	$2,110
68418	$1,130	$1,190	$1,560	$2,050	$2,120
68454	$940	$990	$1,280	$1,690	$1,760
68455	$1,600	$1,670	$2,000	$2,650	$2,990
68462	$930	$990	$1,210	$1,680	$1,880
68463	$930	$970	$1,150	$1,530	$1,730
68527	$1,030	$1,100	$1,340	$1,840	$2,060

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

HUD income limits for Pottawattamie County (FY2026)

Income limits decide who qualifies for Section 8 vouchers, public housing and most HUD-assisted units. The area median family income is $114,000 (FY2025: $113,700, +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%)	$23,950 +0.2%	$27,400 +0.4%	$30,800 +0.3%	$34,200 +0.3%	$38,680 +2.7%	$44,360 +2.8%	$50,040 +2.9%	$55,720 +2.9%
Very low income (50%)	$39,900 +0.3%	$45,600 +0.2%	$51,300 +0.2%	$57,000 +0.3%	$61,600 +0.3%	$66,150 +0.3%	$70,700 +0.3%	$75,250 +0.3%
Low income (80%)	$63,850 +0.2%	$73,000 +0.3%	$82,100 +0.2%	$91,200 +0.3%	$98,500 +0.3%	$105,800 +0.2%	$113,100 +0.3%	$120,400 +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.