Ottawa County, KS: 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).

$9872-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$7541-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$77,50080% income limit, family of 4 (FY2026)

$96,900Median family income (FY2026)

The FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit in Ottawa County is $987 a month, up 5.8% from $933 in FY2026. Ottawa County belongs to the Ottawa County, KS 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 Ottawa County by bedroom count

Unit size	FY2027 FMR	FY2026 FMR	Change	Payment standard range (90–110%)
Studio	$726	$684	+6.1%	$654 – $798
1 bedroom	$754	$711	+6.0%	$679 – $829
2 bedrooms	$987	$933	+5.8%	$889 – $1,085
3 bedrooms	$1,310	$1,143	+14.6%	$1,179 – $1,441
4 bedrooms	$1,456	$1,357	+7.3%	$1,311 – $1,601

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 Ottawa County that is typically $889 to $1,085 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?

$40,521median income of renter households

$809Median gross rent, all units

24%Rent-to-income ratio (median rent ÷ median renter income)

44%of renter households pay 30% or more of income on rent

At the 30% rule, a renter household earning the local median of $40,521 can afford about $1,013 a month including utilities. The FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $987 is $26 (2.6%) less than that. To rent a two-bedroom at the FMR, a household needs $39,480 a year under the 30% rule, or $35,532 under the common landlord rule that income must be three times the rent.

Ottawa County, ACS 2020–2024	Estimate ± MOE
Median gross rent (rent + utilities)	$809 ±$96
Median income of renter households	$40,521 ±$16,057
Renters paying 30% or more of income (cost-burdened)	44.4% ±11.0
Renters paying 50% or more (severely cost-burdened)	26.6% ±9.5
Renter households (where the share can be computed)	455

Change since 2015–2019

	ACS 2015–2019	ACS 2020–2024	Change
Median gross rent	$662	$809	+22.2%
Median renter household income	$34,844	$40,521	+16.3%
Renters paying 30%+ of income	40.6%	44.4%	+3.8 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.

HUD income limits for Ottawa County (FY2026)

Income limits decide who qualifies for Section 8 vouchers, public housing and most HUD-assisted units. The area median family income is $96,900 (FY2025: $96,000, +0.9%). 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%)	$20,350 +0.7%	$23,250 +0.9%	$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%)	$33,950 +1.0%	$38,800 +1.0%	$43,650 +1.0%	$48,450 +0.9%	$52,350 +1.0%	$56,250 +1.0%	$60,100 +0.9%	$64,000 +0.9%
Low income (80%)	$54,250 +0.8%	$62,000 +0.9%	$69,750 +0.9%	$77,500 +0.9%	$83,700 +0.9%	$89,900 +0.9%	$96,100 +0.9%	$102,300 +0.9%

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.