Ulster County, NY: 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).

$1,8782-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$1,4361-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$93,85080% income limit, family of 4 (FY2026)

$117,300Median family income (FY2026)

The FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit in Ulster County is $1,878 a month, up 3.3% from $1,818 in FY2026. Ulster County belongs to the Kingston, NY 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 Ulster County by bedroom count

Unit size	FY2027 FMR	FY2026 FMR	Change	Payment standard range (90–110%)
Studio	$1,308	$1,303	+0.4%	$1,178 – $1,438
1 bedroom	$1,436	$1,386	+3.6%	$1,293 – $1,579
2 bedrooms	$1,878	$1,818	+3.3%	$1,691 – $2,065
3 bedrooms	$2,282	$2,245	+1.6%	$2,054 – $2,510
4 bedrooms	$2,468	$2,407	+2.5%	$2,222 – $2,714

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 Ulster County that is typically $1,691 to $2,065 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?

$47,196median income of renter households

$1,425Median gross rent, all units

36%Rent-to-income ratio (median rent ÷ median renter income)

57%of renter households pay 30% or more of income on rent

At the 30% rule, a renter household earning the local median of $47,196 can afford about $1,180 a month including utilities. The FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,878 is $698 (59.2%) more than that. To rent a two-bedroom at the FMR, a household needs $75,120 a year under the 30% rule, or $67,608 under the common landlord rule that income must be three times the rent.

Ulster County, ACS 2020–2024	Estimate ± MOE
Median gross rent (rent + utilities)	$1,425 ±$48
Median income of renter households	$47,196 ±$3,143
Renters paying 30% or more of income (cost-burdened)	57.2% ±3.1
Renters paying 50% or more (severely cost-burdened)	33.4% ±2.9
Renter households (where the share can be computed)	20,157

Change since 2015–2019

	ACS 2015–2019	ACS 2020–2024	Change
Median gross rent	$1,112	$1,425	+28.1%
Median renter household income	$36,324	$47,196	+29.9%
Renters paying 30%+ of income	57.2%	57.2%	+0.0 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 $1,640 to $2,820 depending on the ZIP code.

All 69 ZIP codes in this FMR area

ZIP	0 BR	1 BR	2 BR	3 BR	4 BR
12401	$1,410	$1,550	$2,030	$2,470	$2,670
12402	$1,310	$1,440	$1,880	$2,280	$2,470
12404	$1,180	$1,250	$1,640	$2,030	$2,170
12406	$1,180	$1,250	$1,640	$2,030	$2,170
12409	$1,320	$1,440	$1,880	$2,280	$2,470
12410	$1,310	$1,440	$1,880	$2,280	$2,470
12411	$1,310	$1,440	$1,890	$2,290	$2,480
12412	$1,600	$1,760	$2,290	$2,790	$3,020
12414	$1,180	$1,250	$1,640	$2,030	$2,220
12416	$1,310	$1,440	$1,880	$2,280	$2,470
12417	$1,520	$1,670	$2,180	$2,650	$2,870
12419	$1,360	$1,500	$1,960	$2,380	$2,580
12420	$1,230	$1,350	$1,760	$2,170	$2,320
12428	$1,180	$1,250	$1,640	$2,030	$2,170
12429	$1,390	$1,530	$2,000	$2,430	$2,630
12432	$1,180	$1,290	$1,690	$2,050	$2,220
12433	$1,650	$1,810	$2,370	$2,880	$3,110
12435	$1,180	$1,250	$1,640	$2,030	$2,170
12440	$1,310	$1,430	$1,870	$2,270	$2,460
12441	$1,310	$1,440	$1,880	$2,280	$2,470
12443	$1,180	$1,270	$1,660	$2,030	$2,180
12446	$1,180	$1,270	$1,660	$2,030	$2,180
12448	$1,310	$1,440	$1,880	$2,280	$2,470
12449	$1,580	$1,740	$2,270	$2,760	$2,980
12453	$1,180	$1,290	$1,690	$2,050	$2,220
12455	$1,180	$1,250	$1,640	$2,030	$2,170
12456	$1,180	$1,290	$1,690	$2,050	$2,220
12457	$1,430	$1,570	$2,050	$2,490	$2,690
12458	$1,180	$1,250	$1,640	$2,030	$2,170
12461	$1,920	$2,110	$2,760	$3,350	$3,630
12463	$1,180	$1,250	$1,640	$2,030	$2,170
12464	$1,180	$1,250	$1,640	$2,030	$2,170
12465	$1,310	$1,440	$1,880	$2,280	$2,470
12466	$1,620	$1,780	$2,330	$2,830	$3,060
12471	$1,440	$1,580	$2,070	$2,510	$2,720
12472	$1,180	$1,250	$1,640	$2,030	$2,170
12475	$1,440	$1,470	$1,930	$2,370	$2,580
12477	$1,180	$1,290	$1,690	$2,050	$2,220
12480	$1,180	$1,250	$1,640	$2,030	$2,170
12481	$1,960	$2,160	$2,820	$3,430	$3,710
12483	$1,180	$1,250	$1,640	$2,030	$2,170
12484	$1,390	$1,530	$2,000	$2,420	$2,620
12486	$1,540	$1,630	$2,150	$2,650	$2,840
12487	$1,390	$1,530	$2,000	$2,430	$2,630
12489	$1,180	$1,250	$1,640	$2,030	$2,170
12490	$1,310	$1,440	$1,880	$2,280	$2,470
12491	$1,310	$1,440	$1,880	$2,280	$2,470
12493	$1,520	$1,660	$2,180	$2,640	$2,860
12494	$1,600	$1,750	$2,280	$2,800	$3,020
12495	$1,310	$1,440	$1,880	$2,280	$2,470
12498	$1,600	$1,760	$2,300	$2,800	$3,020
12515	$1,180	$1,250	$1,640	$2,030	$2,170
12525	$1,480	$1,620	$2,120	$2,580	$2,790
12528	$1,530	$1,670	$2,190	$2,660	$2,880
12542	$1,630	$1,800	$2,350	$2,860	$3,090
12547	$1,890	$2,070	$2,710	$3,290	$3,560
12548	$1,350	$1,440	$1,890	$2,330	$2,500
12561	$1,500	$1,640	$2,150	$2,610	$2,830
12566	$1,410	$1,560	$2,010	$2,510	$2,670
12568	$1,310	$1,440	$1,880	$2,280	$2,470
12586	$1,430	$1,600	$2,050	$2,580	$2,720
12588	$1,310	$1,440	$1,880	$2,280	$2,470
12589	$1,230	$1,400	$1,790	$2,260	$2,430
12725	$1,260	$1,370	$1,790	$2,210	$2,370
12740	$1,180	$1,250	$1,640	$2,030	$2,170
12758	$1,180	$1,250	$1,640	$2,030	$2,170
12763	$1,350	$1,440	$1,760	$2,440	$2,550
12789	$1,180	$1,250	$1,640	$2,030	$2,170
13731	$1,180	$1,250	$1,640	$2,030	$2,170

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

HUD income limits for Ulster County (FY2026)

Income limits decide who qualifies for Section 8 vouchers, public housing and most HUD-assisted units. The area median family income is $117,300 (FY2025: $119,800, −2.1%). 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%)	$24,650 −2.2%	$28,200 −2.1%	$31,700 −2.2%	$35,200 −2.1%	$38,680 −0.4%	$44,360 +2.8%	$50,040 +2.9%	$55,720 +2.9%
Very low income (50%)	$41,100 −2.0%	$46,950 −2.1%	$52,800 −2.1%	$58,650 −2.1%	$63,350 −2.1%	$68,050 −2.1%	$72,750 −2.1%	$77,450 −2.1%
Low income (80%)	$65,700 −2.1%	$75,100 −2.1%	$84,500 −2.1%	$93,850 −2.1%	$101,400 −2.1%	$108,900 −2.1%	$116,400 −2.1%	$123,900 −2.1%

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.