Gaston County, NC: 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).

$1,7852-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$1,6401-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$93,90080% income limit, family of 4 (FY2026)

$117,400Median family income (FY2026)

The FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit in Gaston County is $1,785 a month, up 5.9% from $1,686 in FY2026. Gaston County belongs to the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC 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 Gaston County by bedroom count

Unit size	FY2027 FMR	FY2026 FMR	Change	Payment standard range (90–110%)
Studio	$1,574	$1,469	+7.1%	$1,417 – $1,731
1 bedroom	$1,640	$1,538	+6.6%	$1,476 – $1,804
2 bedrooms	$1,785	$1,686	+5.9%	$1,607 – $1,963
3 bedrooms	$2,179	$2,076	+5.0%	$1,962 – $2,396
4 bedrooms	$2,773	$2,637	+5.2%	$2,496 – $3,050

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 Gaston County that is typically $1,607 to $1,963 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?

$46,859median income of renter households

$1,153Median gross rent, all units

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

51%of renter households pay 30% or more of income on rent

At the 30% rule, a renter household earning the local median of $46,859 can afford about $1,171 a month including utilities. The FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,785 is $614 (52.4%) more than that. To rent a two-bedroom at the FMR, a household needs $71,400 a year under the 30% rule, or $64,260 under the common landlord rule that income must be three times the rent.

Gaston County, ACS 2020–2024	Estimate ± MOE
Median gross rent (rent + utilities)	$1,153 ±$22
Median income of renter households	$46,859 ±$2,637
Renters paying 30% or more of income (cost-burdened)	50.6% ±3.0
Renters paying 50% or more (severely cost-burdened)	26.8% ±2.2
Renter households (where the share can be computed)	28,747

Change since 2015–2019

	ACS 2015–2019	ACS 2020–2024	Change
Median gross rent	$832	$1,153	+38.6%
Median renter household income	$33,456	$46,859	+40.1%
Renters paying 30%+ of income	45.2%	50.6%	+5.4 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 $2,680 depending on the ZIP code.

All 129 ZIP codes in this FMR area

ZIP	0 BR	1 BR	2 BR	3 BR	4 BR
28006	$1,160	$1,200	$1,310	$1,730	$2,130
28012	$1,410	$1,470	$1,600	$1,950	$2,490
28016	$940	$980	$1,070	$1,310	$1,660
28021	$980	$1,020	$1,120	$1,430	$1,730
28025	$1,340	$1,400	$1,520	$1,860	$2,360
28026	$1,440	$1,500	$1,630	$1,990	$2,530
28027	$1,580	$1,640	$1,790	$2,190	$2,780
28031	$1,760	$1,840	$2,000	$2,440	$3,110
28032	$1,140	$1,190	$1,290	$1,570	$2,000
28033	$940	$970	$1,060	$1,410	$1,730
28034	$940	$980	$1,070	$1,310	$1,660
28035	$1,670	$1,740	$1,890	$2,310	$2,940
28036	$1,800	$1,880	$2,040	$2,510	$3,190
28052	$1,150	$1,190	$1,300	$1,590	$2,020
28053	$1,190	$1,240	$1,350	$1,650	$2,100
28054	$1,340	$1,400	$1,520	$1,860	$2,360
28055	$1,190	$1,240	$1,350	$1,650	$2,100
28056	$1,230	$1,280	$1,390	$1,700	$2,160
28070	$1,670	$1,740	$1,890	$2,310	$2,940
28071	$900	$930	$1,120	$1,420	$1,820
28075	$2,360	$2,460	$2,680	$3,270	$4,160
28077	$950	$990	$1,080	$1,410	$1,740
28078	$1,900	$1,980	$2,150	$2,620	$3,340
28079	$2,080	$2,170	$2,360	$2,880	$3,670
28080	$1,170	$1,220	$1,330	$1,840	$2,220
28081	$1,130	$1,170	$1,350	$1,670	$2,160
28082	$1,440	$1,500	$1,630	$1,990	$2,530
28083	$1,220	$1,260	$1,420	$1,750	$2,250
28086	$900	$910	$1,050	$1,430	$1,510
28092	$960	$1,000	$1,090	$1,510	$1,820
28097	$780	$790	$1,020	$1,380	$1,470
28098	$1,420	$1,480	$1,610	$1,970	$2,500
28101	$1,310	$1,370	$1,490	$1,820	$2,310
28103	$1,150	$1,190	$1,300	$1,590	$2,020
28104	$1,900	$1,980	$2,150	$2,620	$3,340
28105	$1,740	$1,810	$1,970	$2,410	$3,060
28106	$1,670	$1,740	$1,890	$2,310	$2,940
28107	$1,260	$1,310	$1,440	$1,760	$2,230
28108	$1,740	$1,810	$1,970	$2,410	$3,060
28110	$1,430	$1,490	$1,620	$1,980	$2,520
28111	$1,550	$1,620	$1,760	$2,150	$2,730
28112	$1,200	$1,250	$1,360	$1,660	$2,110
28120	$1,290	$1,340	$1,460	$1,780	$2,270
28124	$1,180	$1,230	$1,360	$1,670	$2,090
28126	$1,670	$1,740	$1,890	$2,310	$2,940
28130	$1,670	$1,740	$1,890	$2,310	$2,940
28133	$1,030	$1,050	$1,250	$1,520	$1,900
28134	$1,770	$1,850	$2,010	$2,450	$3,120
28135	$1,030	$1,030	$1,320	$1,570	$1,980
28138	$990	$1,010	$1,250	$1,580	$2,070
28164	$1,190	$1,240	$1,350	$1,720	$2,150
28173	$1,860	$1,940	$2,110	$2,580	$3,280
28174	$1,170	$1,220	$1,330	$1,620	$2,070
28202	$2,360	$2,460	$2,680	$3,270	$4,160
28203	$2,360	$2,460	$2,680	$3,270	$4,160
28204	$2,100	$2,190	$2,380	$2,910	$3,700
28205	$1,480	$1,540	$1,680	$2,050	$2,610
28206	$1,390	$1,450	$1,580	$1,930	$2,450
28207	$1,730	$1,800	$1,960	$2,390	$3,040
28208	$1,320	$1,380	$1,500	$1,830	$2,330
28209	$1,700	$1,770	$1,930	$2,360	$3,000
28210	$1,710	$1,780	$1,940	$2,370	$3,010
28211	$1,840	$1,920	$2,090	$2,550	$3,250
28212	$1,540	$1,610	$1,750	$2,140	$2,720
28213	$1,450	$1,520	$1,650	$2,010	$2,560
28214	$1,710	$1,780	$1,940	$2,370	$3,010
28215	$1,680	$1,750	$1,910	$2,330	$2,970
28216	$1,620	$1,690	$1,840	$2,250	$2,860
28217	$1,790	$1,860	$2,030	$2,480	$3,150
28219	$1,670	$1,740	$1,890	$2,310	$2,940
28220	$1,670	$1,740	$1,890	$2,310	$2,940
28221	$1,670	$1,740	$1,890	$2,310	$2,940
28222	$1,670	$1,740	$1,890	$2,310	$2,940
28223	$1,690	$1,760	$1,920	$2,340	$2,980
28224	$1,670	$1,740	$1,890	$2,310	$2,940
28226	$1,610	$1,680	$1,830	$2,230	$2,840
28227	$1,560	$1,630	$1,770	$2,160	$2,750
28228	$1,670	$1,740	$1,890	$2,310	$2,940
28229	$1,670	$1,740	$1,890	$2,310	$2,940
28230	$1,670	$1,740	$1,890	$2,310	$2,940
28231	$1,670	$1,740	$1,890	$2,310	$2,940
28232	$1,670	$1,740	$1,890	$2,310	$2,940
28233	$1,670	$1,740	$1,890	$2,310	$2,940
28234	$1,670	$1,740	$1,890	$2,310	$2,940
28235	$1,670	$1,740	$1,890	$2,310	$2,940
28236	$1,670	$1,740	$1,890	$2,310	$2,940
28237	$1,670	$1,740	$1,890	$2,310	$2,940
28241	$1,670	$1,740	$1,890	$2,310	$2,940
28244	$1,670	$1,740	$1,890	$2,310	$2,940
28246	$1,670	$1,740	$1,890	$2,310	$2,940
28247	$1,670	$1,740	$1,890	$2,310	$2,940
28254	$1,670	$1,740	$1,890	$2,310	$2,940
28256	$1,670	$1,740	$1,890	$2,310	$2,940
28262	$1,820	$1,890	$2,060	$2,520	$3,200
28266	$1,670	$1,740	$1,890	$2,310	$2,940
28269	$1,820	$1,890	$2,060	$2,520	$3,200
28270	$1,830	$1,910	$2,080	$2,540	$3,230
28271	$1,670	$1,740	$1,890	$2,310	$2,940
28273	$1,940	$2,020	$2,200	$2,690	$3,420
28274	$1,730	$1,800	$1,960	$2,390	$3,040
28277	$2,060	$2,150	$2,340	$2,860	$3,630
28278	$1,870	$1,950	$2,120	$2,590	$3,290
28280	$1,670	$1,740	$1,890	$2,310	$2,940
28281	$1,670	$1,740	$1,890	$2,310	$2,940
28282	$1,670	$1,740	$1,890	$2,310	$2,940
28284	$1,670	$1,740	$1,890	$2,310	$2,940
28285	$1,670	$1,740	$1,890	$2,310	$2,940
28287	$1,670	$1,740	$1,890	$2,310	$2,940
28297	$1,670	$1,740	$1,890	$2,310	$2,940
28299	$1,670	$1,740	$1,890	$2,310	$2,940
29702	$890	$930	$1,010	$1,260	$1,570
29703	$1,420	$1,480	$1,610	$1,970	$2,500
29704	$1,180	$1,210	$1,370	$1,770	$2,140
29706	$780	$790	$1,020	$1,400	$1,470
29708	$1,710	$1,780	$1,940	$2,370	$3,010
29710	$1,550	$1,620	$1,760	$2,150	$2,730
29712	$1,210	$1,230	$1,480	$1,940	$2,210
29715	$1,660	$1,730	$1,880	$2,300	$2,920
29716	$1,420	$1,480	$1,610	$1,970	$2,500
29717	$1,160	$1,210	$1,320	$1,610	$2,050
29726	$1,050	$1,090	$1,240	$1,570	$1,890
29730	$1,360	$1,410	$1,540	$1,880	$2,390
29731	$1,420	$1,480	$1,610	$1,970	$2,500
29732	$1,380	$1,440	$1,570	$1,920	$2,440
29733	$1,370	$1,420	$1,550	$1,890	$2,400
29734	$1,420	$1,480	$1,610	$1,970	$2,500
29742	$1,170	$1,220	$1,350	$1,670	$2,080
29743	$890	$930	$1,010	$1,240	$1,570
29745	$1,050	$1,090	$1,190	$1,450	$1,850

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

HUD income limits for Gaston County (FY2026)

Income limits decide who qualifies for Section 8 vouchers, public housing and most HUD-assisted units. The area median family income is $117,400 (FY2025: $112,200, +4.6%). 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 +4.4%	$28,200 +4.6%	$31,700 +4.6%	$35,200 +4.6%	$38,680 +2.7%	$44,360 +2.8%	$50,040 +2.9%	$55,720 +2.9%
Very low income (50%)	$41,100 +4.6%	$47,000 +4.7%	$52,850 +4.7%	$58,700 +4.6%	$63,400 +4.6%	$68,100 +4.6%	$72,800 +4.6%	$77,500 +4.6%
Low income (80%)	$65,750 +4.6%	$75,150 +4.7%	$84,550 +4.6%	$93,900 +4.6%	$101,450 +4.6%	$108,950 +4.6%	$116,450 +4.6%	$123,950 +4.6%

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.