Cary, NC: Fair Market Rent by ZIP Code (FY2027)
ZIP-level rents for Cary in Wake County, effective October 1, 2026.
Data: HUD FY2027 Small Area FMRs (effective October 1, 2026), Census ACS 5-Year 2020–2024. Spot-checked against the official sources on November 5, 2026 (results). Last site change: November 10, 2026 (changelog).
Cary is in Wake County. HUD sets one Fair Market Rent for the whole Raleigh-Cary, NC area, $1,689 for two bedrooms in FY2027. Bedroom sizes, Section 8 payment standards and income limits for the county are on the Wake County fair market rent page. This page shows what differs inside Cary: the ZIP-level rents HUD publishes for metro areas and Census figures for the city itself.
Cary fair market rent by ZIP code (FY2027)
The two-bedroom Small Area FMR runs from $1,610 (ZIP 27511) to $2,140 (ZIP 27519), 27% above the area FMR. 3 of 4 ZIP codes are above the area figure, 1 below it.
| ZIP | 0 BR | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2 BR vs area FMR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27511 | $1,420 | $1,480 | $1,610 | $2,000 | $2,690 | −5% |
| 27513 | $1,620 | $1,690 | $1,840 | $2,290 | $3,080 | +9% |
| 27518 | $1,590 | $1,650 | $1,800 | $2,240 | $3,010 | +7% |
| 27519 | $1,880 | $1,960 | $2,140 | $2,660 | $3,550 | +27% |
ZIP codes with at least 30% of their land area inside Cary (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas). Mail ZIP codes and ZCTAs can differ slightly at the edges.
Source: HUD FY2027 Small Area FMRs (effective October 1, 2026, claims ledger), how SAFMRs work.
Rent in Cary compared with Wake County
The median gross rent in Cary is $1,738 a month (±$30), 7% higher than in Wake County as a whole ($1,623). Renter households in Cary earn a median $87,296 a year (±$6,256), against $65,172 county-wide. The typical rent takes 24% of the typical renter income, and 38% of renters pay 30% or more of their income on rent.
Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year 2020–2024 (tables B25064, B25119, B25070), place and county level.
Section 8 in Cary
Where the housing authority uses ZIP-level figures, the voucher payment standard is normally 90% to 110% of the ZIP's Small Area FMR: for a two-bedroom unit in Cary that is about $1,449 to $2,354 depending on the ZIP code. Otherwise the county-wide FMR applies. See payment standards and income limits for Wake County or estimate the tenant share with the Section 8 calculator.