Belmont County, OH: 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).

$1,0092-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$8221-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$63,10080% income limit, family of 4 (FY2026)

$78,900Median family income (FY2026)

The FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit in Belmont County is $1,009 a month, up 1.8% from $991 in FY2026. Belmont County belongs to the Wheeling, WV-OH 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 Belmont County by bedroom count

Unit size	FY2027 FMR	FY2026 FMR	Change	Payment standard range (90–110%)
Studio	$703	$683	+2.9%	$633 – $773
1 bedroom	$822	$816	+0.7%	$740 – $904
2 bedrooms	$1,009	$991	+1.8%	$909 – $1,109
3 bedrooms	$1,300	$1,277	+1.8%	$1,170 – $1,430
4 bedrooms	$1,436	$1,413	+1.6%	$1,293 – $1,579

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 Belmont County that is typically $909 to $1,109 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?

$29,878median income of renter households

$793Median gross rent, all units

32%Rent-to-income ratio (median rent ÷ median renter income)

47%of renter households pay 30% or more of income on rent

At the 30% rule, a renter household earning the local median of $29,878 can afford about $747 a month including utilities. The FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,009 is $262 (35.1%) more than that. To rent a two-bedroom at the FMR, a household needs $40,360 a year under the 30% rule, or $36,324 under the common landlord rule that income must be three times the rent.

Belmont County, ACS 2020–2024	Estimate ± MOE
Median gross rent (rent + utilities)	$793 ±$34
Median income of renter households	$29,878 ±$3,462
Renters paying 30% or more of income (cost-burdened)	46.8% ±4.7
Renters paying 50% or more (severely cost-burdened)	23.7% ±3.8
Renter households (where the share can be computed)	5,762

Change since 2015–2019

	ACS 2015–2019	ACS 2020–2024	Change
Median gross rent	$629	$793	+26.1%
Median renter household income	$28,555	$29,878	+4.6%
Renters paying 30%+ of income	38.9%	46.8%	+7.9 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 $1,000 to $1,330 depending on the ZIP code.

All 49 ZIP codes in this FMR area

ZIP	0 BR	1 BR	2 BR	3 BR	4 BR
26003	$770	$900	$1,100	$1,420	$1,570
26031	$700	$820	$1,000	$1,290	$1,430
26032	$760	$770	$1,000	$1,290	$1,500
26033	$770	$850	$1,040	$1,330	$1,430
26036	$860	$960	$1,180	$1,510	$1,660
26038	$730	$860	$1,050	$1,350	$1,490
26039	$730	$850	$1,030	$1,330	$1,460
26040	$700	$820	$1,000	$1,290	$1,430
26041	$720	$850	$1,040	$1,340	$1,480
26055	$740	$830	$1,010	$1,320	$1,390
26059	$740	$860	$1,060	$1,370	$1,510
26060	$810	$940	$1,160	$1,490	$1,650
26070	$770	$770	$1,000	$1,290	$1,510
26074	$810	$970	$1,170	$1,500	$1,690
26155	$750	$840	$1,000	$1,310	$1,360
43713	$700	$820	$1,000	$1,290	$1,430
43716	$780	$810	$1,050	$1,370	$1,400
43718	$930	$1,080	$1,330	$1,710	$1,890
43719	$700	$820	$1,000	$1,290	$1,430
43747	$730	$790	$1,000	$1,300	$1,370
43759	$780	$910	$1,120	$1,440	$1,590
43773	$830	$840	$1,090	$1,450	$1,670
43901	$890	$920	$1,180	$1,530	$1,730
43902	$820	$890	$1,130	$1,460	$1,540
43905	$740	$870	$1,070	$1,380	$1,530
43906	$700	$820	$1,000	$1,290	$1,430
43909	$710	$830	$1,010	$1,300	$1,440
43912	$700	$820	$1,000	$1,290	$1,430
43916	$700	$820	$1,000	$1,290	$1,430
43917	$760	$790	$1,010	$1,300	$1,510
43927	$700	$820	$1,000	$1,290	$1,430
43928	$800	$940	$1,160	$1,490	$1,650
43933	$770	$900	$1,100	$1,420	$1,570
43934	$700	$820	$1,000	$1,290	$1,430
43935	$700	$820	$1,000	$1,290	$1,430
43937	$700	$820	$1,000	$1,290	$1,430
43940	$700	$820	$1,000	$1,290	$1,430
43942	$700	$810	$1,000	$1,290	$1,420
43943	$770	$770	$1,000	$1,290	$1,510
43947	$700	$820	$1,000	$1,290	$1,430
43950	$770	$900	$1,110	$1,430	$1,580
43951	$790	$920	$1,140	$1,470	$1,620
43967	$870	$1,010	$1,250	$1,610	$1,770
43971	$740	$790	$1,000	$1,290	$1,470
43972	$770	$900	$1,110	$1,430	$1,580
43973	$810	$820	$1,070	$1,430	$1,530
43977	$820	$950	$1,170	$1,510	$1,670
43983	$790	$880	$1,100	$1,440	$1,570
43985	$820	$950	$1,170	$1,510	$1,670

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

HUD income limits for Belmont County (FY2026)

Income limits decide who qualifies for Section 8 vouchers, public housing and most HUD-assisted units. The area median family income is $78,900 (FY2025: $82,100, −3.9%). 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%)	$16,600 −4.0%	$21,640 +2.3%	$27,320 +2.5%	$33,000 +2.6%	$38,680 +2.7%	$44,360 +2.8%	$48,950 +0.6%	$52,100 −3.8%
Very low income (50%)	$27,650 −3.8%	$31,600 −3.8%	$35,550 −3.8%	$39,450 −3.9%	$42,650 −3.8%	$45,800 −3.9%	$48,950 −3.9%	$52,100 −3.9%
Low income (80%)	$44,200 −3.9%	$50,500 −4.0%	$56,800 −4.0%	$63,100 −4.0%	$68,150 −4.0%	$73,200 −4.0%	$78,250 −4.0%	$83,300 −4.0%

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.