Berks County, PA: 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).

$1,4182-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$1,1141-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$81,70080% income limit, family of 4 (FY2026)

$102,100Median family income (FY2026)

The FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit in Berks County is $1,418 a month, down 10.0% from $1,575 in FY2026. Berks County belongs to the Reading, PA 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 Berks County by bedroom count

Unit size	FY2027 FMR	FY2026 FMR	Change	Payment standard range (90–110%)
Studio	$978	$1,086	−9.9%	$881 – $1,075
1 bedroom	$1,114	$1,237	−9.9%	$1,003 – $1,225
2 bedrooms	$1,418	$1,575	−10.0%	$1,277 – $1,559
3 bedrooms	$1,744	$1,937	−10.0%	$1,570 – $1,918
4 bedrooms	$1,877	$2,085	−10.0%	$1,690 – $2,064

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 Berks County that is typically $1,277 to $1,559 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?

$45,031median income of renter households

$1,181Median gross rent, all units

31%Rent-to-income ratio (median rent ÷ median renter income)

52%of renter households pay 30% or more of income on rent

At the 30% rule, a renter household earning the local median of $45,031 can afford about $1,126 a month including utilities. The FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,418 is $292 (26.0%) more than that. To rent a two-bedroom at the FMR, a household needs $56,720 a year under the 30% rule, or $51,048 under the common landlord rule that income must be three times the rent.

Berks County, ACS 2020–2024	Estimate ± MOE
Median gross rent (rent + utilities)	$1,181 ±$20
Median income of renter households	$45,031 ±$3,579
Renters paying 30% or more of income (cost-burdened)	52.0% ±2.5
Renters paying 50% or more (severely cost-burdened)	25.8% ±1.6
Renter households (where the share can be computed)	43,774

Change since 2015–2019

	ACS 2015–2019	ACS 2020–2024	Change
Median gross rent	$939	$1,181	+25.8%
Median renter household income	$35,598	$45,031	+26.5%
Renters paying 30%+ of income	50.7%	52.0%	+1.3 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 $1,370 to $2,550 depending on the ZIP code.

All 69 ZIP codes in this FMR area

ZIP	0 BR	1 BR	2 BR	3 BR	4 BR
17026	$980	$1,120	$1,420	$1,750	$1,880
17067	$1,000	$1,120	$1,420	$1,760	$1,920
17073	$1,200	$1,300	$1,640	$2,110	$2,290
17087	$980	$1,120	$1,420	$1,750	$1,880
17555	$1,180	$1,290	$1,600	$2,000	$2,110
17569	$1,000	$1,120	$1,420	$1,790	$1,880
18011	$1,560	$1,800	$2,220	$2,760	$2,980
18031	$1,800	$2,100	$2,550	$3,190	$3,440
18041	$1,250	$1,360	$1,630	$1,940	$2,140
18056	$1,400	$1,570	$2,010	$2,450	$2,690
18062	$1,800	$2,100	$2,550	$3,190	$3,440
18070	$1,220	$1,350	$1,650	$1,990	$2,190
18092	$1,260	$1,470	$1,790	$2,230	$2,410
19464	$1,290	$1,400	$1,670	$1,990	$2,190
19501	$1,000	$1,120	$1,420	$1,790	$1,880
19503	$1,020	$1,170	$1,480	$1,820	$1,960
19504	$1,020	$1,130	$1,420	$1,710	$1,880
19505	$1,000	$1,150	$1,440	$1,780	$1,920
19506	$980	$1,120	$1,420	$1,750	$1,880
19507	$980	$1,120	$1,420	$1,750	$1,880
19508	$980	$1,120	$1,420	$1,750	$1,880
19510	$1,060	$1,210	$1,530	$1,890	$2,030
19511	$980	$1,120	$1,420	$1,750	$1,880
19512	$1,000	$1,130	$1,430	$1,760	$1,900
19516	$1,240	$1,390	$1,780	$2,170	$2,380
19518	$1,180	$1,350	$1,710	$2,110	$2,270
19519	$990	$1,120	$1,430	$1,750	$1,900
19520	$1,040	$1,130	$1,370	$1,630	$1,800
19522	$990	$1,120	$1,420	$1,750	$1,900
19523	$980	$1,120	$1,420	$1,750	$1,880
19525	$1,140	$1,240	$1,480	$1,760	$1,950
19526	$980	$1,120	$1,420	$1,750	$1,880
19529	$1,200	$1,370	$1,710	$2,110	$2,300
19530	$1,020	$1,210	$1,480	$1,880	$1,980
19533	$980	$1,120	$1,420	$1,750	$1,880
19534	$980	$1,120	$1,420	$1,750	$1,880
19535	$1,130	$1,280	$1,640	$2,010	$2,170
19536	$980	$1,120	$1,420	$1,750	$1,880
19538	$990	$1,120	$1,420	$1,750	$1,900
19539	$1,150	$1,340	$1,670	$2,080	$2,220
19540	$1,000	$1,120	$1,420	$1,790	$1,880
19541	$1,240	$1,390	$1,780	$2,170	$2,380
19543	$1,150	$1,280	$1,630	$2,000	$2,180
19544	$1,000	$1,120	$1,420	$1,760	$1,920
19545	$1,000	$1,130	$1,430	$1,760	$1,900
19547	$1,080	$1,220	$1,550	$1,910	$2,070
19548	$990	$1,120	$1,430	$1,750	$1,900
19550	$980	$1,120	$1,420	$1,750	$1,880
19551	$1,000	$1,120	$1,420	$1,790	$1,880
19554	$980	$1,120	$1,420	$1,750	$1,880
19555	$980	$1,120	$1,420	$1,750	$1,880
19559	$980	$1,120	$1,420	$1,750	$1,880
19560	$1,270	$1,430	$1,830	$2,230	$2,450
19562	$1,040	$1,170	$1,500	$1,820	$2,000
19564	$980	$1,120	$1,420	$1,750	$1,880
19565	$1,010	$1,160	$1,470	$1,800	$1,950
19567	$990	$1,120	$1,420	$1,750	$1,900
19601	$980	$1,120	$1,420	$1,750	$1,880
19602	$980	$1,120	$1,420	$1,750	$1,880
19603	$990	$1,120	$1,430	$1,750	$1,900
19604	$980	$1,120	$1,420	$1,750	$1,880
19605	$1,110	$1,240	$1,590	$1,940	$2,120
19606	$1,090	$1,240	$1,580	$1,940	$2,090
19607	$1,090	$1,240	$1,580	$1,940	$2,100
19608	$1,270	$1,450	$1,850	$2,270	$2,440
19609	$1,150	$1,310	$1,660	$2,040	$2,200
19610	$1,350	$1,530	$1,960	$2,410	$2,590
19611	$980	$1,120	$1,420	$1,750	$1,880
19612	$990	$1,120	$1,430	$1,750	$1,900

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

HUD income limits for Berks County (FY2026)

Income limits decide who qualifies for Section 8 vouchers, public housing and most HUD-assisted units. The area median family income is $102,100 (FY2025: $99,800, +2.3%). 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%)	$21,500 +2.4%	$24,550 +2.3%	$27,600 +2.2%	$33,000 +2.6%	$38,680 +2.7%	$44,360 +2.8%	$50,040 +2.9%	$55,720 +2.9%
Very low income (50%)	$35,750 +2.3%	$40,850 +2.3%	$45,950 +2.2%	$51,050 +2.3%	$55,150 +2.3%	$59,250 +2.3%	$63,350 +2.3%	$67,400 +2.3%
Low income (80%)	$57,200 +2.3%	$65,400 +2.3%	$73,550 +2.3%	$81,700 +2.3%	$88,250 +2.3%	$94,800 +2.3%	$101,350 +2.3%	$107,850 +2.3%

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.