Lancaster 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).

$1,5532-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$1,2561-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$87,35080% income limit, family of 4 (FY2026)

$109,200Median family income (FY2026)

The FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit in Lancaster County is $1,553 a month, up 1.8% from $1,526 in FY2026. Lancaster County belongs to the Lancaster, 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 Lancaster County by bedroom count

Unit size	FY2027 FMR	FY2026 FMR	Change	Payment standard range (90–110%)
Studio	$1,152	$1,102	+4.5%	$1,037 – $1,267
1 bedroom	$1,256	$1,220	+3.0%	$1,131 – $1,381
2 bedrooms	$1,553	$1,526	+1.8%	$1,398 – $1,708
3 bedrooms	$1,978	$1,980	−0.1%	$1,781 – $2,175
4 bedrooms	$2,041	$2,020	+1.0%	$1,837 – $2,245

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 Lancaster County that is typically $1,398 to $1,708 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?

$58,477median income of renter households

$1,357Median gross rent, all units

28%Rent-to-income ratio (median rent ÷ median renter income)

46%of renter households pay 30% or more of income on rent

At the 30% rule, a renter household earning the local median of $58,477 can afford about $1,462 a month including utilities. The FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,553 is $91 (6.2%) more than that. To rent a two-bedroom at the FMR, a household needs $62,120 a year under the 30% rule, or $55,908 under the common landlord rule that income must be three times the rent.

Lancaster County, ACS 2020–2024	Estimate ± MOE
Median gross rent (rent + utilities)	$1,357 ±$20
Median income of renter households	$58,477 ±$1,918
Renters paying 30% or more of income (cost-burdened)	46.4% ±1.9
Renters paying 50% or more (severely cost-burdened)	22.3% ±1.5
Renter households (where the share can be computed)	60,914

Change since 2015–2019

	ACS 2015–2019	ACS 2020–2024	Change
Median gross rent	$1,009	$1,357	+34.5%
Median renter household income	$41,237	$58,477	+41.8%
Renters paying 30%+ of income	48.1%	46.4%	−1.7 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 $1,260 to $2,330 depending on the ZIP code.

All 74 ZIP codes in this FMR area

ZIP	0 BR	1 BR	2 BR	3 BR	4 BR
17022	$1,130	$1,230	$1,530	$1,940	$2,000
17073	$1,200	$1,300	$1,640	$2,110	$2,290
17501	$1,030	$1,120	$1,390	$1,790	$1,830
17502	$1,000	$1,100	$1,380	$1,790	$1,820
17503	$1,150	$1,250	$1,550	$1,970	$2,040
17504	$1,250	$1,370	$1,690	$2,150	$2,220
17505	$1,500	$1,630	$2,020	$2,570	$2,650
17506	$1,190	$1,290	$1,600	$2,030	$2,090
17507	$1,040	$1,130	$1,400	$1,790	$1,840
17508	$1,070	$1,170	$1,450	$1,840	$1,900
17509	$1,000	$1,100	$1,380	$1,790	$1,820
17512	$1,000	$1,100	$1,380	$1,790	$1,820
17516	$1,020	$1,110	$1,380	$1,790	$1,820
17517	$1,040	$1,130	$1,400	$1,790	$1,840
17518	$1,000	$1,100	$1,380	$1,790	$1,820
17519	$1,330	$1,450	$1,790	$2,280	$2,350
17520	$1,210	$1,320	$1,630	$2,080	$2,140
17521	$1,150	$1,250	$1,550	$1,970	$2,040
17522	$1,010	$1,100	$1,380	$1,790	$1,820
17527	$1,140	$1,240	$1,530	$1,940	$2,010
17528	$1,150	$1,250	$1,550	$1,970	$2,040
17529	$1,160	$1,260	$1,560	$1,990	$2,050
17532	$1,000	$1,100	$1,380	$1,790	$1,820
17533	$1,150	$1,250	$1,550	$1,970	$2,040
17534	$1,060	$1,150	$1,430	$1,820	$1,880
17535	$1,280	$1,390	$1,720	$2,190	$2,260
17536	$930	$1,020	$1,260	$1,600	$1,660
17537	$1,150	$1,250	$1,550	$1,970	$2,040
17538	$1,000	$1,100	$1,380	$1,790	$1,820
17540	$1,220	$1,330	$1,650	$2,100	$2,170
17543	$1,190	$1,300	$1,610	$2,050	$2,120
17545	$1,180	$1,290	$1,590	$2,030	$2,090
17547	$1,040	$1,130	$1,400	$1,790	$1,840
17550	$1,040	$1,130	$1,400	$1,790	$1,840
17551	$1,450	$1,580	$1,950	$2,480	$2,560
17552	$1,170	$1,270	$1,570	$2,000	$2,060
17554	$1,230	$1,340	$1,660	$2,110	$2,180
17555	$1,180	$1,290	$1,600	$2,000	$2,110
17557	$1,070	$1,160	$1,440	$1,830	$1,890
17560	$1,000	$1,100	$1,380	$1,790	$1,820
17562	$1,000	$1,100	$1,380	$1,790	$1,820
17563	$1,210	$1,320	$1,630	$2,080	$2,140
17564	$1,150	$1,250	$1,550	$1,970	$2,040
17565	$1,030	$1,120	$1,390	$1,790	$1,830
17566	$1,040	$1,130	$1,400	$1,790	$1,840
17567	$1,150	$1,250	$1,550	$1,970	$2,040
17568	$1,170	$1,310	$1,650	$2,160	$2,190
17569	$1,000	$1,120	$1,420	$1,790	$1,880
17570	$1,130	$1,230	$1,530	$1,950	$2,010
17572	$1,000	$1,100	$1,380	$1,790	$1,820
17575	$1,150	$1,250	$1,550	$1,970	$2,040
17576	$1,230	$1,340	$1,660	$2,110	$2,170
17578	$1,000	$1,100	$1,380	$1,790	$1,820
17579	$1,000	$1,100	$1,380	$1,790	$1,820
17580	$1,150	$1,250	$1,550	$1,970	$2,040
17581	$1,000	$1,100	$1,380	$1,790	$1,820
17582	$1,180	$1,280	$1,590	$2,020	$2,090
17584	$1,640	$1,790	$2,210	$2,810	$2,900
17585	$1,150	$1,250	$1,550	$1,970	$2,040
17601	$1,310	$1,430	$1,770	$2,250	$2,330
17602	$1,250	$1,360	$1,680	$2,140	$2,210
17603	$1,250	$1,370	$1,690	$2,150	$2,220
17604	$1,150	$1,250	$1,550	$1,970	$2,040
17605	$1,150	$1,250	$1,550	$1,970	$2,040
17606	$1,730	$1,880	$2,330	$2,970	$3,060
17608	$1,150	$1,250	$1,550	$1,970	$2,040
19310	$1,370	$1,480	$1,770	$2,120	$2,330
19344	$1,200	$1,300	$1,560	$1,860	$2,050
19362	$1,180	$1,280	$1,550	$1,890	$2,030
19363	$1,180	$1,280	$1,530	$1,820	$2,010
19501	$1,000	$1,120	$1,420	$1,790	$1,880
19540	$1,000	$1,120	$1,420	$1,790	$1,880
19543	$1,150	$1,280	$1,630	$2,000	$2,180
19551	$1,000	$1,120	$1,420	$1,790	$1,880

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

HUD income limits for Lancaster County (FY2026)

Income limits decide who qualifies for Section 8 vouchers, public housing and most HUD-assisted units. The area median family income is $109,200 (FY2025: $103,900, +5.1%). 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%)	$22,950 +5.0%	$26,200 +5.0%	$29,500 +5.2%	$33,000 +2.6%	$38,680 +2.7%	$44,360 +2.8%	$50,040 +2.9%	$55,720 +2.9%
Very low income (50%)	$38,250 +5.1%	$43,700 +5.0%	$49,150 +5.0%	$54,600 +5.1%	$59,000 +5.1%	$63,350 +5.1%	$67,750 +5.1%	$72,100 +5.1%
Low income (80%)	$61,150 +5.1%	$69,900 +5.1%	$78,650 +5.1%	$87,350 +5.1%	$94,350 +5.1%	$101,350 +5.1%	$108,350 +5.1%	$115,350 +5.2%

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.