Aiken County, SC: 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).

$1,3292-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$1,2021-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$72,30080% income limit, family of 4 (FY2026)

$90,400Median family income (FY2026)

The FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit in Aiken County is $1,329 a month, up 5.4% from $1,261 in FY2026. Aiken County belongs to the Augusta-Richmond County, GA-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 Aiken County by bedroom count

Unit size	FY2027 FMR	FY2026 FMR	Change	Payment standard range (90–110%)
Studio	$997	$939	+6.2%	$898 – $1,096
1 bedroom	$1,202	$1,114	+7.9%	$1,082 – $1,322
2 bedrooms	$1,329	$1,261	+5.4%	$1,197 – $1,461
3 bedrooms	$1,672	$1,627	+2.8%	$1,505 – $1,839
4 bedrooms	$2,035	$1,984	+2.6%	$1,832 – $2,238

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 Aiken County that is typically $1,197 to $1,461 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?

$41,698median income of renter households

$1,062Median gross rent, all units

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

45%of renter households pay 30% or more of income on rent

At the 30% rule, a renter household earning the local median of $41,698 can afford about $1,042 a month including utilities. The FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,329 is $287 (27.5%) more than that. To rent a two-bedroom at the FMR, a household needs $53,160 a year under the 30% rule, or $47,844 under the common landlord rule that income must be three times the rent.

Aiken County, ACS 2020–2024	Estimate ± MOE
Median gross rent (rent + utilities)	$1,062 ±$35
Median income of renter households	$41,698 ±$3,835
Renters paying 30% or more of income (cost-burdened)	44.9% ±3.8
Renters paying 50% or more (severely cost-burdened)	24.9% ±3.8
Renter households (where the share can be computed)	14,609

Change since 2015–2019

	ACS 2015–2019	ACS 2020–2024	Change
Median gross rent	$819	$1,062	+29.7%
Median renter household income	$29,879	$41,698	+39.6%
Renters paying 30%+ of income	51.3%	44.9%	−6.4 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 $1,000 to $1,990 depending on the ZIP code.

All 64 ZIP codes in this FMR area

ZIP	0 BR	1 BR	2 BR	3 BR	4 BR
29006	$800	$920	$1,000	$1,260	$1,450
29105	$890	$1,060	$1,170	$1,470	$1,770
29129	$770	$910	$1,000	$1,260	$1,510
29137	$750	$900	$1,000	$1,250	$1,510
29138	$810	$920	$1,000	$1,260	$1,430
29146	$740	$850	$1,000	$1,220	$1,400
29164	$830	$1,000	$1,110	$1,400	$1,700
29801	$980	$1,180	$1,300	$1,640	$1,990
29802	$940	$1,130	$1,250	$1,570	$1,910
29803	$1,010	$1,210	$1,340	$1,690	$2,050
29804	$940	$1,130	$1,250	$1,570	$1,910
29805	$750	$910	$1,000	$1,260	$1,530
29809	$750	$910	$1,000	$1,260	$1,530
29816	$890	$1,070	$1,180	$1,490	$1,810
29821	$1,010	$1,220	$1,350	$1,700	$2,060
29822	$940	$1,130	$1,250	$1,570	$1,910
29824	$810	$980	$1,080	$1,360	$1,650
29828	$840	$1,010	$1,120	$1,440	$1,760
29829	$920	$1,100	$1,220	$1,540	$1,870
29831	$940	$1,130	$1,250	$1,570	$1,910
29832	$770	$910	$1,010	$1,270	$1,530
29834	$780	$940	$1,040	$1,310	$1,590
29835	$730	$770	$1,000	$1,340	$1,360
29838	$770	$830	$1,040	$1,370	$1,440
29839	$940	$1,130	$1,250	$1,570	$1,910
29841	$950	$1,150	$1,270	$1,600	$1,940
29842	$780	$940	$1,040	$1,310	$1,590
29845	$750	$790	$1,030	$1,380	$1,390
29847	$800	$970	$1,070	$1,350	$1,640
29851	$980	$1,180	$1,310	$1,650	$2,010
29853	$730	$790	$1,000	$1,200	$1,350
29856	$840	$980	$1,130	$1,400	$1,650
29860	$1,060	$1,280	$1,410	$1,770	$2,160
29861	$940	$1,130	$1,250	$1,570	$1,910
30426	$770	$860	$1,020	$1,260	$1,510
30434	$780	$800	$1,000	$1,200	$1,330
30441	$790	$910	$1,000	$1,300	$1,610
30442	$800	$810	$1,000	$1,380	$1,450
30456	$750	$910	$1,000	$1,260	$1,530
30802	$890	$1,080	$1,190	$1,500	$1,820
30805	$750	$910	$1,000	$1,260	$1,530
30808	$750	$910	$1,000	$1,260	$1,530
30809	$1,490	$1,800	$1,990	$2,500	$3,050
30812	$980	$1,180	$1,310	$1,650	$2,010
30813	$1,310	$1,580	$1,750	$2,200	$2,680
30814	$750	$910	$1,000	$1,260	$1,530
30815	$1,070	$1,280	$1,420	$1,790	$2,170
30816	$760	$890	$1,000	$1,250	$1,500
30821	$790	$830	$1,010	$1,260	$1,560
30824	$760	$910	$1,010	$1,270	$1,550
30828	$780	$780	$1,010	$1,230	$1,690
30830	$820	$990	$1,090	$1,370	$1,670
30901	$880	$1,060	$1,170	$1,470	$1,790
30903	$1,010	$1,210	$1,340	$1,690	$2,050
30904	$950	$1,150	$1,270	$1,600	$1,940
30905	$1,480	$1,780	$1,970	$2,480	$3,020
30906	$980	$1,180	$1,310	$1,650	$2,010
30907	$1,120	$1,350	$1,490	$1,870	$2,280
30909	$1,190	$1,440	$1,590	$2,000	$2,430
30912	$1,010	$1,210	$1,340	$1,690	$2,050
30914	$1,010	$1,210	$1,340	$1,690	$2,050
30916	$1,010	$1,210	$1,340	$1,690	$2,050
30917	$1,240	$1,490	$1,650	$2,080	$2,530
30919	$1,010	$1,210	$1,340	$1,690	$2,050

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

HUD income limits for Aiken County (FY2026)

Income limits decide who qualifies for Section 8 vouchers, public housing and most HUD-assisted units. The area median family income is $90,400 (FY2025: $88,300, +2.4%). 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%)	$19,000 +2.4%	$21,700 +2.4%	$27,320 +2.5%	$33,000 +2.6%	$38,680 +2.7%	$44,360 +2.8%	$50,040 +2.9%	$55,720 +2.9%
Very low income (50%)	$31,650 +2.3%	$36,200 +2.4%	$40,700 +2.4%	$45,200 +2.4%	$48,850 +2.4%	$52,450 +2.3%	$56,050 +2.4%	$59,700 +2.4%
Low income (80%)	$50,650 +2.3%	$57,850 +2.3%	$65,100 +2.4%	$72,300 +2.3%	$78,100 +2.3%	$83,900 +2.3%	$89,700 +2.3%	$95,450 +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.