Blount County, TN: 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).

$1,4752-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$1,1781-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$82,95080% income limit, family of 4 (FY2026)

$103,700Median family income (FY2026)

The FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit in Blount County is $1,475 a month, up 0.3% from $1,471 in FY2026. Blount County belongs to the Knoxville, TN 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 Blount County by bedroom count

Unit size	FY2027 FMR	FY2026 FMR	Change	Payment standard range (90–110%)
Studio	$1,171	$1,177	−0.5%	$1,054 – $1,288
1 bedroom	$1,178	$1,184	−0.5%	$1,061 – $1,295
2 bedrooms	$1,475	$1,471	+0.3%	$1,328 – $1,622
3 bedrooms	$1,844	$1,864	−1.1%	$1,660 – $2,028
4 bedrooms	$2,122	$2,172	−2.3%	$1,910 – $2,334

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 Blount County that is typically $1,328 to $1,622 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?

$53,055median income of renter households

$1,090Median gross rent, all units

25%Rent-to-income ratio (median rent ÷ median renter income)

40%of renter households pay 30% or more of income on rent

At the 30% rule, a renter household earning the local median of $53,055 can afford about $1,326 a month including utilities. The FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,475 is $149 (11.2%) more than that. To rent a two-bedroom at the FMR, a household needs $59,000 a year under the 30% rule, or $53,100 under the common landlord rule that income must be three times the rent.

Blount County, ACS 2020–2024	Estimate ± MOE
Median gross rent (rent + utilities)	$1,090 ±$33
Median income of renter households	$53,055 ±$2,628
Renters paying 30% or more of income (cost-burdened)	40.1% ±3.4
Renters paying 50% or more (severely cost-burdened)	17.8% ±2.6
Renter households (where the share can be computed)	11,605

Change since 2015–2019

	ACS 2015–2019	ACS 2020–2024	Change
Median gross rent	$788	$1,090	+38.3%
Median renter household income	$34,279	$53,055	+54.8%
Renters paying 30%+ of income	45.4%	40.1%	−5.3 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 $1,000 to $2,210 depending on the ZIP code.

All 73 ZIP codes in this FMR area

ZIP	0 BR	1 BR	2 BR	3 BR	4 BR
37701	$1,240	$1,250	$1,560	$1,950	$2,240
37705	$1,320	$1,330	$1,660	$2,080	$2,390
37709	$850	$860	$1,120	$1,550	$1,590
37710	$830	$840	$1,060	$1,360	$1,540
37716	$950	$960	$1,200	$1,500	$1,730
37717	$1,020	$1,030	$1,290	$1,610	$1,860
37721	$1,010	$1,020	$1,250	$1,610	$1,880
37737	$1,230	$1,240	$1,550	$1,940	$2,230
37742	$980	$990	$1,240	$1,550	$1,780
37754	$1,020	$1,020	$1,280	$1,600	$1,840
37764	$1,120	$1,120	$1,320	$1,700	$1,750
37769	$790	$790	$1,000	$1,250	$1,420
37771	$1,020	$1,020	$1,280	$1,600	$1,840
37772	$1,330	$1,330	$1,670	$2,090	$2,400
37774	$1,020	$1,020	$1,280	$1,610	$1,840
37777	$820	$820	$1,030	$1,290	$1,480
37779	$920	$920	$1,160	$1,450	$1,660
37801	$1,090	$1,100	$1,370	$1,720	$1,970
37802	$1,060	$1,060	$1,330	$1,660	$1,910
37803	$1,100	$1,100	$1,380	$1,730	$1,990
37804	$1,150	$1,160	$1,450	$1,810	$2,090
37806	$810	$810	$1,020	$1,280	$1,460
37807	$900	$900	$1,130	$1,410	$1,630
37825	$760	$910	$1,000	$1,240	$1,390
37828	$1,040	$1,050	$1,310	$1,640	$1,880
37830	$1,120	$1,120	$1,400	$1,770	$2,010
37831	$1,020	$1,030	$1,290	$1,610	$1,860
37840	$830	$830	$1,040	$1,380	$1,480
37846	$810	$840	$1,020	$1,310	$1,430
37848	$880	$880	$1,130	$1,480	$1,610
37849	$1,090	$1,090	$1,370	$1,710	$1,970
37853	$870	$880	$1,100	$1,380	$1,580
37865	$1,290	$1,300	$1,540	$1,980	$2,080
37866	$810	$900	$1,050	$1,310	$1,470
37870	$760	$890	$1,000	$1,250	$1,380
37871	$840	$850	$1,050	$1,310	$1,580
37874	$770	$870	$1,000	$1,290	$1,350
37878	$1,050	$1,070	$1,320	$1,670	$1,880
37882	$1,020	$1,020	$1,280	$1,600	$1,840
37885	$1,010	$1,130	$1,310	$1,710	$1,720
37886	$1,110	$1,120	$1,380	$1,740	$1,940
37888	$810	$860	$1,050	$1,350	$1,490
37901	$1,220	$1,230	$1,540	$1,930	$2,220
37902	$1,510	$1,520	$1,900	$2,380	$2,730
37909	$1,160	$1,170	$1,460	$1,830	$2,100
37912	$1,090	$1,090	$1,370	$1,710	$1,970
37914	$1,060	$1,070	$1,340	$1,680	$1,930
37915	$950	$960	$1,200	$1,500	$1,730
37916	$1,200	$1,210	$1,510	$1,890	$2,170
37917	$1,270	$1,280	$1,600	$2,000	$2,300
37918	$1,160	$1,170	$1,460	$1,830	$2,100
37919	$1,380	$1,390	$1,740	$2,180	$2,500
37920	$1,100	$1,110	$1,390	$1,740	$2,000
37921	$1,210	$1,210	$1,520	$1,900	$2,190
37922	$1,660	$1,670	$2,090	$2,610	$3,010
37923	$1,400	$1,410	$1,770	$2,210	$2,550
37924	$1,060	$1,070	$1,340	$1,680	$1,930
37927	$1,220	$1,230	$1,540	$1,930	$2,220
37928	$1,220	$1,230	$1,540	$1,930	$2,220
37929	$1,220	$1,230	$1,540	$1,930	$2,220
37930	$1,220	$1,230	$1,540	$1,930	$2,220
37931	$1,470	$1,480	$1,850	$2,310	$2,660
37932	$1,520	$1,530	$1,920	$2,400	$2,760
37933	$1,220	$1,230	$1,540	$1,930	$2,220
37934	$1,750	$1,770	$2,210	$2,760	$3,180
37938	$1,180	$1,190	$1,490	$1,860	$2,140
37939	$1,220	$1,230	$1,540	$1,930	$2,220
37940	$1,220	$1,230	$1,540	$1,930	$2,220
37950	$1,220	$1,230	$1,540	$1,930	$2,220
37995	$1,220	$1,230	$1,540	$1,930	$2,220
37996	$1,220	$1,230	$1,540	$1,930	$2,220
37997	$1,220	$1,230	$1,540	$1,930	$2,220
37998	$1,220	$1,230	$1,540	$1,930	$2,220

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

HUD income limits for Blount County (FY2026)

Income limits decide who qualifies for Section 8 vouchers, public housing and most HUD-assisted units. The area median family income is $103,700 (FY2025: $101,700, +2.0%). 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%)	$21,800 +4.3%	$24,900 +4.4%	$28,000 +4.3%	$33,000 +2.6%	$38,680 +2.7%	$44,360 +2.8%	$50,040 +2.9%	$55,720 +2.9%
Very low income (50%)	$36,300 +4.5%	$41,500 +4.4%	$46,700 +4.5%	$51,850 +4.3%	$56,000 +4.4%	$60,150 +4.3%	$64,300 +4.3%	$68,450 +4.3%
Low income (80%)	$58,100 +4.4%	$66,400 +4.4%	$74,700 +4.4%	$82,950 +4.3%	$89,600 +4.3%	$96,250 +4.3%	$102,900 +4.4%	$109,500 +4.3%

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.