Pierce County, WA: 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).

$2,0642-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$1,6821-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$101,85080% income limit, family of 4 (FY2026)

$127,300Median family income (FY2026)

The FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit in Pierce County is $2,064 a month, up 4.7% from $1,971 in FY2026. Pierce County belongs to the Tacoma, WA 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 Pierce County by bedroom count

Unit size	FY2027 FMR	FY2026 FMR	Change	Payment standard range (90–110%)
Studio	$1,491	$1,428	+4.4%	$1,342 – $1,640
1 bedroom	$1,682	$1,605	+4.8%	$1,514 – $1,850
2 bedrooms	$2,064	$1,971	+4.7%	$1,858 – $2,270
3 bedrooms	$2,849	$2,733	+4.2%	$2,565 – $3,133
4 bedrooms	$3,219	$3,102	+3.8%	$2,898 – $3,540

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 Pierce County that is typically $1,858 to $2,270 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.

Washington has a statewide cap on rent increases. 7% plus inflation, never more than 10% in 12 months. 2026: 9.683%. 2027: 10%. Calculate the maximum increase for Washington →

Can local renters afford the fair market rent?

$68,118median income of renter households

$1,806Median gross rent, all units

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

53%of renter households pay 30% or more of income on rent

At the 30% rule, a renter household earning the local median of $68,118 can afford about $1,703 a month including utilities. The FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $2,064 is $361 (21.2%) more than that. To rent a two-bedroom at the FMR, a household needs $82,560 a year under the 30% rule, or $74,304 under the common landlord rule that income must be three times the rent.

Pierce County, ACS 2020–2024	Estimate ± MOE
Median gross rent (rent + utilities)	$1,806 ±$18
Median income of renter households	$68,118 ±$1,782
Renters paying 30% or more of income (cost-burdened)	53.0% ±1.6
Renters paying 50% or more (severely cost-burdened)	24.3% ±1.1
Renter households (where the share can be computed)	118,797

Change since 2015–2019

	ACS 2015–2019	ACS 2020–2024	Change
Median gross rent	$1,250	$1,806	+44.5%
Median renter household income	$48,514	$68,118	+40.4%
Renters paying 30%+ of income	50.6%	53.0%	+2.4 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 $1,780 to $2,770 depending on the ZIP code.

All 75 ZIP codes in this FMR area

ZIP	0 BR	1 BR	2 BR	3 BR	4 BR
98001	$2,130	$2,220	$2,600	$3,390	$4,030
98022	$1,740	$1,820	$2,130	$2,780	$3,300
98023	$1,920	$2,000	$2,340	$3,050	$3,630
98047	$1,780	$1,860	$2,170	$2,830	$3,370
98092	$1,900	$2,010	$2,370	$3,120	$3,680
98303	$1,610	$1,820	$2,230	$3,080	$3,490
98304	$1,300	$1,450	$1,780	$2,460	$2,800
98321	$1,510	$1,700	$2,090	$2,880	$3,260
98323	$1,360	$1,530	$1,880	$2,590	$2,930
98327	$1,900	$2,140	$2,630	$3,630	$4,100
98328	$1,290	$1,450	$1,780	$2,460	$2,800
98329	$1,540	$1,730	$2,130	$2,930	$3,310
98330	$1,490	$1,680	$2,060	$2,840	$3,210
98332	$2,000	$2,260	$2,770	$3,820	$4,320
98333	$1,890	$2,130	$2,620	$3,620	$4,090
98335	$1,710	$1,920	$2,360	$3,260	$3,680
98338	$1,630	$1,830	$2,250	$3,110	$3,510
98344	$1,490	$1,680	$2,060	$2,840	$3,210
98349	$1,420	$1,600	$1,960	$2,710	$3,060
98351	$1,410	$1,580	$1,940	$2,690	$3,020
98354	$1,820	$2,010	$2,440	$3,320	$3,800
98360	$1,930	$2,180	$2,670	$3,690	$4,160
98371	$1,430	$1,610	$1,980	$2,730	$3,090
98372	$1,560	$1,760	$2,160	$2,980	$3,370
98373	$1,570	$1,780	$2,180	$3,010	$3,400
98374	$1,660	$1,870	$2,300	$3,170	$3,590
98375	$1,860	$2,090	$2,570	$3,550	$4,010
98385	$1,590	$1,790	$2,190	$3,030	$3,420
98387	$1,570	$1,780	$2,180	$3,010	$3,400
98388	$1,480	$1,670	$2,050	$2,830	$3,200
98390	$1,640	$1,850	$2,270	$3,130	$3,540
98391	$1,880	$2,120	$2,600	$3,590	$4,050
98394	$1,380	$1,540	$1,910	$2,630	$2,950
98395	$1,490	$1,680	$2,060	$2,840	$3,210
98396	$1,290	$1,450	$1,780	$2,460	$2,800
98401	$1,490	$1,680	$2,060	$2,840	$3,210
98402	$1,430	$1,610	$1,980	$2,730	$3,090
98403	$1,290	$1,450	$1,780	$2,460	$2,800
98404	$1,290	$1,460	$1,790	$2,470	$2,800
98405	$1,350	$1,520	$1,870	$2,580	$2,920
98406	$1,500	$1,690	$2,070	$2,860	$3,230
98407	$1,570	$1,780	$2,180	$3,010	$3,400
98408	$1,370	$1,540	$1,890	$2,610	$2,950
98409	$1,440	$1,620	$1,990	$2,750	$3,100
98411	$1,490	$1,680	$2,060	$2,840	$3,210
98413	$1,490	$1,680	$2,060	$2,840	$3,210
98416	$1,500	$1,690	$2,070	$2,860	$3,230
98417	$1,490	$1,680	$2,060	$2,840	$3,210
98418	$1,370	$1,550	$1,900	$2,620	$2,960
98419	$1,490	$1,680	$2,060	$2,840	$3,210
98421	$1,350	$1,520	$1,870	$2,590	$2,930
98422	$1,810	$2,040	$2,500	$3,450	$3,900
98424	$1,560	$1,760	$2,160	$2,980	$3,370
98430	$1,550	$1,750	$2,150	$2,970	$3,360
98433	$1,630	$1,840	$2,260	$3,120	$3,520
98438	$1,370	$1,540	$1,900	$2,620	$2,960
98439	$1,390	$1,560	$1,920	$2,650	$2,990
98443	$1,420	$1,600	$1,960	$2,710	$3,060
98444	$1,390	$1,570	$1,930	$2,660	$3,010
98445	$1,480	$1,670	$2,050	$2,830	$3,200
98446	$1,640	$1,850	$2,270	$3,130	$3,540
98447	$1,390	$1,570	$1,930	$2,660	$3,010
98448	$1,490	$1,680	$2,060	$2,840	$3,210
98464	$1,490	$1,680	$2,060	$2,840	$3,210
98465	$1,290	$1,460	$1,790	$2,470	$2,800
98466	$1,500	$1,690	$2,070	$2,860	$3,230
98467	$1,360	$1,530	$1,880	$2,590	$2,930
98490	$1,490	$1,680	$2,060	$2,840	$3,210
98496	$1,490	$1,680	$2,060	$2,840	$3,210
98498	$1,350	$1,520	$1,870	$2,580	$2,920
98499	$1,320	$1,490	$1,830	$2,530	$2,850
98528	$1,290	$1,450	$1,830	$2,460	$2,800
98558	$1,540	$1,710	$2,080	$2,850	$3,270
98580	$1,550	$1,740	$2,140	$2,950	$3,340
98937	$1,290	$1,450	$1,780	$2,460	$2,800

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

HUD income limits for Pierce County (FY2026)

Income limits decide who qualifies for Section 8 vouchers, public housing and most HUD-assisted units. The area median family income is $127,300 (FY2025: $120,800, +5.4%). 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%)	$26,750 +5.3%	$30,600 +5.5%	$34,400 +5.4%	$38,200 +5.4%	$41,300 +5.5%	$44,360 +2.8%	$50,040 +2.9%	$55,720 +2.9%
Very low income (50%)	$44,600 +5.4%	$50,950 +5.4%	$57,300 +5.3%	$63,650 +5.4%	$68,750 +5.4%	$73,850 +5.3%	$78,950 +5.4%	$84,050 +5.4%
Low income (80%)	$71,300 +5.3%	$81,500 +5.4%	$91,700 +5.4%	$101,850 +5.4%	$110,000 +5.4%	$118,150 +5.3%	$126,300 +5.4%	$134,450 +5.4%

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.