Snohomish 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).

$2,5492-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$2,1801-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$116,65080% income limit, family of 4 (FY2026)

$164,400Median family income (FY2026)

The FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit in Snohomish County is $2,549 a month, up 1.9% from $2,501 in FY2026. Snohomish County belongs to the Seattle-Bellevue, 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 Snohomish County by bedroom count

Unit size	FY2027 FMR	FY2026 FMR	Change	Payment standard range (90–110%)
Studio	$2,091	$2,074	+0.8%	$1,882 – $2,300
1 bedroom	$2,180	$2,146	+1.6%	$1,962 – $2,398
2 bedrooms	$2,549	$2,501	+1.9%	$2,295 – $2,803
3 bedrooms	$3,324	$3,272	+1.6%	$2,992 – $3,656
4 bedrooms	$3,954	$3,847	+2.8%	$3,559 – $4,349

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 Snohomish County that is typically $2,295 to $2,803 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?

$71,600median income of renter households

$1,949Median gross rent, all units

33%Rent-to-income ratio (median rent ÷ median renter income)

54%of renter households pay 30% or more of income on rent

At the 30% rule, a renter household earning the local median of $71,600 can afford about $1,790 a month including utilities. The FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $2,549 is $759 (42.4%) more than that. To rent a two-bedroom at the FMR, a household needs $101,960 a year under the 30% rule, or $91,764 under the common landlord rule that income must be three times the rent.

Snohomish County, ACS 2020–2024	Estimate ± MOE
Median gross rent (rent + utilities)	$1,949 ±$22
Median income of renter households	$71,600 ±$2,016
Renters paying 30% or more of income (cost-burdened)	53.7% ±1.9
Renters paying 50% or more (severely cost-burdened)	24.5% ±1.3
Renter households (where the share can be computed)	96,804

Change since 2015–2019

	ACS 2015–2019	ACS 2020–2024	Change
Median gross rent	$1,438	$1,949	+35.5%
Median renter household income	$55,327	$71,600	+29.4%
Renters paying 30%+ of income	49.2%	53.7%	+4.5 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 $1,950 to $3,820 depending on the ZIP code.

All 153 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
98002	$1,670	$1,740	$2,040	$2,660	$3,160
98003	$1,840	$1,920	$2,240	$2,920	$3,470
98004	$3,130	$3,270	$3,820	$4,980	$5,930
98005	$2,420	$2,520	$2,950	$3,850	$4,580
98006	$2,920	$3,040	$3,560	$4,640	$5,520
98007	$2,490	$2,590	$3,030	$3,950	$4,700
98008	$2,680	$2,800	$3,270	$4,260	$5,070
98009	$2,130	$2,220	$2,600	$3,390	$4,030
98010	$2,120	$2,210	$2,590	$3,380	$4,020
98011	$2,260	$2,350	$2,750	$3,590	$4,270
98012	$2,280	$2,380	$2,780	$3,620	$4,310
98014	$2,170	$2,270	$2,650	$3,460	$4,110
98015	$2,130	$2,220	$2,600	$3,390	$4,030
98019	$2,850	$2,980	$3,480	$4,540	$5,400
98020	$1,980	$2,060	$2,410	$3,140	$3,740
98021	$2,600	$2,710	$3,170	$4,130	$4,920
98022	$1,740	$1,820	$2,130	$2,780	$3,300
98023	$1,920	$2,000	$2,340	$3,050	$3,630
98024	$2,440	$2,540	$2,970	$3,870	$4,610
98025	$2,390	$2,490	$2,910	$3,800	$4,520
98026	$1,940	$2,030	$2,370	$3,090	$3,680
98027	$2,420	$2,520	$2,950	$3,850	$4,580
98028	$2,060	$2,150	$2,510	$3,270	$3,890
98029	$2,720	$2,830	$3,310	$4,320	$5,130
98030	$1,890	$1,970	$2,300	$3,000	$3,570
98031	$2,050	$2,140	$2,500	$3,260	$3,880
98032	$1,960	$2,040	$2,390	$3,120	$3,710
98033	$2,730	$2,850	$3,330	$4,340	$5,170
98034	$2,410	$2,510	$2,940	$3,830	$4,560
98035	$2,130	$2,220	$2,600	$3,390	$4,030
98036	$1,780	$1,860	$2,170	$2,830	$3,370
98037	$1,910	$1,990	$2,330	$3,040	$3,610
98038	$2,380	$2,480	$2,900	$3,780	$4,500
98039	$2,690	$2,810	$3,280	$4,280	$5,100
98040	$2,470	$2,570	$3,010	$3,920	$4,670
98041	$2,130	$2,220	$2,600	$3,390	$4,030
98042	$2,170	$2,260	$2,640	$3,440	$4,100
98043	$1,990	$2,070	$2,420	$3,160	$3,750
98045	$2,180	$2,270	$2,660	$3,470	$4,130
98046	$1,950	$2,040	$2,380	$3,100	$3,690
98047	$1,780	$1,860	$2,170	$2,830	$3,370
98050	$2,430	$2,530	$2,960	$3,860	$4,590
98051	$2,210	$2,310	$2,700	$3,520	$4,190
98052	$2,580	$2,690	$3,150	$4,110	$4,890
98053	$2,700	$2,810	$3,290	$4,290	$5,100
98055	$2,170	$2,270	$2,650	$3,460	$4,110
98056	$2,080	$2,160	$2,530	$3,300	$3,920
98057	$1,840	$1,920	$2,240	$2,920	$3,470
98058	$2,160	$2,250	$2,630	$3,430	$4,080
98059	$2,270	$2,370	$2,770	$3,610	$4,300
98062	$2,130	$2,220	$2,600	$3,390	$4,030
98063	$2,130	$2,220	$2,600	$3,390	$4,030
98064	$2,130	$2,220	$2,600	$3,390	$4,030
98065	$3,010	$3,140	$3,670	$4,790	$5,690
98068	$1,620	$1,670	$1,950	$2,570	$2,990
98070	$1,620	$1,670	$1,950	$2,570	$3,020
98071	$2,130	$2,220	$2,600	$3,390	$4,030
98072	$2,350	$2,450	$2,870	$3,740	$4,450
98073	$2,130	$2,220	$2,600	$3,390	$4,030
98074	$2,800	$2,920	$3,410	$4,450	$5,290
98075	$3,130	$3,270	$3,820	$4,980	$5,930
98077	$2,560	$2,670	$3,120	$4,070	$4,840
98082	$1,950	$2,040	$2,380	$3,100	$3,690
98083	$2,130	$2,220	$2,600	$3,390	$4,030
98087	$2,130	$2,220	$2,600	$3,390	$4,030
98089	$2,130	$2,220	$2,600	$3,390	$4,030
98092	$1,900	$2,010	$2,370	$3,120	$3,680
98093	$2,130	$2,220	$2,600	$3,390	$4,030
98101	$2,860	$2,980	$3,490	$4,550	$5,410
98102	$2,490	$2,590	$3,030	$3,950	$4,700
98103	$2,460	$2,570	$3,000	$3,910	$4,650
98104	$1,930	$2,010	$2,350	$3,060	$3,650
98105	$2,300	$2,390	$2,800	$3,650	$4,340
98106	$2,040	$2,130	$2,490	$3,250	$3,860
98107	$2,490	$2,600	$3,040	$3,960	$4,720
98108	$1,820	$1,900	$2,220	$2,890	$3,440
98109	$2,850	$2,970	$3,470	$4,520	$5,380
98110	$1,660	$1,860	$2,380	$3,190	$3,390
98111	$2,130	$2,220	$2,600	$3,390	$4,030
98112	$2,170	$2,260	$2,640	$3,440	$4,100
98113	$2,130	$2,220	$2,600	$3,390	$4,030
98114	$2,130	$2,220	$2,600	$3,390	$4,030
98115	$2,420	$2,520	$2,950	$3,850	$4,580
98116	$2,070	$2,150	$2,520	$3,290	$3,910
98117	$2,280	$2,380	$2,780	$3,620	$4,310
98118	$1,990	$2,080	$2,430	$3,170	$3,770
98119	$2,250	$2,340	$2,740	$3,570	$4,250
98121	$2,980	$3,100	$3,630	$4,730	$5,630
98122	$2,590	$2,700	$3,160	$4,120	$4,900
98124	$2,130	$2,220	$2,600	$3,390	$4,030
98125	$2,170	$2,260	$2,640	$3,440	$4,100
98126	$1,860	$1,940	$2,270	$2,960	$3,520
98127	$2,130	$2,220	$2,600	$3,390	$4,030
98131	$2,130	$2,220	$2,600	$3,390	$4,030
98133	$2,120	$2,210	$2,580	$3,360	$4,000
98134	$1,810	$1,870	$2,170	$2,880	$3,340
98136	$2,130	$2,220	$2,600	$3,390	$4,030
98138	$2,130	$2,220	$2,600	$3,390	$4,030
98139	$2,130	$2,220	$2,600	$3,390	$4,030
98144	$2,170	$2,260	$2,640	$3,440	$4,100
98145	$2,130	$2,220	$2,600	$3,390	$4,030
98146	$1,820	$1,900	$2,220	$2,890	$3,440
98148	$1,850	$1,920	$2,250	$2,930	$3,490
98154	$2,130	$2,220	$2,600	$3,390	$4,030
98155	$2,110	$2,200	$2,570	$3,350	$3,990
98158	$2,130	$2,220	$2,600	$3,390	$4,030
98161	$2,130	$2,220	$2,600	$3,390	$4,030
98164	$1,930	$2,010	$2,350	$3,060	$3,650
98165	$2,130	$2,220	$2,600	$3,390	$4,030
98166	$1,840	$1,920	$2,240	$2,920	$3,470
98168	$1,880	$1,960	$2,290	$2,990	$3,550
98170	$2,130	$2,220	$2,600	$3,390	$4,030
98174	$2,130	$2,220	$2,600	$3,390	$4,030
98175	$2,130	$2,220	$2,600	$3,390	$4,030
98177	$2,250	$2,340	$2,740	$3,570	$4,250
98178	$1,990	$2,070	$2,420	$3,160	$3,750
98185	$2,130	$2,220	$2,600	$3,390	$4,030
98188	$1,690	$1,760	$2,060	$2,690	$3,200
98194	$2,130	$2,220	$2,600	$3,390	$4,030
98195	$2,290	$2,380	$2,790	$3,640	$4,330
98198	$1,810	$1,890	$2,210	$2,880	$3,430
98199	$2,470	$2,570	$3,010	$3,920	$4,670
98201	$1,670	$1,740	$2,040	$2,660	$3,160
98203	$1,850	$1,930	$2,260	$2,950	$3,510
98204	$1,840	$1,920	$2,240	$2,920	$3,470
98206	$1,950	$2,040	$2,380	$3,100	$3,690
98207	$1,670	$1,740	$2,040	$2,660	$3,160
98208	$1,960	$2,040	$2,390	$3,120	$3,710
98213	$1,950	$2,040	$2,380	$3,100	$3,690
98223	$1,890	$1,980	$2,310	$3,010	$3,580
98224	$1,660	$1,730	$2,020	$2,640	$3,140
98241	$1,620	$1,670	$1,950	$2,570	$2,990
98251	$1,810	$1,890	$2,210	$2,880	$3,430
98252	$1,620	$1,670	$1,950	$2,570	$2,990
98256	$1,620	$1,670	$1,950	$2,570	$2,990
98258	$2,240	$2,330	$2,730	$3,560	$4,230
98259	$1,950	$2,040	$2,380	$3,100	$3,690
98270	$1,730	$1,800	$2,110	$2,750	$3,270
98271	$2,010	$2,090	$2,450	$3,190	$3,800
98272	$1,970	$2,050	$2,400	$3,130	$3,720
98275	$2,130	$2,220	$2,600	$3,390	$4,030
98282	$1,620	$1,670	$1,950	$2,650	$3,160
98287	$1,950	$2,040	$2,380	$3,100	$3,690
98288	$1,620	$1,670	$1,950	$2,570	$2,990
98290	$1,710	$1,780	$2,080	$2,710	$3,230
98291	$1,950	$2,040	$2,380	$3,100	$3,690
98292	$1,840	$1,910	$2,240	$2,920	$3,470
98293	$1,950	$2,040	$2,380	$3,100	$3,690
98294	$1,670	$1,740	$2,030	$2,650	$3,150
98296	$2,490	$2,590	$3,030	$3,950	$4,700
98354	$1,820	$2,010	$2,440	$3,320	$3,800
98422	$1,810	$2,040	$2,500	$3,450	$3,900

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

HUD income limits for Snohomish County (FY2026)

Income limits decide who qualifies for Section 8 vouchers, public housing and most HUD-assisted units. The area median family income is $164,400 (FY2025: $157,100, +4.6%). 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%)	$34,550 +4.5%	$39,450 +4.5%	$44,400 +4.6%	$49,300 +4.6%	$53,250 +4.5%	$57,200 +4.6%	$61,150 +4.5%	$65,100 +4.6%
Very low income (50%)	$57,550 +4.6%	$65,800 +4.7%	$74,000 +4.7%	$82,200 +4.6%	$88,800 +4.7%	$95,400 +4.7%	$101,950 +4.6%	$108,550 +4.7%
Low income (80%)	$81,700 −3.7%	$93,350 −3.7%	$105,000 −3.7%	$116,650 −3.7%	$126,000 −3.7%	$135,350 −3.7%	$144,650 −3.7%	$154,000 −3.7%

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.