Clay County, WV: 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).

$1,0482-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$8441-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$64,65080% income limit, family of 4 (FY2026)

$80,800Median family income (FY2026)

The FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit in Clay County is $1,048 a month, up 1.2% from $1,036 in FY2026. Clay County belongs to the Charleston, WV 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 Clay County by bedroom count

Unit size	FY2027 FMR	FY2026 FMR	Change	Payment standard range (90–110%)
Studio	$730	$714	+2.2%	$657 – $803
1 bedroom	$844	$829	+1.8%	$760 – $928
2 bedrooms	$1,048	$1,036	+1.2%	$944 – $1,152
3 bedrooms	$1,324	$1,325	−0.1%	$1,192 – $1,456
4 bedrooms	$1,377	$1,372	+0.4%	$1,240 – $1,514

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 Clay County that is typically $944 to $1,152 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?

$19,495median income of renter households (low reliability)

$651Median gross rent, all units

40%Rent-to-income ratio (median rent ÷ median renter income)

67%of renter households pay 30% or more of income on rent

At the 30% rule, a renter household earning the local median of $19,495 can afford about $487 a month including utilities. The FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,048 is $561 (115.0%) more than that. To rent a two-bedroom at the FMR, a household needs $41,920 a year under the 30% rule, or $37,728 under the common landlord rule that income must be three times the rent.

Clay County, ACS 2020–2024	Estimate ± MOE
Median gross rent (rent + utilities)	$651 ±$80
Median income of renter households	$19,495 ±$11,544
Renters paying 30% or more of income (cost-burdened)	67.1% ±5.7
Renters paying 50% or more (severely cost-burdened)	45.4% ±16.8
Renter households (where the share can be computed)	474

Change since 2015–2019

	ACS 2015–2019	ACS 2020–2024	Change
Median gross rent	$495	$651	+31.5%
Median renter household income	$22,986	$19,495	−15.2%
Renters paying 30%+ of income	50.1%	67.1%	+17.0 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 $940 to $1,450 depending on the ZIP code.

All 92 ZIP codes in this FMR area

ZIP	0 BR	1 BR	2 BR	3 BR	4 BR
25003	$710	$860	$970	$1,220	$1,520
25015	$810	$940	$1,170	$1,480	$1,540
25019	$680	$770	$950	$1,200	$1,260
25025	$910	$1,060	$1,300	$1,650	$1,730
25030	$660	$760	$940	$1,200	$1,250
25035	$730	$850	$1,050	$1,330	$1,380
25036	$730	$750	$960	$1,260	$1,600
25039	$730	$850	$1,050	$1,330	$1,380
25043	$660	$760	$940	$1,200	$1,250
25045	$720	$840	$1,020	$1,310	$1,390
25054	$730	$850	$1,050	$1,330	$1,380
25059	$720	$750	$950	$1,220	$1,510
25061	$730	$850	$1,050	$1,330	$1,380
25063	$690	$760	$940	$1,250	$1,370
25064	$750	$860	$1,070	$1,350	$1,410
25067	$690	$800	$990	$1,250	$1,300
25071	$660	$770	$950	$1,200	$1,250
25075	$730	$850	$1,050	$1,330	$1,380
25079	$730	$850	$1,050	$1,330	$1,380
25083	$730	$820	$1,030	$1,310	$1,440
25086	$690	$800	$990	$1,250	$1,300
25088	$660	$760	$940	$1,200	$1,250
25102	$730	$850	$1,050	$1,330	$1,380
25103	$670	$770	$950	$1,210	$1,260
25107	$730	$850	$1,050	$1,330	$1,380
25110	$730	$850	$1,050	$1,330	$1,380
25111	$680	$750	$940	$1,200	$1,250
25112	$750	$860	$1,070	$1,350	$1,410
25113	$660	$760	$940	$1,200	$1,250
25124	$830	$940	$1,130	$1,450	$1,540
25125	$660	$760	$940	$1,200	$1,250
25126	$680	$750	$950	$1,220	$1,390
25132	$730	$850	$1,050	$1,330	$1,380
25133	$660	$760	$940	$1,200	$1,250
25134	$730	$850	$1,050	$1,330	$1,380
25136	$690	$750	$940	$1,230	$1,460
25141	$660	$760	$940	$1,200	$1,250
25143	$760	$840	$1,070	$1,380	$1,430
25156	$660	$770	$950	$1,200	$1,250
25159	$810	$810	$1,060	$1,440	$1,660
25160	$730	$850	$1,050	$1,330	$1,380
25162	$660	$760	$940	$1,200	$1,250
25164	$660	$770	$940	$1,220	$1,280
25177	$720	$810	$1,010	$1,320	$1,430
25201	$900	$1,040	$1,290	$1,630	$1,700
25202	$690	$800	$990	$1,260	$1,310
25211	$690	$770	$970	$1,200	$1,270
25214	$690	$800	$990	$1,250	$1,320
25235	$700	$760	$940	$1,280	$1,280
25248	$720	$800	$950	$1,320	$1,430
25285	$660	$760	$940	$1,200	$1,250
25286	$700	$820	$990	$1,270	$1,350
25301	$660	$760	$940	$1,200	$1,250
25302	$730	$850	$1,050	$1,330	$1,380
25303	$810	$930	$1,160	$1,470	$1,520
25304	$800	$930	$1,150	$1,450	$1,510
25305	$730	$850	$1,050	$1,330	$1,380
25306	$1,010	$1,170	$1,450	$1,830	$1,910
25309	$660	$760	$940	$1,200	$1,250
25311	$750	$860	$1,070	$1,350	$1,410
25312	$720	$820	$1,020	$1,320	$1,430
25313	$730	$850	$1,050	$1,330	$1,380
25314	$860	$990	$1,230	$1,550	$1,620
25315	$690	$800	$990	$1,250	$1,300
25320	$730	$840	$1,040	$1,310	$1,370
25321	$730	$850	$1,050	$1,330	$1,380
25322	$730	$850	$1,050	$1,330	$1,380
25323	$730	$850	$1,050	$1,330	$1,380
25324	$730	$850	$1,050	$1,330	$1,380
25325	$730	$850	$1,050	$1,330	$1,380
25326	$730	$850	$1,050	$1,330	$1,380
25327	$730	$850	$1,050	$1,330	$1,380
25328	$730	$850	$1,050	$1,330	$1,380
25329	$730	$850	$1,050	$1,330	$1,380
25330	$730	$850	$1,050	$1,330	$1,380
25331	$730	$850	$1,050	$1,330	$1,380
25332	$730	$850	$1,050	$1,330	$1,380
25333	$730	$850	$1,050	$1,330	$1,380
25334	$730	$850	$1,050	$1,330	$1,380
25335	$730	$850	$1,050	$1,330	$1,380
25336	$730	$850	$1,050	$1,330	$1,380
25337	$730	$850	$1,050	$1,330	$1,380
25338	$730	$850	$1,050	$1,330	$1,380
25339	$730	$850	$1,050	$1,330	$1,380
25356	$730	$850	$1,050	$1,330	$1,380
25361	$730	$850	$1,050	$1,330	$1,380
25362	$730	$850	$1,050	$1,330	$1,380
25364	$730	$850	$1,050	$1,330	$1,380
25387	$810	$930	$1,160	$1,470	$1,520
25389	$730	$850	$1,050	$1,330	$1,380
25526	$770	$770	$1,000	$1,380	$1,430
26617	$730	$750	$970	$1,200	$1,270

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

HUD income limits for Clay County (FY2026)

Income limits decide who qualifies for Section 8 vouchers, public housing and most HUD-assisted units. The area median family income is $80,800 (FY2025: $76,800, +5.2%). 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%)	$17,000 +5.3%	$21,640 +2.3%	$27,320 +2.5%	$33,000 +2.6%	$38,680 +2.7%	$44,360 +2.8%	$50,040 +5.0%	$53,350 +5.2%
Very low income (50%)	$28,300 +5.2%	$32,350 +5.2%	$36,400 +5.2%	$40,400 +5.2%	$43,650 +5.2%	$46,900 +5.3%	$50,100 +5.1%	$53,350 +5.2%
Low income (80%)	$45,300 +5.2%	$51,750 +5.2%	$58,200 +5.1%	$64,650 +5.2%	$69,850 +5.2%	$75,000 +5.2%	$80,200 +5.2%	$85,350 +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.