Fair Market Rents: Essex County, MA (FY2026)
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rents for Essex County set the ceiling for what Housing Choice Vouchers pay locally. FMR equals the estimated 40th-percentile gross rent — shelter plus utilities — for modest, non-luxury units.
| Unit size | FY2026 FMR | MA median* |
|---|---|---|
| Studio (0-BR) | $2,359/mo | $1,631 (+45%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $2,476/mo | $1,761 (+41%) |
| 2 Bedrooms | $2,941/mo | $2,311 (+27%) |
| 3 Bedrooms | $3,526/mo | $2,980 (+18%) |
| 4+ Bedrooms | $3,894/mo | $3,164 (+23%) |
*Median across all FMR-publishing counties in MA. Source: HUD FY2026 FMR schedule.
Using FMR as a voucher holder in Essex County
- Your housing authority sets payment standards per bedroom, typically 90–110% of these figures. How payment standards work →
- You may rent above the standard by paying the difference, subject to a 40%-of-income cap at lease-up.
- In high-cost pockets, ask about exception standards or Small Area FMRs by ZIP code.
Subsidized housing in Essex County
We track 7,140 assisted properties countywide:
| City | Properties | Assisted units |
|---|---|---|
| Amesbury | 5 | 30 |
| Andover | 6 | 696 |
| Beverly | 17 | 1,042 |
| Danvers | 10 | 440 |
| Gloucester | 7 | 298 |
| Haverhill | 27 | 1,986 |
| Ipswich | 3 | 212 |
| Lawrence | 46 | 3,810 |
| Lynn | 31 | 3,205 |
| Methuen | 10 | 530 |
| North Andover | 3 | 377 |
| Peabody | 8 | 785 |
| Salem | 19 | 1,849 |
| Salisbury | 3 | 102 |
| Saugus | 3 | 385 |