Fair Market Rents: Wake County, NC (FY2026)
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rents for Wake 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 | NC median* |
|---|---|---|
| Studio (0-BR) | $1,524/mo | $858 (+78%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $1,596/mo | $887 (+80%) |
| 2 Bedrooms | $1,750/mo | $1,095 (+60%) |
| 3 Bedrooms | $2,196/mo | $1,372 (+60%) |
| 4+ Bedrooms | $2,936/mo | $1,660 (+77%) |
*Median across all FMR-publishing counties in NC. Source: HUD FY2026 FMR schedule.
Using FMR as a voucher holder in Wake 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 Wake County
We track 213 assisted properties countywide:
| City | Properties | Assisted units |
|---|---|---|
| Apex | 5 | 260 |
| Fuquay Varina | 12 | 477 |
| Garner | 18 | 1,175 |
| Holly Springs | 8 | 443 |
| Knightdale | 5 | 272 |
| Wake Forest | 9 | 639 |
| Wendell | 8 | 425 |
| Zebulon | 7 | 303 |