Section 8 & Fair Market Rent guides
Plain-English explainers on Fair Market Rent, voucher payment standards, and renting with Section 8 — for landlords and tenants. Educational only.
What is Fair Market Rent, and how does HUD set it?
Fair Market Rent is HUD's yearly estimate of what a modest rental costs in an area. It's the baseline for Section 8 voucher payment standards.
Section 8 payment standards: how much will a voucher actually pay?The payment standard — usually 90–110% of Fair Market Rent — is the cap on what a Housing Choice Voucher pays. Here's how it interacts with your rent and income.
Section 8 for landlords: how renting to a voucher tenant worksWhat landlords need to know about accepting Housing Choice Vouchers: rent caps, the inspection, the HAP contract, and getting paid.
Small Area FMR: why Section 8 rents vary by ZIP codeSmall Area Fair Market Rents are calculated per ZIP code so voucher amounts reflect neighborhood rents, not one metro-wide average.