Minnesota · FIPS 27009 · HUD FY 2027
Benton County, Minnesota Fair Market Rent
HUD’s FY 2027 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Benton County is $1,233 a month (rent plus utilities), 18% below the Minnesota average of $1,507 and 30% below the U.S. average of $1,761. That is up $27 (2.2%) from FY 2026. At 30% of income, a household needs about $49,320 a year to afford it.
- $1,2332-bedroom FMR+$27 (+2.2%) vs FY 2026
- $9611-bedroom FMRMinnesota: $1,231 · U.S.: $1,478
- $49,320Income for a 2-bedroom$24/hour full-time
- 17 of 872BR rank in Minnesota1 = highest rent
| Unit | Benton County FY 2027 | FY 2026 | Change | Minnesota avg | U.S. avg | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $884 | $874 | +$10 (+1.1%) | $1,102 | $1,379 | $35,360 |
| 1 bedroom | $961 | $919 | +$42 (+4.6%) | $1,231 | $1,478 | $38,440 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,233 | $1,206 | +$27 (+2.2%) | $1,507 | $1,761 | $49,320 |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,656 | $1,604 | +$52 (+3.2%) | $1,980 | $2,266 | $66,240 |
| 4 bedrooms | $1,961 | $1,873 | +$88 (+4.7%) | $2,243 | $2,607 | $78,440 |
How Benton County compares
- HUD sets this rent for the St. Cloud, MN metro FMR area, which covers 202,458 residents in 2 counties.
- Across Minnesota, 2-bedroom FMRs run from $1,014 (Yellow Medicine County) to $1,734 (Anoka County).
- Studio to 4-bedroom: $884, $961, $1,233, $1,656, $1,961. HUD derives the other sizes from the 2-bedroom figure with fixed ratios, adjusted where local data warrant.
- HUD also publishes ZIP-level Small Area FMRs. For the 4 ZIP codes mostly in Benton County (by land area), the 2-bedroom figure ranges from $1,260 to $1,540.
Small Area FMRs by ZIP code in Benton County
| ZIP | Studio | 1BR | 2BR | 3BR | 4BR | 2BR vs FY 2026 | 2BR vs area FMR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 56329 | $1,120 | $1,270 | $1,540 | $2,040 | $2,280 | +$20 (+1.3%) | 25% above |
| 56357 | $930 | $1,010 | $1,300 | $1,660 | $2,100 | +$30 (+2.4%) | 5% above |
| 56367 | $900 | $980 | $1,260 | $1,690 | $2,000 | no change | 2% above |
| 56379 | $1,120 | $1,270 | $1,540 | $2,040 | $2,280 | +$20 (+1.3%) | 25% above |
Sources
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, HUD User Fair Market Rents: FY 2027 FMRs (file dated August 26, 2026) and FY 2026 FMRs (file dated April 21, 2026).
- HUD User Small Area Fair Market Rents: FY 2027 SAFMRs (file dated August 31, 2026) and FY 2026 SAFMRs (file dated April 21, 2026).
- ZIP-to-county assignment: Census Bureau 2020 ZCTA-to-county relationship file (file dated December 9, 2021), largest land-area overlap.
Fair Market Rents are HUD’s estimate of gross rent (rent plus utilities) for a modest unit, set at the 40th percentile of recent-mover rents. FY 2027 is HUD’s fiscal year beginning October 1, 2026. Housing authorities set voucher payment standards from these figures; check yours.