Minnesota · FIPS 27165 · HUD FY 2027
Watonwan County, Minnesota Fair Market Rent
HUD’s FY 2027 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Watonwan County is $1,014 a month (rent plus utilities), 33% below the Minnesota average of $1,507 and 42% below the U.S. average of $1,761. That is up $41 (4.2%) from FY 2026. At 30% of income, a household needs about $40,560 a year to afford it.
- $1,0142-bedroom FMR+$41 (+4.2%) vs FY 2026
- $8421-bedroom FMRMinnesota: $1,231 · U.S.: $1,478
- $40,560Income for a 2-bedroom$20/hour full-time
- 53 of 872BR rank in Minnesota1 = highest rent
| Unit | Watonwan County FY 2027 | FY 2026 | Change | Minnesota avg | U.S. avg | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $706 | $671 | +$35 (+5.2%) | $1,102 | $1,379 | $28,240 |
| 1 bedroom | $842 | $842 | no change | $1,231 | $1,478 | $33,680 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,014 | $973 | +$41 (+4.2%) | $1,507 | $1,761 | $40,560 |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,261 | $1,283 | −$22 (−1.7%) | $1,980 | $2,266 | $50,440 |
| 4 bedrooms | $1,333 | $1,288 | +$45 (+3.5%) | $2,243 | $2,607 | $53,320 |
How Watonwan County compares
- Watonwan County is a non-metro county, so HUD sets one Fair Market Rent for the whole county.
- Across Minnesota, 2-bedroom FMRs run from $1,014 (Yellow Medicine County) to $1,734 (Anoka County).
- Studio to 4-bedroom: $706, $842, $1,014, $1,261, $1,333. 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 6 ZIP codes mostly in Watonwan County (by land area), the 2-bedroom figure ranges from $1,010 to $1,120.
Small Area FMRs by ZIP code in Watonwan County
| ZIP | Studio | 1BR | 2BR | 3BR | 4BR | 2BR vs FY 2026 | 2BR vs area FMR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 56022 | $710 | $830 | $1,010 | $1,250 | $1,410 | +$40 (+4.1%) | about the same as |
| 56056 | $730 | $860 | $1,040 | $1,290 | $1,370 | +$50 (+5.1%) | 3% above |
| 56060 | $880 | $930 | $1,120 | $1,470 | $1,730 | +$60 (+5.7%) | 10% above |
| 56062 | $880 | $880 | $1,060 | $1,470 | $1,730 | no change | 5% above |
| 56081 | $730 | $870 | $1,050 | $1,300 | $1,450 | +$50 (+5.0%) | 4% above |
| 56120 | $710 | $840 | $1,010 | $1,260 | $1,340 | +$40 (+4.1%) | about the same as |
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.