New Jersey · FIPS 34021 · HUD FY 2027
Mercer County, New Jersey Fair Market Rent
HUD’s FY 2027 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Mercer County is $2,242 a month (rent plus utilities), 1% below the New Jersey average of $2,268 and 27% above the U.S. average of $1,761. That is up $292 (15.0%) from FY 2026. At 30% of income, a household needs about $89,680 a year to afford it.
- $2,2422-bedroom FMR+$292 (+15.0%) vs FY 2026
- $1,7641-bedroom FMRNew Jersey: $1,891 · U.S.: $1,478
- $89,680Income for a 2-bedroom$43/hour full-time
- 9 of 212BR rank in New Jersey1 = highest rent
| Unit | Mercer County FY 2027 | FY 2026 | Change | New Jersey avg | U.S. avg | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,561 | $1,344 | +$217 (+16.1%) | $1,725 | $1,379 | $62,440 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,764 | $1,545 | +$219 (+14.2%) | $1,891 | $1,478 | $70,560 |
| 2 bedrooms | $2,242 | $1,950 | +$292 (+15.0%) | $2,268 | $1,761 | $89,680 |
| 3 bedrooms | $2,741 | $2,338 | +$403 (+17.2%) | $2,793 | $2,266 | $109,640 |
| 4 bedrooms | $3,081 | $2,670 | +$411 (+15.4%) | $3,206 | $2,607 | $123,240 |
How Mercer County compares
- HUD sets this rent for the Trenton-Princeton, NJ metro FMR area, which covers 385,864 residents in 1 county.
- Across New Jersey, 2-bedroom FMRs run from $1,704 (Cumberland County) to $2,792 (Hudson County).
- Studio to 4-bedroom: $1,561, $1,764, $2,242, $2,741, $3,081. 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 22 ZIP codes mostly in Mercer County (by land area), the 2-bedroom figure ranges from $1,760 to $3,360.
Small Area FMRs by ZIP code in Mercer County
| ZIP | Studio | 1BR | 2BR | 3BR | 4BR | 2BR vs FY 2026 | 2BR vs area FMR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 08520 | $1,560 | $1,760 | $2,240 | $2,740 | $3,080 | +$250 (+12.6%) | about the same as |
| 08525 | $1,720 | $1,930 | $2,450 | $2,980 | $3,350 | +$160 (+7.0%) | 9% above |
| 08534 | $1,940 | $2,200 | $2,790 | $3,410 | $3,830 | +$270 (+10.7%) | 24% above |
| 08540 | $2,050 | $2,280 | $2,890 | $3,500 | $3,940 | +$260 (+9.9%) | 29% above |
| 08542 | $2,340 | $2,640 | $3,360 | $4,110 | $4,620 | +$430 (+14.7%) | 50% above |
| 08544 | $2,120 | $2,370 | $3,000 | $3,640 | $4,100 | +$300 (+11.1%) | 34% above |
| 08550 | $2,340 | $2,640 | $3,360 | $4,110 | $4,620 | +$430 (+14.7%) | 50% above |
| 08560 | $1,850 | $2,090 | $2,640 | $3,160 | $3,610 | −$290 (−9.9%) | 18% above |
| 08561 | $1,750 | $1,980 | $2,510 | $3,070 | $3,450 | +$290 (+13.1%) | 12% above |
| 08608 | $1,210 | $1,400 | $1,760 | $2,110 | $2,410 | −$70 (−3.8%) | 21% below |
| 08609 | $1,270 | $1,440 | $1,830 | $2,240 | $2,510 | no change | 18% below |
| 08610 | $1,460 | $1,640 | $2,090 | $2,550 | $2,870 | +$270 (+14.8%) | 7% below |
| 08611 | $1,410 | $1,600 | $2,030 | $2,480 | $2,790 | +$200 (+10.9%) | 9% below |
| 08618 | $1,220 | $1,400 | $1,760 | $2,140 | $2,410 | −$70 (−3.8%) | 21% below |
| 08619 | $1,650 | $1,860 | $2,370 | $2,900 | $3,260 | +$290 (+13.9%) | 6% above |
| 08620 | $1,470 | $1,650 | $2,070 | $2,520 | $2,830 | +$330 (+19.0%) | 8% below |
| 08628 | $1,610 | $1,820 | $2,310 | $2,820 | $3,170 | +$360 (+18.5%) | 3% above |
| 08629 | $1,270 | $1,430 | $1,820 | $2,230 | $2,500 | −$10 (−0.5%) | 19% below |
| 08638 | $1,570 | $1,770 | $2,250 | $2,750 | $3,090 | +$310 (+16.0%) | about the same as |
| 08648 | $1,940 | $2,200 | $2,790 | $3,410 | $3,830 | +$320 (+13.0%) | 24% above |
| 08690 | $1,660 | $1,870 | $2,380 | $2,910 | $3,270 | +$320 (+15.5%) | 6% above |
| 08691 | $1,960 | $2,220 | $2,820 | $3,450 | $3,870 | +$340 (+13.7%) | 26% 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.