North Carolina · FIPS 37021 · HUD FY 2027
Buncombe County, North Carolina Fair Market Rent
HUD’s FY 2027 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Buncombe County is $1,866 a month (rent plus utilities), 29% above the North Carolina average of $1,441 and 6% above the U.S. average of $1,761. That is up $31 (1.7%) from FY 2026. At 30% of income, a household needs about $74,640 a year to afford it.
- $1,8662-bedroom FMR+$31 (+1.7%) vs FY 2026
- $1,7141-bedroom FMRNorth Carolina: $1,282 · U.S.: $1,478
- $74,640Income for a 2-bedroom$36/hour full-time
- 1 of 1002BR rank in North Carolina1 = highest rent
| Unit | Buncombe County FY 2027 | FY 2026 | Change | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,482 | $1,436 | +$46 (+3.2%) | $1,215 | $1,379 | $59,280 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,714 | $1,674 | +$40 (+2.4%) | $1,282 | $1,478 | $68,560 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,866 | $1,835 | +$31 (+1.7%) | $1,441 | $1,761 | $74,640 |
| 3 bedrooms | $2,223 | $2,231 | −$8 (−0.4%) | $1,823 | $2,266 | $88,920 |
| 4 bedrooms | $3,109 | $3,078 | +$31 (+1.0%) | $2,256 | $2,607 | $124,360 |
How Buncombe County compares
- HUD sets this rent for the Asheville, NC metro FMR area, which covers 414,711 residents in 3 counties.
- Across North Carolina, 2-bedroom FMRs run from $1,012 (Wilkes County) to $1,866 (Buncombe County).
- Studio to 4-bedroom: $1,482, $1,714, $1,866, $2,223, $3,109. 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 16 ZIP codes mostly in Buncombe County (by land area), the 2-bedroom figure ranges from $1,660 to $2,190.
Small Area FMRs by ZIP code in Buncombe County
| ZIP | Studio | 1BR | 2BR | 3BR | 4BR | 2BR vs FY 2026 | 2BR vs area FMR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28701 | $1,300 | $1,510 | $1,660 | $2,010 | $2,780 | −$130 (−7.3%) | 11% below |
| 28704 | $1,640 | $1,900 | $2,070 | $2,470 | $3,450 | +$20 (+1.0%) | 11% above |
| 28709 | $1,720 | $1,990 | $2,170 | $2,590 | $3,620 | +$20 (+0.9%) | 16% above |
| 28711 | $1,430 | $1,660 | $1,810 | $2,150 | $3,000 | +$80 (+4.6%) | 3% below |
| 28715 | $1,450 | $1,670 | $1,820 | $2,170 | $3,030 | no change | 2% below |
| 28730 | $1,350 | $1,560 | $1,700 | $2,030 | $2,830 | +$80 (+4.9%) | 9% below |
| 28748 | $1,330 | $1,530 | $1,670 | $2,010 | $2,780 | +$120 (+7.7%) | 11% below |
| 28757 | $1,300 | $1,510 | $1,660 | $2,010 | $2,780 | +$120 (+7.8%) | 11% below |
| 28770 | $1,400 | $1,620 | $1,770 | $2,110 | $2,920 | +$80 (+4.7%) | 5% below |
| 28778 | $1,300 | $1,510 | $1,660 | $2,010 | $2,780 | +$80 (+5.1%) | 11% below |
| 28787 | $1,450 | $1,670 | $1,820 | $2,170 | $3,030 | +$30 (+1.7%) | 2% below |
| 28801 | $1,560 | $1,800 | $1,960 | $2,340 | $3,270 | −$20 (−1.0%) | 5% above |
| 28803 | $1,740 | $2,010 | $2,190 | $2,660 | $3,680 | −$240 (−9.9%) | 17% above |
| 28804 | $1,700 | $1,970 | $2,140 | $2,550 | $3,570 | no change | 15% above |
| 28805 | $1,500 | $1,740 | $1,890 | $2,250 | $3,150 | +$40 (+2.2%) | 1% above |
| 28806 | $1,470 | $1,700 | $1,850 | $2,200 | $3,080 | −$30 (−1.6%) | 1% below |
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.