North Carolina · FIPS 37043 · HUD FY 2027
Clay County, North Carolina Fair Market Rent
HUD’s FY 2027 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Clay County is $1,087 a month (rent plus utilities), 25% below the North Carolina average of $1,441 and 38% below the U.S. average of $1,761. That is up $48 (4.6%) from FY 2026. At 30% of income, a household needs about $43,480 a year to afford it.
- $1,0872-bedroom FMR+$48 (+4.6%) vs FY 2026
- $9991-bedroom FMRNorth Carolina: $1,282 · U.S.: $1,478
- $43,480Income for a 2-bedroom$21/hour full-time
- 54 of 1002BR rank in North Carolina1 = highest rent
| Unit | Clay County FY 2027 | FY 2026 | Change | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $928 | $878 | +$50 (+5.7%) | $1,215 | $1,379 | $37,120 |
| 1 bedroom | $999 | $948 | +$51 (+5.4%) | $1,282 | $1,478 | $39,960 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,087 | $1,039 | +$48 (+4.6%) | $1,441 | $1,761 | $43,480 |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,505 | $1,429 | +$76 (+5.3%) | $1,823 | $2,266 | $60,200 |
| 4 bedrooms | $1,644 | $1,561 | +$83 (+5.3%) | $2,256 | $2,607 | $65,760 |
How Clay County compares
- Clay County is a non-metro county, so HUD sets one Fair Market Rent for the whole county.
- Across North Carolina, 2-bedroom FMRs run from $1,012 (Wilkes County) to $1,866 (Buncombe County).
- Studio to 4-bedroom: $928, $999, $1,087, $1,505, $1,644. 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 3 ZIP codes mostly in Clay County (by land area), the 2-bedroom figure ranges from $1,030 to $1,070.
Small Area FMRs by ZIP code in Clay County
| ZIP | Studio | 1BR | 2BR | 3BR | 4BR | 2BR vs FY 2026 | 2BR vs area FMR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28902 | $800 | $860 | $1,030 | $1,380 | $1,610 | +$70 (+7.3%) | 5% below |
| 28904 | $910 | $980 | $1,070 | $1,480 | $1,620 | +$40 (+3.9%) | 2% below |
| 28909 | $850 | $930 | $1,030 | $1,420 | $1,650 | +$30 (+3.0%) | 5% 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.