North Carolina · FIPS 37045 · HUD FY 2027
Cleveland County, North Carolina Fair Market Rent
HUD’s FY 2027 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Cleveland County is $1,014 a month (rent plus utilities), 30% below the North Carolina average of $1,441 and 42% below the U.S. average of $1,761. That is up $89 (9.6%) from FY 2026. At 30% of income, a household needs about $40,560 a year to afford it.
- $1,0142-bedroom FMR+$89 (+9.6%) vs FY 2026
- $8591-bedroom FMRNorth Carolina: $1,282 · U.S.: $1,478
- $40,560Income for a 2-bedroom$20/hour full-time
- 65 of 1002BR rank in North Carolina1 = highest rent
| Unit | Cleveland County FY 2027 | FY 2026 | Change | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $854 | $758 | +$96 (+12.7%) | $1,215 | $1,379 | $34,160 |
| 1 bedroom | $859 | $763 | +$96 (+12.6%) | $1,282 | $1,478 | $34,360 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,014 | $925 | +$89 (+9.6%) | $1,441 | $1,761 | $40,560 |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,404 | $1,286 | +$118 (+9.2%) | $1,823 | $2,266 | $56,160 |
| 4 bedrooms | $1,424 | $1,322 | +$102 (+7.7%) | $2,256 | $2,607 | $56,960 |
How Cleveland County compares
- Cleveland 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: $854, $859, $1,014, $1,404, $1,424. 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 12 ZIP codes mostly in Cleveland County (by land area), the 2-bedroom figure ranges from $1,010 to $1,100.
Small Area FMRs by ZIP code in Cleveland County
| ZIP | Studio | 1BR | 2BR | 3BR | 4BR | 2BR vs FY 2026 | 2BR vs area FMR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28017 | $880 | $880 | $1,040 | $1,440 | $1,460 | +$110 (+11.8%) | 3% above |
| 28020 | $850 | $860 | $1,010 | $1,400 | $1,420 | +$80 (+8.6%) | about the same as |
| 28042 | $850 | $860 | $1,010 | $1,400 | $1,420 | +$80 (+8.6%) | about the same as |
| 28073 | $880 | $880 | $1,040 | $1,440 | $1,460 | +$100 (+10.6%) | 3% above |
| 28086 | $900 | $910 | $1,050 | $1,430 | $1,510 | +$80 (+8.2%) | 4% above |
| 28089 | $880 | $880 | $1,040 | $1,440 | $1,460 | +$90 (+9.5%) | 3% above |
| 28090 | $850 | $870 | $1,010 | $1,390 | $1,560 | −$50 (−4.7%) | about the same as |
| 28114 | $860 | $860 | $1,010 | $1,370 | $1,390 | +$80 (+8.6%) | about the same as |
| 28136 | $880 | $880 | $1,040 | $1,430 | $1,460 | +$90 (+9.5%) | 3% above |
| 28150 | $880 | $880 | $1,040 | $1,440 | $1,460 | +$90 (+9.5%) | 3% above |
| 28152 | $880 | $880 | $1,040 | $1,440 | $1,460 | +$110 (+11.8%) | 3% above |
| 28169 | $960 | $990 | $1,100 | $1,430 | $1,670 | +$170 (+18.3%) | 8% 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.