North Carolina · FIPS 37071 · HUD FY 2027
Gaston County, North Carolina Fair Market Rent
HUD’s FY 2027 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Gaston County is $1,785 a month (rent plus utilities), 24% above the North Carolina average of $1,441 and 1% above the U.S. average of $1,761. That is up $99 (5.9%) from FY 2026. At 30% of income, a household needs about $71,400 a year to afford it.
- $1,7852-bedroom FMR+$99 (+5.9%) vs FY 2026
- $1,6401-bedroom FMRNorth Carolina: $1,282 · U.S.: $1,478
- $71,400Income for a 2-bedroom$34/hour full-time
- 4 of 1002BR rank in North Carolina1 = highest rent
| Unit | Gaston County FY 2027 | FY 2026 | Change | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,574 | $1,469 | +$105 (+7.1%) | $1,215 | $1,379 | $62,960 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,640 | $1,538 | +$102 (+6.6%) | $1,282 | $1,478 | $65,600 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,785 | $1,686 | +$99 (+5.9%) | $1,441 | $1,761 | $71,400 |
| 3 bedrooms | $2,179 | $2,076 | +$103 (+5.0%) | $1,823 | $2,266 | $87,160 |
| 4 bedrooms | $2,773 | $2,637 | +$136 (+5.2%) | $2,256 | $2,607 | $110,920 |
How Gaston County compares
- HUD sets this rent for the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro FMR area, which covers 2,170,326 residents in 5 counties.
- Across North Carolina, 2-bedroom FMRs run from $1,012 (Wilkes County) to $1,866 (Buncombe County).
- Studio to 4-bedroom: $1,574, $1,640, $1,785, $2,179, $2,773. 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 14 ZIP codes mostly in Gaston County (by land area), the 2-bedroom figure ranges from $1,070 to $1,610.
Small Area FMRs by ZIP code in Gaston County
| ZIP | Studio | 1BR | 2BR | 3BR | 4BR | 2BR vs FY 2026 | 2BR vs area FMR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28006 | $1,160 | $1,200 | $1,310 | $1,730 | $2,130 | +$70 (+5.6%) | 27% below |
| 28012 | $1,410 | $1,470 | $1,600 | $1,950 | $2,490 | +$120 (+8.1%) | 10% below |
| 28016 | $940 | $980 | $1,070 | $1,310 | $1,660 | +$10 (+0.9%) | 40% below |
| 28021 | $980 | $1,020 | $1,120 | $1,430 | $1,730 | +$90 (+8.7%) | 37% below |
| 28032 | $1,140 | $1,190 | $1,290 | $1,570 | $2,000 | −$40 (−3.0%) | 28% below |
| 28034 | $940 | $980 | $1,070 | $1,310 | $1,660 | +$20 (+1.9%) | 40% below |
| 28052 | $1,150 | $1,190 | $1,300 | $1,590 | $2,020 | +$30 (+2.4%) | 27% below |
| 28054 | $1,340 | $1,400 | $1,520 | $1,860 | $2,360 | +$20 (+1.3%) | 15% below |
| 28056 | $1,230 | $1,280 | $1,390 | $1,700 | $2,160 | +$90 (+6.9%) | 22% below |
| 28077 | $950 | $990 | $1,080 | $1,410 | $1,740 | +$150 (+16.1%) | 39% below |
| 28098 | $1,420 | $1,480 | $1,610 | $1,970 | $2,500 | +$190 (+13.4%) | 10% below |
| 28101 | $1,310 | $1,370 | $1,490 | $1,820 | $2,310 | +$140 (+10.4%) | 17% below |
| 28120 | $1,290 | $1,340 | $1,460 | $1,780 | $2,270 | +$90 (+6.6%) | 18% below |
| 28164 | $1,190 | $1,240 | $1,350 | $1,720 | $2,150 | +$90 (+7.1%) | 24% 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.