North Carolina · FIPS 37135 · HUD FY 2027
Orange County, North Carolina Fair Market Rent
HUD’s FY 2027 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Orange County is $1,745 a month (rent plus utilities), 21% above the North Carolina average of $1,441 and 1% below the U.S. average of $1,761. That is up $34 (2.0%) from FY 2026. At 30% of income, a household needs about $69,800 a year to afford it.
- $1,7452-bedroom FMR+$34 (+2.0%) vs FY 2026
- $1,5541-bedroom FMRNorth Carolina: $1,282 · U.S.: $1,478
- $69,800Income for a 2-bedroom$34/hour full-time
- 8 of 1002BR rank in North Carolina1 = highest rent
| Unit | Orange County FY 2027 | FY 2026 | Change | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,498 | $1,417 | +$81 (+5.7%) | $1,215 | $1,379 | $59,920 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,554 | $1,507 | +$47 (+3.1%) | $1,282 | $1,478 | $62,160 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,745 | $1,711 | +$34 (+2.0%) | $1,441 | $1,761 | $69,800 |
| 3 bedrooms | $2,161 | $2,117 | +$44 (+2.1%) | $1,823 | $2,266 | $86,440 |
| 4 bedrooms | $2,486 | $2,527 | −$41 (−1.6%) | $2,256 | $2,607 | $99,440 |
How Orange County compares
- HUD sets this rent for the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro FMR area, which covers 562,182 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: $1,498, $1,554, $1,745, $2,161, $2,486. 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 7 ZIP codes mostly in Orange County (by land area), the 2-bedroom figure ranges from $1,540 to $1,980.
Small Area FMRs by ZIP code in Orange County
| ZIP | Studio | 1BR | 2BR | 3BR | 4BR | 2BR vs FY 2026 | 2BR vs area FMR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27231 | $1,280 | $1,360 | $1,540 | $1,910 | $2,280 | −$150 (−8.9%) | 12% below |
| 27243 | $1,280 | $1,360 | $1,540 | $1,910 | $2,280 | −$150 (−8.9%) | 12% below |
| 27278 | $1,390 | $1,440 | $1,620 | $2,010 | $2,310 | −$70 (−4.1%) | 7% below |
| 27510 | $1,560 | $1,620 | $1,820 | $2,250 | $2,590 | +$30 (+1.7%) | 4% above |
| 27514 | $1,700 | $1,760 | $1,980 | $2,450 | $2,820 | +$70 (+3.7%) | 13% above |
| 27516 | $1,500 | $1,560 | $1,750 | $2,170 | $2,490 | +$40 (+2.3%) | about the same as |
| 27599 | $1,510 | $1,570 | $1,760 | $2,180 | $2,510 | +$30 (+1.7%) | 1% 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.