FY2027 Fair Market Rent · California
Merced County Fair Market Rent & Income Limits
HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom home in Merced County, CA is $1,517 a month, up 0.9% from FY2026. The area median family income is $75,800, and a family of four counts as low income up to $77,700 a year.
Fair Market Rent by unit size
FY2027 FY2026
Fair Market Rents are gross rents: rent plus the cost of all utilities except phone, cable and internet.
Check your household
Enter your household size and total yearly income before taxes to see which HUD income category it falls in for Merced County, CA.
Low income (80% limit)
A household of 4 earning $75,700 is under the 80% limit of $77,700 for this area. At 30% of income it could pay about $1,892 a month for rent and utilities.
This is a quick comparison with HUD's published limits, not an eligibility decision. Programs count income in their own ways and many have waiting lists; the local housing agency or property decides.
Income limits in Merced County
HUD's FY2026 income limits for Merced, CA are based on a median family income of $75,800. Programs such as Housing Choice Vouchers, public housing and HOME use the 30%, 50% and 80% columns; Low-Income Housing Tax Credit properties use the 50% and 60% Multifamily Tax Subsidy Project limits.
| People | Extremely low30% / poverty | Very low50% | 60% (LIHTC)MTSP | Low income80% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $20,450 | $34,000 | $40,800 | $54,400 |
| 2 | $23,350 | $38,850 | $46,620 | $62,200 |
| 3 | $27,320 | $43,700 | $52,440 | $69,950 |
| 4 | $33,000 | $48,550 | $58,260 | $77,700 |
| 5 | $38,680 | $52,450 | $62,940 | $83,950 |
| 6 | $44,360 | $56,350 | $67,620 | $90,150 |
| 7 | $50,040 | $60,250 | $72,300 | $96,350 |
| 8 | $55,720 | $64,100 | $76,920 | $102,600 |
Rent history
Since FY2017 the two-bedroom FMR here has gone from $776 to $1,517, up 95.5% over ten years. HUD has published a two-bedroom FMR for this area since FY1983, when it was $368.
What it takes to afford the rent
To keep a two-bedroom rent of $1,517 at no more than 30% of income, the usual affordability rule, a household needs about $60,700 a year. That is 80% of the area median family income of $75,800, so the rent is within reach of a median family but not of a low-income one.
| Unit | FY2027 | FY2026 | FY2025 | Income to affordat 30% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,200 | $1,116 | $1,071 | $48,000 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,262 | $1,213 | $1,227 | $50,500 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,517 | $1,503 | $1,509 | $60,700 |
| 3 bedrooms | $2,087 | $2,067 | $2,081 | $83,500 |
| 4 bedrooms | $2,477 | $2,503 | $2,534 | $99,100 |
How Merced County compares
Merced County makes up the Merced, CA metro area on its own, so HUD's metro figures and the county figures are the same.
Merced County has the 42nd highest two-bedroom Fair Market Rent of the 58 counties in California; the population-weighted average across California is $2,632 and the nationwide average is $1,751.
Small Area FMRs by ZIP code
HUD also publishes Small Area Fair Market Rents for each ZIP code. In Merced County the two-bedroom figure ranges from $1,360 to $1,860 across 22 ZIP codes, against the area-wide $1,517. This area is not on HUD's list of mandatory Small Area FMR areas, so most agencies here use the area-wide FMR; an agency may still opt in to ZIP-level rents.
| ZIP | Place | 2 BR SAFMR | 110% payment std. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 95348 | Merced | $1,860 | $2,046 |
| 93635 | Los Banos | $1,760 | $1,936 |
| 95324 | Hilmar | $1,720 | $1,892 |
| 95334 | Livingston | $1,670 | $1,837 |
| 95322 | Gustine | $1,590 | $1,749 |
| 93661 | Santa Rita Park | $1,520 | $1,672 |
| 95343 | Merced | $1,520 | $1,672 |
| 95344 | Merced | $1,520 | $1,672 |
| 93620 | Dos Palos | $1,500 | $1,650 |
| 93665 | South Dos Palos | $1,470 | $1,617 |
| 95341 | Merced | $1,460 | $1,606 |
| 95301 | Atwater | $1,420 | $1,562 |
| 95340 | Merced | $1,420 | $1,562 |
| 95315 | Delhi | $1,410 | $1,551 |
| 95303 | Ballico | $1,360 | $1,496 |
| 95312 | Cressey | $1,360 | $1,496 |
| 95317 | El Nido | $1,360 | $1,496 |
| 95333 | Le Grand | $1,360 | $1,496 |
| 95365 | Planada | $1,360 | $1,496 |
| 95369 | Snelling | $1,360 | $1,496 |
| 95374 | Stevinson | $1,360 | $1,496 |
| 95388 | Winton | $1,360 | $1,496 |
Questions
What is the Fair Market Rent in Merced County, CA for 2027?
For FY2027 (October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027) HUD's Fair Market Rents in Merced County, CA are $1,200 for a studio, $1,262 for one bedroom, $1,517 for two bedrooms, $2,087 for three and $2,477 for four bedrooms, per month including utilities.
What is the area median income in Merced County, CA?
HUD's FY2026 median family income for the area is $75,800, down 9.8% from $84,000 in FY2025.
What is 80% of AMI in Merced County, CA for a family of 4?
The FY2026 low-income limit (80%) for a household of four is $77,700 a year. The very low-income limit (50%) is $48,550 and the extremely low-income limit is $33,000.
What is the 60% AMI limit for tax credit housing in Merced County, CA?
Under HUD's FY2026 Multifamily Tax Subsidy Project limits, the 60% limit is $40,800 for one person and $58,260 for four.
Is the Fair Market Rent the same as the Section 8 payment standard?
No. Housing agencies set their payment standard between 90% and 110% of the FMR (for a two-bedroom here: $1,365 to $1,669), and can ask HUD for exceptions. Check the payment standard with your local housing agency.