Income Limits by County

FY2027 Fair Market Rent · California

Orange County Fair Market Rent & Income Limits

HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom home in Orange County, CA is $3,057 a month, down 5.5% from FY2026. The area median family income is $138,600, and a family of four counts as low income up to $148,850 a year.

2-bedroom FMR$3,057per month ▼ 5.5%
Median family income$138,600FY2026 ▲ 1.5%
80% limit, 4 people$148,850low income

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 Orange County, CA.

Low income (80% limit)

A household of 4 earning $146,850 is under the 80% limit of $148,850 for this area. At 30% of income it could pay about $3,671 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 Orange County

HUD's FY2026 income limits for Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA are based on a median family income of $138,600. 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.

FY2026 income limits by household size (yearly gross income)
PeopleExtremely low30% / povertyVery low50%60% (LIHTC)MTSPLow income80%
1$39,100$65,150$78,180$104,200
2$44,700$74,450$89,340$119,100
3$50,300$83,750$100,500$134,000
4$55,850$93,050$111,660$148,850
5$60,350$100,500$120,600$160,800
6$64,800$107,950$129,540$172,700
7$69,300$115,400$138,480$184,600
8$73,750$122,850$147,420$196,500

Rent history

Since FY2017 the two-bedroom FMR here has gone from $1,813 to $3,057, up 68.6% over ten years. HUD has published a two-bedroom FMR for this area since FY1983, when it was $525.

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent, 2001 to 2027$0$800$1,600$2,400$3,200$4,000200520102015202020252027$3,057FY2001: $1,046FY2002: $1,097FY2003: $1,155FY2004: $1,220FY2005: $1,317FY2006: $1,392FY2007: $1,485FY2008: $1,595FY2009: $1,546FY2010: $1,594FY2011: $1,584FY2012: $1,652FY2013: $1,621FY2014: $1,644FY2015: $1,608FY2016: $1,672FY2017: $1,813FY2018: $1,876FY2019: $2,037FY2020: $2,216FY2021: $2,331FY2022: $2,324FY2023: $2,539FY2024: $2,783FY2025: $2,903FY2026: $3,236FY2027: $3,057

What it takes to afford the rent

To keep a two-bedroom rent of $3,057 at no more than 30% of income, the usual affordability rule, a household needs about $122,300 a year. That is 88% of the area median family income of $138,600, so the rent is within reach of a median family but not of a low-income one.

Fair Market Rent by year (monthly gross rent incl. utilities)
UnitFY2027FY2026FY2025Income to affordat 30%
Studio$2,580$2,682$2,352$103,200
1 bedroom$2,610$2,746$2,454$104,400
2 bedrooms$3,057$3,236$2,903$122,300
3 bedrooms$4,153$4,393$3,927$166,100
4 bedrooms$4,964$5,246$4,693$198,600

How Orange County compares

Orange County makes up the Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA metro area on its own, so HUD's metro figures and the county figures are the same.

Orange County has the 8th 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.

All 58 counties in California →

Small Area FMRs by ZIP code

HUD also publishes Small Area Fair Market Rents for each ZIP code. In Orange County the two-bedroom figure ranges from $2,690 to $4,590 across 142 ZIP codes, against the area-wide $3,057. 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.

ZIPPlace2 BR SAFMR110% payment std.
92660Newport Beach$4,590$5,049
92823Brea$4,380$4,818
92603Irvine$4,350$4,785
92618Irvine$4,340$4,774
92625Corona Del Mar$4,290$4,719
92673San Clemente$4,280$4,708
92657Newport Coast$4,170$4,587
92679Trabuco Canyon$4,140$4,554
92620Irvine$4,080$4,488
92694Ladera Ranch$4,060$4,466
92886Yorba Linda$3,980$4,378
92612Irvine$3,970$4,367
92610Foothill Ranch$3,790$4,169
92807Anaheim$3,760$4,136
92614Irvine$3,750$4,125
92651Laguna Beach$3,750$4,125
92656Aliso Viejo$3,750$4,125
92602Irvine$3,720$4,092
92629Dana Point$3,720$4,092
92677Laguna Niguel$3,690$4,059
92808Anaheim$3,670$4,037
92606Irvine$3,650$4,015
92692Mission Viejo$3,640$4,004
92604Irvine$3,610$3,971
92661Newport Beach$3,590$3,949
92624Capistrano Beach$3,570$3,927
92782Tustin$3,570$3,927
92663Newport Beach$3,540$3,894
92678Trabuco Canyon$3,510$3,861
92630Lake Forest$3,450$3,795
92626Costa Mesa$3,440$3,784
92662Newport Beach$3,400$3,740
92845Garden Grove$3,400$3,740
92653Laguna Hills$3,370$3,707
92688Rancho Santa Margarita$3,340$3,674
92691Mission Viejo$3,340$3,674
92887Yorba Linda$3,300$3,630
92708Fountain Valley$3,280$3,608
92646Huntington Beach$3,240$3,564
92868Orange$3,240$3,564
92649Huntington Beach$3,220$3,542
92648Huntington Beach$3,210$3,531
92821Brea$3,210$3,531
90742Sunset Beach$3,190$3,509
92806Anaheim$3,180$3,498
92675San Juan Capistrano$3,170$3,487
90740Seal Beach$3,150$3,465
90630Cypress$3,100$3,410
92647Huntington Beach$3,090$3,399
92865Orange$3,090$3,399
92627Costa Mesa$3,080$3,388
90720Los Alamitos$3,070$3,377
90743Surfside$3,070$3,377
90622Buena Park$3,060$3,366
90624Buena Park$3,060$3,366
90632La Habra$3,060$3,366
90633La Habra$3,060$3,366
90721Los Alamitos$3,060$3,366
92605Huntington Beach$3,060$3,366
92607Laguna Niguel$3,060$3,366
92609El Toro$3,060$3,366
92615Huntington Beach$3,060$3,366
92616Irvine$3,060$3,366
92619Irvine$3,060$3,366
92623Irvine$3,060$3,366
92628Costa Mesa$3,060$3,366
92650East Irvine$3,060$3,366
92652Laguna Beach$3,060$3,366
92654Laguna Hills$3,060$3,366
92658Newport Beach$3,060$3,366
92659Newport Beach$3,060$3,366
92674San Clemente$3,060$3,366
92684Westminster$3,060$3,366
92685Westminster$3,060$3,366
92690Mission Viejo$3,060$3,366
92693San Juan Capistrano$3,060$3,366
92697Irvine$3,060$3,366
92702Santa Ana$3,060$3,366
92711Santa Ana$3,060$3,366
92728Fountain Valley$3,060$3,366
92735Santa Ana$3,060$3,366
92781Tustin$3,060$3,366
92799Santa Ana$3,060$3,366
92803Anaheim$3,060$3,366
92809Anaheim$3,060$3,366
92811Atwood$3,060$3,366
92812Anaheim$3,060$3,366
92814Anaheim$3,060$3,366
92815Anaheim$3,060$3,366
92816Anaheim$3,060$3,366
92817Anaheim$3,060$3,366
92822Brea$3,060$3,366
92825Anaheim$3,060$3,366
92834Fullerton$3,060$3,366
92836Fullerton$3,060$3,366
92837Fullerton$3,060$3,366
92838Fullerton$3,060$3,366
92842Garden Grove$3,060$3,366
92846Garden Grove$3,060$3,366
92856Orange$3,060$3,366
92857Orange$3,060$3,366
92859Orange$3,060$3,366
92862Orange$3,060$3,366
92863Orange$3,060$3,366
92864Orange$3,060$3,366
92871Placentia$3,060$3,366
92885Yorba Linda$3,060$3,366
92899Anaheim$3,060$3,366
92831Fullerton$3,030$3,333
92780Tustin$3,000$3,300
92835Fullerton$3,000$3,300
92869Orange$2,990$3,289
90620Buena Park$2,970$3,267
90621Buena Park$2,920$3,212
90680Stanton$2,920$3,212
92617Irvine$2,920$3,212
92637Laguna Woods$2,920$3,212
92655Midway City$2,920$3,212
92676Silverado$2,920$3,212
92683Westminster$2,920$3,212
92701Santa Ana$2,920$3,212
92703Santa Ana$2,920$3,212
92704Santa Ana$2,920$3,212
92705Santa Ana$2,920$3,212
92706Santa Ana$2,920$3,212
92707Santa Ana$2,920$3,212
92801Anaheim$2,920$3,212
92802Anaheim$2,920$3,212
92804Anaheim$2,920$3,212
92805Anaheim$2,920$3,212
92832Fullerton$2,920$3,212
92833Fullerton$2,920$3,212
92840Garden Grove$2,920$3,212
92841Garden Grove$2,920$3,212
92843Garden Grove$2,920$3,212
92844Garden Grove$2,920$3,212
92861Villa Park$2,920$3,212
92866Orange$2,920$3,212
92867Orange$2,920$3,212
92870Placentia$2,920$3,212
90623La Palma$2,790$3,069
90631La Habra$2,690$2,959

Questions

What is the Fair Market Rent in Orange County, CA for 2027?

For FY2027 (October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027) HUD's Fair Market Rents in Orange County, CA are $2,580 for a studio, $2,610 for one bedroom, $3,057 for two bedrooms, $4,153 for three and $4,964 for four bedrooms, per month including utilities.

What is the area median income in Orange County, CA?

HUD's FY2026 median family income for the area is $138,600, up 1.5% from $136,600 in FY2025.

What is 80% of AMI in Orange County, CA for a family of 4?

The FY2026 low-income limit (80%) for a household of four is $148,850 a year. The very low-income limit (50%) is $93,050 and the extremely low-income limit is $55,850.

What is the 60% AMI limit for tax credit housing in Orange County, CA?

Under HUD's FY2026 Multifamily Tax Subsidy Project limits, the 60% limit is $78,180 for one person and $111,660 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: $2,751 to $3,363), and can ask HUD for exceptions. Check the payment standard with your local housing agency.