FY2027 Fair Market Rent · Maine
Penobscot County Fair Market Rent & Income Limits
HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom home in Penobscot County, ME is $1,722 a month, up 3.8% from FY2026. The area median family income is $106,500, and a family of four counts as low income up to $85,200 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 Penobscot County, ME.
Low income (80% limit)
A household of 4 earning $83,200 is under the 80% limit of $85,200 for this area. At 30% of income it could pay about $2,080 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 Penobscot County
HUD's FY2026 income limits for Bangor, ME are based on a median family income of $106,500. 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 | $22,400 | $37,300 | $44,760 | $59,650 |
| 2 | $25,600 | $42,600 | $51,120 | $68,200 |
| 3 | $28,800 | $47,950 | $57,540 | $76,700 |
| 4 | $33,000 | $53,250 | $63,900 | $85,200 |
| 5 | $38,680 | $57,550 | $69,060 | $92,050 |
| 6 | $44,360 | $61,800 | $74,160 | $98,850 |
| 7 | $50,040 | $66,050 | $79,260 | $105,650 |
| 8 | $55,720 | $70,300 | $84,360 | $112,500 |
HERA Special area. Tax-credit properties placed in service before 2009 may use HUD's higher HERA hold-harmless 60% limits here: $69,240 for four people, against the regular $63,900.
Rent history
Since FY2017 the two-bedroom FMR here has gone from $860 to $1,722, up 100.2% over ten years. HUD has published a two-bedroom FMR for this area since FY1983, when it was $385.
What it takes to afford the rent
To keep a two-bedroom rent of $1,722 at no more than 30% of income, the usual affordability rule, a household needs about $68,900 a year. That is 65% of the area median family income of $106,500, so a typical family can afford it with room to spare.
| Unit | FY2027 | FY2026 | FY2025 | Income to affordat 30% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,305 | $1,244 | $1,034 | $52,200 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,380 | $1,313 | $1,114 | $55,200 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,722 | $1,659 | $1,424 | $68,900 |
| 3 bedrooms | $2,203 | $2,133 | $1,825 | $88,100 |
| 4 bedrooms | $2,495 | $2,242 | $1,890 | $99,800 |
Fair Market Rents by town in Penobscot County
In New England HUD sets Fair Market Rents and income limits by town, not by county. The 67 towns of Penobscot County fall into 2 HUD areas; the figures at the top of this page are for Bangor, ME, the area with the most residents. Find your town below.
| HUD area | 2 BR FMR | Median income | Towns |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bangor, ME | $1,722 | $106,500 | Bangor, Brewer, Eddington, Glenburn, Hampden, Hermon, Holden, Kenduskeag, Milford, Old Town, Orono, Orrington, Penobscot Indian Island Reservation, Veazie |
| Penobscot County, ME (part) | $1,496 | $79,000 | Alton, Argyle UT, Bradford, Bradley, Burlington, Carmel, Carroll plantation, Charleston, Chester, Clifton, Corinna, Corinth, Dexter, Dixmont, Drew UT, East Central Penobscot UT, East Millinocket, Edinburg, Enfield, Etna, Exeter, Garland, Greenbush, Howland, Hudson, Kingman UT, Lagrange, Lakeville, Lee, Levant, Lincoln, Lowell, Mattawamkeag, Maxfield, Medway, Millinocket, Mount Chase, Newburgh, Newport, North Penobscot UT, Passadumkeag, Patten, Plymouth, Prentiss UT, Seboeis plantation, Springfield, Stacyville, Stetson, Twombly UT, Webster plantation, Whitney UT, Winn, Woodville |
How Penobscot County compares
Penobscot County makes up the Bangor, ME metro area on its own, so HUD's metro figures and the county figures are the same.
Penobscot County has the 3rd highest two-bedroom Fair Market Rent of the 16 counties in Maine; the population-weighted average across Maine is $1,708 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 Penobscot County the two-bedroom figure ranges from $1,260 to $2,350 across 43 ZIP codes, against the area-wide $1,722. 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. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 04489 | Stillwater | $2,350 | $2,585 |
| 04449 | Hudson | $2,160 | $2,376 |
| 04932 | Dixmont | $2,130 | $2,343 |
| 04456 | Levant | $2,090 | $2,299 |
| 04435 | Exeter | $2,080 | $2,288 |
| 04422 | Charleston | $2,050 | $2,255 |
| 04419 | Carmel | $2,000 | $2,200 |
| 04473 | Orono | $1,920 | $2,112 |
| 04434 | Etna | $1,910 | $2,101 |
| 04469 | Orono | $1,870 | $2,057 |
| 04928 | Corinna | $1,840 | $2,024 |
| 04428 | Eddington | $1,830 | $2,013 |
| 04411 | Bradley | $1,810 | $1,991 |
| 04474 | Orrington | $1,790 | $1,969 |
| 04455 | Lee | $1,780 | $1,958 |
| 04487 | Springfield | $1,780 | $1,958 |
| 04495 | Winn | $1,780 | $1,958 |
| 04777 | Stacyville | $1,780 | $1,958 |
| 04933 | East Newport | $1,780 | $1,958 |
| 04444 | Hampden | $1,760 | $1,936 |
| 04468 | Old Town | $1,760 | $1,936 |
| 04401 | Bangor | $1,750 | $1,925 |
| 04488 | Stetson | $1,730 | $1,903 |
| 04402 | Bangor | $1,680 | $1,848 |
| 04412 | Brewer | $1,670 | $1,837 |
| 04450 | Kenduskeag | $1,660 | $1,826 |
| 04939 | Garland | $1,640 | $1,804 |
| 04969 | Plymouth | $1,600 | $1,760 |
| 04448 | Howland | $1,580 | $1,738 |
| 04461 | Milford | $1,540 | $1,694 |
| 04410 | Bradford | $1,530 | $1,683 |
| 04930 | Dexter | $1,520 | $1,672 |
| 04418 | Greenbush | $1,500 | $1,650 |
| 04457 | Lincoln | $1,500 | $1,650 |
| 04460 | Medway | $1,500 | $1,650 |
| 04427 | Corinth | $1,500 | $1,650 |
| 04953 | Newport | $1,490 | $1,639 |
| 04453 | Lagrange | $1,470 | $1,617 |
| 04475 | Passadumkeag | $1,460 | $1,606 |
| 04493 | West Enfield | $1,280 | $1,408 |
| 04417 | Burlington | $1,260 | $1,386 |
| 04430 | East Millinocket | $1,260 | $1,386 |
| 04765 | Patten | $1,260 | $1,386 |
Questions
What is the Fair Market Rent in Penobscot County, ME for 2027?
For FY2027 (October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027) HUD's Fair Market Rents in Penobscot County, ME are $1,305 for a studio, $1,380 for one bedroom, $1,722 for two bedrooms, $2,203 for three and $2,495 for four bedrooms, per month including utilities.
What is the area median income in Penobscot County, ME?
HUD's FY2026 median family income for the area is $106,500, down 6.2% from $113,600 in FY2025.
What is 80% of AMI in Penobscot County, ME for a family of 4?
The FY2026 low-income limit (80%) for a household of four is $85,200 a year. The very low-income limit (50%) is $53,250 and the extremely low-income limit is $33,000.
What is the 60% AMI limit for tax credit housing in Penobscot County, ME?
Under HUD's FY2026 Multifamily Tax Subsidy Project limits, the 60% limit is $44,760 for one person and $63,900 for four. Some older tax-credit properties here use higher HERA hold-harmless limits.
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: $1,550 to $1,894), and can ask HUD for exceptions. Check the payment standard with your local housing agency.