FY2027 Fair Market Rent · North Carolina
Catawba County Fair Market Rent & Income Limits
HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom home in Catawba County, NC is $1,147 a month, up 4.7% from FY2026. The area median family income is $85,200, and a family of four counts as low income up to $68,150 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 Catawba County, NC.
Low income (80% limit)
A household of 4 earning $66,150 is under the 80% limit of $68,150 for this area. At 30% of income it could pay about $1,654 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 Catawba County
HUD's FY2026 income limits for Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC are based on a median family income of $85,200. 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 | $17,900 | $29,850 | $35,820 | $47,750 |
| 2 | $21,640 | $34,100 | $40,920 | $54,550 |
| 3 | $27,320 | $38,350 | $46,020 | $61,350 |
| 4 | $33,000 | $42,600 | $51,120 | $68,150 |
| 5 | $38,680 | $46,050 | $55,260 | $73,650 |
| 6 | $44,360 | $49,450 | $59,340 | $79,100 |
| 7 | $50,040 | $52,850 | $63,420 | $84,550 |
| 8 | $55,720 | $56,250 | $67,500 | $90,000 |
HERA Special area. Tax-credit properties placed in service before 2009 may use HUD's higher HERA hold-harmless 60% limits here: $51,720 for four people, against the regular $51,120.
Rent history
Since FY2017 the two-bedroom FMR here has gone from $680 to $1,147, up 68.7% over ten years. HUD has published a two-bedroom FMR for this area since FY1983, when it was $293.
What it takes to afford the rent
To keep a two-bedroom rent of $1,147 at no more than 30% of income, the usual affordability rule, a household needs about $45,900 a year. That is 54% of the area median family income of $85,200, so a typical family can afford it with room to spare.
| Unit | FY2027 | FY2026 | FY2025 | Income to affordat 30% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $961 | $858 | $818 | $38,400 |
| 1 bedroom | $965 | $908 | $851 | $38,600 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,147 | $1,095 | $1,046 | $45,900 |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,399 | $1,372 | $1,334 | $56,000 |
| 4 bedrooms | $1,707 | $1,660 | $1,567 | $68,300 |
How Catawba County compares
Catawba County is part of the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC HUD Metro FMR Area, together with Alexander County, Burke County and Caldwell County. HUD publishes one Fair Market Rent and one set of income limits for the whole area, so the numbers on this page apply in every county of it.
Catawba County has the 50th highest two-bedroom Fair Market Rent of the 100 counties in North Carolina; the population-weighted average across North Carolina is $1,441 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 Catawba County the two-bedroom figure ranges from $1,010 to $1,720 across 10 ZIP codes, against the area-wide $1,147. 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.
Questions
What is the Fair Market Rent in Catawba County, NC for 2027?
For FY2027 (October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027) HUD's Fair Market Rents in Catawba County, NC are $961 for a studio, $965 for one bedroom, $1,147 for two bedrooms, $1,399 for three and $1,707 for four bedrooms, per month including utilities.
What is the area median income in Catawba County, NC?
HUD's FY2026 median family income for the area is $85,200, up 9.8% from $77,600 in FY2025.
What is 80% of AMI in Catawba County, NC for a family of 4?
The FY2026 low-income limit (80%) for a household of four is $68,150 a year. The very low-income limit (50%) is $42,600 and the extremely low-income limit is $33,000.
What is the 60% AMI limit for tax credit housing in Catawba County, NC?
Under HUD's FY2026 Multifamily Tax Subsidy Project limits, the 60% limit is $35,820 for one person and $51,120 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: $1,032 to $1,262), and can ask HUD for exceptions. Check the payment standard with your local housing agency.