Income Limits by County

FY2027 Fair Market Rent · Oregon

Columbia County Fair Market Rent & Income Limits

HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom home in Columbia County, OR is $1,878 a month, down 2.3% from FY2026. The area median family income is $128,300, and a family of four counts as low income up to $102,650 a year.

2-bedroom FMR$1,878per month ▼ 2.3%
Median family income$128,300FY2026 ▲ 3.4%
80% limit, 4 people$102,650low 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 Columbia County, OR.

Low income (80% limit)

A household of 4 earning $100,650 is under the 80% limit of $102,650 for this area. At 30% of income it could pay about $2,516 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 Columbia County

HUD's FY2026 income limits for Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA are based on a median family income of $128,300. 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$26,950$44,950$53,940$71,900
2$30,800$51,350$61,620$82,150
3$34,650$57,750$69,300$92,400
4$38,500$64,150$76,980$102,650
5$41,600$69,300$83,160$110,900
6$44,700$74,450$89,340$119,100
7$50,040$79,550$95,460$127,300
8$55,720$84,700$101,640$135,500

HERA Special area. Tax-credit properties placed in service before 2009 may use HUD's higher HERA hold-harmless 60% limits here: $77,460 for four people, against the regular $76,980.

Rent history

Since FY2017 the two-bedroom FMR here has gone from $1,242 to $1,878, up 51.2% over ten years. HUD has published a two-bedroom FMR for this area since FY1983, when it was $320.

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent, 2001 to 2027$0$400$800$1,200$1,600$2,000$2,400200520102015202020252027$1,878FY2001: $730FY2002: $747FY2003: $771FY2004: $795FY2005: $717FY2006: $723FY2007: $737FY2008: $757FY2009: $809FY2010: $839FY2011: $905FY2012: $891FY2013: $912FY2014: $922FY2015: $944FY2016: $1,208FY2017: $1,242FY2018: $1,330FY2019: $1,441FY2020: $1,495FY2021: $1,536FY2022: $1,735FY2023: $1,839FY2024: $2,024FY2025: $1,997FY2026: $1,922FY2027: $1,878

What it takes to afford the rent

To keep a two-bedroom rent of $1,878 at no more than 30% of income, the usual affordability rule, a household needs about $75,100 a year. That is 59% of the area median family income of $128,300, so a typical family can afford it with room to spare.

Fair Market Rent by year (monthly gross rent incl. utilities)
UnitFY2027FY2026FY2025Income to affordat 30%
Studio$1,527$1,570$1,628$61,100
1 bedroom$1,633$1,677$1,750$65,300
2 bedrooms$1,878$1,922$1,997$75,100
3 bedrooms$2,550$2,619$2,739$102,000
4 bedrooms$3,069$3,109$3,217$122,800

How Columbia County compares

Columbia County is part of the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA HUD Metro FMR Area, together with Clackamas County, Multnomah County, Washington County, Yamhill County, Clark County and Skamania 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.

Columbia County has the 4th highest two-bedroom Fair Market Rent of the 36 counties in Oregon; the population-weighted average across Oregon is $1,691 and the nationwide average is $1,751.

All 36 counties in Oregon →

Small Area FMRs by ZIP code

HUD also publishes Small Area Fair Market Rents for each ZIP code. In Columbia County the two-bedroom figure ranges from $1,730 to $1,870 across 8 ZIP codes, against the area-wide $1,878. 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.
97056Scappoose$1,870$2,057
97016Clatskanie$1,730$1,903
97018Columbia City$1,730$1,903
97048Rainier$1,730$1,903
97051Saint Helens$1,730$1,903
97053Warren$1,730$1,903
97054Deer Island$1,730$1,903
97064Vernonia$1,730$1,903

Questions

What is the Fair Market Rent in Columbia County, OR for 2027?

For FY2027 (October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027) HUD's Fair Market Rents in Columbia County, OR are $1,527 for a studio, $1,633 for one bedroom, $1,878 for two bedrooms, $2,550 for three and $3,069 for four bedrooms, per month including utilities.

What is the area median income in Columbia County, OR?

HUD's FY2026 median family income for the area is $128,300, up 3.4% from $124,100 in FY2025.

What is 80% of AMI in Columbia County, OR for a family of 4?

The FY2026 low-income limit (80%) for a household of four is $102,650 a year. The very low-income limit (50%) is $64,150 and the extremely low-income limit is $38,500.

What is the 60% AMI limit for tax credit housing in Columbia County, OR?

Under HUD's FY2026 Multifamily Tax Subsidy Project limits, the 60% limit is $53,940 for one person and $76,980 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: $1,690 to $2,066), and can ask HUD for exceptions. Check the payment standard with your local housing agency.