FY2027 Small Area FMR · Hightstown, NJ

ZIP 08520 Fair Market Rent & Payment Standards

HUD's FY2027 Small Area Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom home in ZIP code 08520 (Hightstown, NJ) is $2,240 a month, up 12.6% from FY2026. That is 15% below the Middlesex-Somerset-Hunterdon, NJ area-wide FMR of $2,623.

2-bedroom SAFMR$2,240per month ▲ 12.6%

Area-wide 2 BR FMR$2,623Middlesex-Somerset-Hunterdon

Rank in the area105thof 114 ZIP codes

Payment standard range, 2 bedrooms

90% of SAFMR$2,016

2 BR Small Area FMR$2,240

110% of SAFMR$2,464

Housing agencies may set voucher payment standards anywhere from 90% to 110% of the FMR without asking HUD.

Studio$1,560▲ 13.9%

1 BR$1,760▲ 11.4%

2 BR$2,240▲ 12.6%

3 BR$2,740▲ 14.6%

4 BR$3,080▲ 13.2%

FY2027 FY2026

Where 08520 sits in the Middlesex-Somerset-Hunterdon, NJ area

Of the 114 ZIP codes HUD lists for the area, 08520 has the 105th highest two-bedroom Small Area FMR. Middlesex-Somerset-Hunterdon, NJ is not on HUD's list of mandatory Small Area FMR areas, so voucher payment standards here are normally based on the area-wide FMR of $2,623 for two bedrooms; an agency that opts in to Small Area FMRs would use $2,240 for this ZIP code instead.

ZIP code 08520 crosses more than one HUD area. HUD also lists it under Monmouth-Ocean, NJ (same figures) and Trenton-Princeton, NJ (same figures). The figure that applies depends on which side of the line the home is.

All unit sizes

Monthly gross rent including utilities
Unit	FY2027 SAFMR	Payment standard range	Area-wide FMR	FY2026 SAFMR
Studio	$1,560	$1,404 – $1,716	$1,953	$1,370
1 bedroom	$1,760	$1,584 – $1,936	$2,103	$1,580
2 bedrooms	$2,240	$2,016 – $2,464	$2,623	$1,990
3 bedrooms	$2,740	$2,466 – $3,014	$3,125	$2,390
4 bedrooms	$3,080	$2,772 – $3,388	$3,508	$2,720

A household renting a two-bedroom home at the Small Area FMR of $2,240 needs about $89,600 a year to keep housing costs at 30% of income. The area median family income is $154,800 and the 80% low-income limit for four people is $114,600. ZIP code 08520 lies mainly in Mercer County. See the Middlesex-Somerset-Hunterdon, NJ metro page for the full income limits table and the household check.

Nearby ZIP codes

ZIP	Place	Distance	2 BR SAFMR
08561	Windsor	2.3 mi	$2,510
08550	Princeton Junction	4.3 mi	$3,360
08691	Trenton	4.4 mi	$2,820
08555	Roosevelt	4.5 mi	$3,400
08512	Cranbury	4.6 mi	$2,250
08536	Plainsboro	5.6 mi	$2,720

Questions

What is the Fair Market Rent for ZIP code 08520?

HUD's FY2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents for 08520 are $1,560 (studio), $1,760 (1 BR), $2,240 (2 BR), $2,740 (3 BR) and $3,080 (4 BR) a month.

What is the Section 8 payment standard in 08520?

Housing agencies set payment standards between 90% and 110% of the applicable FMR without HUD approval. For a two-bedroom unit in 08520 that range is $2,016 to $2,464 if the agency uses Small Area FMRs. Ask your housing agency for its actual payment standard.

Which income limits apply in 08520?

The FY2026 income limits of the Middlesex-Somerset-Hunterdon, NJ area apply: median family income $154,800, low-income (80%) limit $114,600 for a family of four.