Income Limits by County

FY2027 Small Area FMR · Germansville, PA

ZIP 18053 Fair Market Rent & Payment Standards

HUD's FY2027 Small Area Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom home in ZIP code 18053 (Germansville, PA) is $1,700 a month, up 6.9% from FY2026. That is 8% below the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA area-wide FMR of $1,839.

2-bedroom SAFMR$1,700per month ▲ 6.9%
Area-wide 2 BR FMR$1,839Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton,
Rank in the area43rdof 86 ZIP codes

Payment standard range, 2 bedrooms

90% of SAFMR$1,530
2 BR Small Area FMR$1,700
110% of SAFMR$1,870

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

FY2027 FY2026

Where 18053 sits in the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA area

$1,480$2,760median $1,700

Of the 86 ZIP codes HUD lists for the area, 18053 has the 43rd highest two-bedroom Small Area FMR. Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA 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 $1,839 for two bedrooms; an agency that opts in to Small Area FMRs would use $1,700 for this ZIP code instead.

All unit sizes

Monthly gross rent including utilities
UnitFY2027 SAFMRPayment standard rangeArea-wide FMRFY2026 SAFMR
Studio$1,200$1,080 – $1,320$1,302$1,100
1 bedroom$1,400$1,260 – $1,540$1,519$1,310
2 bedrooms$1,700$1,530 – $1,870$1,839$1,590
3 bedrooms$2,130$1,917 – $2,343$2,306$2,030
4 bedrooms$2,290$2,061 – $2,519$2,482$2,140

A household renting a two-bedroom home at the Small Area FMR of $1,700 needs about $68,000 a year to keep housing costs at 30% of income. The area median family income is $104,400 and the 80% low-income limit for four people is $83,500. ZIP code 18053 lies mainly in Lehigh County. See the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA metro page for the full income limits table and the household check.

Nearby ZIP codes

ZIPPlaceDistance2 BR SAFMR
18079Slatedale2.9 mi$1,480
18080Slatington3.8 mi$1,480
18212Ashfield3.9 mi$1,480
18066New Tripoli4.2 mi$1,480
18065Neffs5.1 mi$1,510
18078Schnecksville5.4 mi$1,640

Questions

What is the Fair Market Rent for ZIP code 18053?

HUD's FY2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents for 18053 are $1,200 (studio), $1,400 (1 BR), $1,700 (2 BR), $2,130 (3 BR) and $2,290 (4 BR) a month.

What is the Section 8 payment standard in 18053?

Housing agencies set payment standards between 90% and 110% of the applicable FMR without HUD approval. For a two-bedroom unit in 18053 that range is $1,530 to $1,870 if the agency uses Small Area FMRs. Ask your housing agency for its actual payment standard.

Which income limits apply in 18053?

The FY2026 income limits of the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA area apply: median family income $104,400, low-income (80%) limit $83,500 for a family of four.