Income Limits by County

FY2027 Small Area FMR · Rutherfordton, NC

ZIP 28139 Fair Market Rent & Payment Standards

HUD's FY2027 Small Area Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom home in ZIP code 28139 (Rutherfordton, NC) is $1,120 a month, up 5.7% from FY2026. That is 11% above the Polk County, NC area-wide FMR of $1,012.

2-bedroom SAFMR$1,120per month ▲ 5.7%
Area-wide 2 BR FMR$1,012Polk County, NC
Rank in the area6thof 8 ZIP codes

Payment standard range, 2 bedrooms

90% of SAFMR$1,008
2 BR Small Area FMR$1,120
110% of SAFMR$1,232

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

FY2027 FY2026

Where 28139 sits in the Polk County, NC area

$1,010$1,690median $1,445

Of the 8 ZIP codes HUD lists for the area, 28139 has the 6th highest two-bedroom Small Area FMR. Polk County, NC 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 $1,012 for two bedrooms; an agency that opts in to Small Area FMRs would use $1,120 for this ZIP code instead.

ZIP code 28139 crosses more than one HUD area. HUD also lists it under Rutherford County, NC (same figures). The figure that applies depends on which side of the line the home is.

All unit sizes

Monthly gross rent including utilities
UnitFY2027 SAFMRPayment standard rangeArea-wide FMRFY2026 SAFMR
Studio$950$855 – $1,045$757$920
1 bedroom$960$864 – $1,056$885$930
2 bedrooms$1,120$1,008 – $1,232$1,012$1,060
3 bedrooms$1,500$1,350 – $1,650$1,401$1,470
4 bedrooms$1,530$1,377 – $1,683$1,692$1,590

A household renting a two-bedroom home at the Small Area FMR of $1,120 needs about $44,800 a year to keep housing costs at 30% of income. The area median family income is $93,800 and the 80% low-income limit for four people is $74,650. ZIP code 28139 lies mainly in Rutherford County and Polk County. See the Polk County, NC county page for the full income limits table and the household check.

Nearby ZIP codes

ZIPPlaceDistance2 BR SAFMR
28160Spindale4.2 mi$1,010
28043Forest City7.5 mi$1,010
28722Columbus10.4 mi$1,070
28074Harris10.5 mi$1,060
28756Mill Spring10.8 mi$1,660
28167Union Mills11.0 mi$1,120

Questions

What is the Fair Market Rent for ZIP code 28139?

HUD's FY2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents for 28139 are $950 (studio), $960 (1 BR), $1,120 (2 BR), $1,500 (3 BR) and $1,530 (4 BR) a month.

What is the Section 8 payment standard in 28139?

Housing agencies set payment standards between 90% and 110% of the applicable FMR without HUD approval. For a two-bedroom unit in 28139 that range is $1,008 to $1,232 if the agency uses Small Area FMRs. Ask your housing agency for its actual payment standard.

Which income limits apply in 28139?

The FY2026 income limits of the Polk County, NC area apply: median family income $93,800, low-income (80%) limit $74,650 for a family of four.