Income Limits by County

FY2027 Small Area FMR · Hayward, CA

ZIP 94542 Fair Market Rent & Payment Standards

HUD's FY2027 Small Area Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom home in ZIP code 94542 (Hayward, CA) is $3,060 a month, down 2.9% from FY2026. That is 9% above the Oakland-Fremont, CA area-wide FMR of $2,805.

2-bedroom SAFMR$3,060per month ▼ 2.9%
Area-wide 2 BR FMR$2,805Oakland-Fremont, CA
Rank in the area35thof 115 ZIP codes

Payment standard range, 2 bedrooms

90% of SAFMR$2,754
2 BR Small Area FMR$3,060
110% of SAFMR$3,366

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

FY2027 FY2026

Where 94542 sits in the Oakland-Fremont, CA area

$2,270$3,830median $2,810

Of the 115 ZIP codes HUD lists for the area, 94542 has the 35th highest two-bedroom Small Area FMR. Oakland-Fremont, CA 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 $2,805 for two bedrooms; an agency that opts in to Small Area FMRs would use $3,060 for this ZIP code instead.

All unit sizes

Monthly gross rent including utilities
UnitFY2027 SAFMRPayment standard rangeArea-wide FMRFY2026 SAFMR
Studio$2,280$2,052 – $2,508$2,088$2,320
1 bedroom$2,500$2,250 – $2,750$2,290$2,580
2 bedrooms$3,060$2,754 – $3,366$2,805$3,150
3 bedrooms$3,920$3,528 – $4,312$3,592$4,030
4 bedrooms$4,640$4,176 – $5,104$4,250$4,770

A household renting a two-bedroom home at the Small Area FMR of $3,060 needs about $122,400 a year to keep housing costs at 30% of income. The area median family income is $162,800 and the 80% low-income limit for four people is $135,750. ZIP code 94542 lies mainly in Alameda County. See the Oakland-Fremont, CA metro page for the full income limits table and the household check.

Nearby ZIP codes

ZIPPlaceDistance2 BR SAFMR
94544Hayward2.1 mi$2,800
94541Hayward2.8 mi$2,770
94587Union City4.0 mi$3,070
94552Castro Valley4.4 mi$3,520
94546Castro Valley4.7 mi$3,040
94580San Lorenzo5.4 mi$2,670

Questions

What is the Fair Market Rent for ZIP code 94542?

HUD's FY2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents for 94542 are $2,280 (studio), $2,500 (1 BR), $3,060 (2 BR), $3,920 (3 BR) and $4,640 (4 BR) a month.

What is the Section 8 payment standard in 94542?

Housing agencies set payment standards between 90% and 110% of the applicable FMR without HUD approval. For a two-bedroom unit in 94542 that range is $2,754 to $3,366 if the agency uses Small Area FMRs. Ask your housing agency for its actual payment standard.

Which income limits apply in 94542?

The FY2026 income limits of the Oakland-Fremont, CA area apply: median family income $162,800, low-income (80%) limit $135,750 for a family of four.