FY2026 Fair Market Rents — Watauga County
Studio
$822
1BR
$988
2BR
$1,177
3BR
$1,504
4BR
$1,974
Watauga County, North Carolina
FIPS 37189 · County-level FMR and income limit data
FMR Area: Watauga County, NC
FY2026 Fair Market Rents
| Bedroom Size | Monthly FMR | Annual Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Efficiency (Studio) | $822 | $9,864 |
| 1-Bedroom | $988 | $11,856 |
| 2-Bedroom | $1,177 | $14,124 |
| 3-Bedroom | $1,504 | $18,048 |
| 4-Bedroom | $1,974 | $23,688 |
To afford the FY2026 2-bedroom FMR of $1,177/mo under the 30%-of-income rule, a household needs about
$47,080/yr ($3,923/mo). Area Median Income is $86,900.
At NC's federal minimum wage of $7.25/hr, a worker would need to work 125 hours/week to afford that rent.
Recent FMR Trend
| Fiscal Year | Studio | 1BR | 2BR | 3BR | 4BR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | $822 | $988 | $1,177 | $1,504 | $1,974 |
| FY2025 | $874 | $1,004 | $1,274 | $1,555 | $2,139 |
| FY2024 | $777 | $906 | $1,140 | $1,392 | $1,935 |
| FY2023 | $720 | $845 | $1,040 | $1,320 | $1,631 |
| FY2022 | $665 | $741 | $913 | $1,180 | $1,441 |
| FY2021 | $609 | $660 | $826 | $1,084 | $1,120 |
| FY2020 | $591 | $677 | $865 | $1,141 | $1,174 |
FY2026 Income Limits
Area Median Income: $86,900
| Income Level | 1p | 2p | 3p | 4p | 5p | 6p |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30% AMI | $18,850 | $21,640 | $27,320 | $33,000 | $38,680 | $44,360 |
| 50% AMI | $31,400 | $35,900 | $40,350 | $44,800 | $48,450 | $52,000 |
| 80% AMI | $50,250 | $57,400 | $64,600 | $71,700 | $77,450 | $83,200 |