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Brown County, OH

The Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Brown County, OH is $1,008 per month, ranking #577 out of 693 areas nationwide. The area median household income is $79,490, meaning a household spending Fair Market Rent on a 2-bedroom would pay 15.2% of income on housing. Rent in Brown County has increased 14.2% year over year. The area has a population of 2.3M, with 31.9% of households renting.

15.2%
Affordable
of income → rent
$1,008
2BR Fair Market Rent
vs $1,250 national median
$79,490
Median Income
vs $71,049 national
$1,047
Actual Median Rent
Census ACS estimate
+14.2%
Year-over-Year
2BR FMR change
2.3M
Population
Census ACS
31.9%
Renters
of occupied housing
$240,200
Median Home Value
6.5%
Vacancy Rate
of housing units
11.6%
Poverty Rate
below poverty line

Fair Market Rent by Bedroom Size

$797
Studio
$802
1 Bedroom
$1,008
2 Bedroom
$1,361
3 Bedroom
$1,691
4 Bedroom

Fair Market Rents (FMRs) are set annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality units in an area. FMRs are used to determine payment standards for the Housing Choice Voucher program and other federal housing assistance.

Housing Affordability

In Brown County, OH, a household earning the area median income of $79,490 would spend 15.2% of their gross income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This falls below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, meaning housing is relatively affordable for median-income households in this area.

Income Needed for 2BR
$40,320
annual (30% threshold)
Hourly Wage Needed
$19
full-time (2,080 hrs/yr)
Actual Median Rent
$1,047
$39 above FMR

5-Year Rent Trend

+36.6% since 2021
$7382021$7932022$8822023$8832024$9472025$1,0082026

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent by fiscal year. Source: HUD FMR API.

Minimum Wage Affordability

The minimum wage in Ohio is $10.65/hr. A minimum-wage worker would need to work 72.8 hours per week to afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding 30% of income on housing. This means a single minimum-wage earner cannot afford a 2-bedroom working a standard 40-hour week. The poverty rate in Brown County is 11.6%, below the national average of approximately 12.4%.

State Min Wage
$10.65/hr
Hours/Week Needed
72.8 hrs
Poverty Rate
11.6%

Housing Market Context

The median home value in Brown County is $240,200. At a median income of $79,490, this represents a price-to-income ratio of 3.0x. 6.5% of housing units in the area are vacant, which is below the national average and suggests a tight housing market.

Rent vs. Buy
$1,681 est. mortgage
vs $1,008 FMR rent
Vacancy Rate
6.5%
of housing units

Other Areas in Ohio

Union County
$1,433/mo
2BR FMR · 15.7% burden
Columbus
$1,430/mo
2BR FMR · 21.5% burden
Cincinnati
$1,353/mo
2BR FMR · 20.4% burden
Cleveland
$1,279/mo
2BR FMR · 22.4% burden
Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek
$1,273/mo
2BR FMR · 21.9% burden

Compare Brown County

vs Union County, OHvs Columbus, OHvs Cincinnati, OH

Areas With Similar Rent to Brown County

Frequently Asked Questions

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Brown County, OH is $1,008 per month. A studio is $797/mo, a 1-bedroom is $802/mo, and a 3-bedroom is $1,361/mo. The actual median gross rent from Census data is $1,047/mo.

Brown County has a rent burden of 15.2%, meaning a household earning the median income of $79,490 would spend 15.2% of income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This is below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, indicating relatively affordable housing. To afford a 2-bedroom without being cost-burdened, a household would need an annual income of at least $40,320.

Brown County's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,008/mo is $242 below the national median of $1,250/mo. Brown County ranks #577 out of 693 areas for highest rent in the United States.

To afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Brown County without spending more than 30% of income on housing, you would need an annual household income of at least $40,320, or a full-time hourly wage of $19/hour. The area median income is $79,490.

The 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Brown County increased by 14.2% compared to the prior year. This is a significant increase, suggesting growing demand in the local housing market.

Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality rental units. Rent burden is calculated as annual 2BR FMR divided by area median household income. Census data (income, home value, population, vacancy) is from the ACS 5-Year estimates. Unemployment rates are from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.