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Washington County, IN

The Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Washington County, IN is $988 per month, ranking #600 out of 693 areas nationwide. The area median household income is $61,358, meaning a household spending Fair Market Rent on a 2-bedroom would pay 19.3% of income on housing. Rent in Washington County has decreased 0.1% year over year. The area has a population of 28K, with 17.7% of households renting.

19.3%
Affordable
of income → rent
$988
2BR Fair Market Rent
vs $1,250 national median
$61,358
Median Income
vs $71,049 national
$760
Actual Median Rent
Census ACS estimate
-0.1%
Year-over-Year
2BR FMR change
28K
Population
Census ACS
17.7%
Renters
of occupied housing
$162,400
Median Home Value
2.5%
Unemployment
BLS LAUS
9.6%
Vacancy Rate
of housing units
13.5%
Poverty Rate
below poverty line

Fair Market Rent by Bedroom Size

$749
Studio
$753
1 Bedroom
$988
2 Bedroom
$1,185
3 Bedroom
$1,308
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 Washington County, IN, a household earning the area median income of $61,358 would spend 19.3% 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
$39,520
annual (30% threshold)
Hourly Wage Needed
$19
full-time (2,080 hrs/yr)
Actual Median Rent
$760
$228 below FMR

5-Year Rent Trend

+35.0% since 2021
$7322021$7542022$8482023$9892024$9962025$9882026

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

Minimum Wage Affordability

The minimum wage in Indiana is $7.25/hr. A minimum-wage worker would need to work 104.8 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 Washington County is 13.5%, near the national average of approximately 12.4%.

State Min Wage
$7.25/hr
Hours/Week Needed
104.8 hrs
Poverty Rate
13.5%

Housing Market Context

The median home value in Washington County is $162,400. At a median income of $61,358, this represents a price-to-income ratio of 2.6x. 9.6% of housing units in the area are vacant, which is near the national average. The local unemployment rate is 2.5%, below the national average, indicating a relatively strong local labor market.

Rent vs. Buy
$1,137 est. mortgage
vs $988 FMR rent
Vacancy Rate
9.6%
of housing units
Unemployment
2.5%
BLS, latest available

Other Areas in Indiana

Indianapolis-Carmel
$1,473/mo
2BR FMR · 22.9% burden
Columbus
$1,415/mo
2BR FMR · 21.1% burden
Cincinnati
$1,353/mo
2BR FMR · 20.4% burden
Gary
$1,317/mo
2BR FMR · 17.8% burden
South Bend-Mishawaka
$1,292/mo
2BR FMR · 23.7% burden

Compare Washington County

vs Indianapolis-Carmel, INvs Columbus, INvs Cincinnati, IN

Areas With Similar Rent to Washington County

Frequently Asked Questions

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Washington County, IN is $988 per month. A studio is $749/mo, a 1-bedroom is $753/mo, and a 3-bedroom is $1,185/mo. The actual median gross rent from Census data is $760/mo.

Washington County has a rent burden of 19.3%, meaning a household earning the median income of $61,358 would spend 19.3% 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 $39,520.

Washington County's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $988/mo is $262 below the national median of $1,250/mo. Washington County ranks #600 out of 693 areas for highest rent in the United States.

To afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Washington County without spending more than 30% of income on housing, you would need an annual household income of at least $39,520, or a full-time hourly wage of $19/hour. The area median income is $61,358.

The 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Washington County decreased by 0.1% compared to the prior year. Decreasing rents may signal softening demand or new housing supply entering the 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.