Section 8 Voucher Calculator, built on official HUD data
Estimate your Housing Choice Voucher subsidy (HAP), check income eligibility, and find your local PHA — using HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent and income limits for all 3,229 U.S. counties.
Instantly jump to your county’s Fair Market Rent, income limits, and a pre-filled voucher estimate.
Tools
Every tool below runs calculations from authoritative HUD program rules (24 CFR § 982) and FY2026 data — no manual FMR entry required.
Voucher Calculator
Enter your area FMR, income, and household to estimate your tenant payment (TTP) and monthly HAP subsidy under 24 CFR § 982.
Open →Eligibility Checker
Check your income tier (ELI / VLI / LI) and how close you are to the next bracket using HUD FY2026 limits.
Open →Income Limits by County
Look up HUD Section 8 income limits (30% / 50% / 80% AMI) for your county and household size to check voucher eligibility.
Open →HUD Deduction Worksheet
Subtract dependents, elderly/disabled, childcare, and medical costs to find your adjusted income.
Open →Rent Burden Analyzer
See what share of your income goes to rent and your savings with a voucher.
Open →Move-In Cost Calculator
Estimate first-month cash: rent, deposit, utility setup, and moving costs.
Open →What-If Simulator
Model a raise, a new child, or a bigger unit and see the impact on your subsidy.
Open →Voucher vs Public Housing
Compare your monthly rent under a voucher versus income-based public housing.
Open →Application Packet
Build a printable document checklist and open the official HUD PHA finder.
Open →Recertification Planner
Model next-year income change and when you must report it to your PHA.
Open →Payment Standard Explorer
See the FMR-based payment standard (0–4 bedrooms) for any U.S. county from HUD FY2026 data.
Open →PHA Directory
Find your local Public Housing Agency (PHA) and the HUD page to check waitlist status and apply.
Open →Portability Calculator
Estimate how your voucher transfers when you move to a new county or state with a different payment standard.
Open →County Lookup
Jump to any U.S. county for its Fair Market Rent, income limits, and a pre-filled voucher estimate.
Open →U.S. Section 8 at a glance (HUD FY2026)
These figures are computed from voucherfig’s published county dataset (HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent, 3,229 county areas). Quote the specific county, not the average, when advising a household.
- $1,162Average 2-BR Fair Market Rent / month
- $1,018Median 2-BR FMR / month
- $475Lowest 2-BR FMR (Puerto Rico municipios)
- $4,214Highest 2-BR FMR (Santa Cruz County, CA)
Your tenant payment is generally the higher of 30% of adjusted income or 10% of gross income; the voucher pays the gap up to the local payment standard. See the methodology in the calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Section 8 (Housing Choice Voucher) and how much will I pay?
The Housing Choice Voucher program (24 CFR Part 982) helps low-income renters pay rent. Your tenant payment (TTP) is generally the higher of 30% of adjusted income or 10% of gross income. The voucher subsidy (HAP) covers the rest, up to the local payment standard. voucherfig estimates this per county using HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent.
What is Fair Market Rent (FMR)?
FMR is HUD’s estimate of the rent plus utilities for a standard unit in an area. Across 3,229 U.S. county areas in FY2026, the 2-bedroom FMR averages $1,162/month (median $1,018), ranging from $475 in parts of Puerto Rico to $4,214 in Santa Cruz County, CA. PHAs use FMR to set the payment standard.
What income qualifies for Section 8?
Generally your household must be at or below 80% of Area Median Income (AMI) for its size. By law (24 CFR 982.201), about 75% of new vouchers must go to extremely low-income households at or below 30% AMI. Use the Income Limits tool to check your tier.
Is voucherfig affiliated with HUD?
No. voucherfig is an independent reference. Figures are estimates only; your local Public Housing Agency (PHA) sets final payment standards, income limits, and eligibility. Always confirm with your PHA and the official HUD sources.
About this tool
Maintained by the voucherfig research team. Figures derive from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) FY2026 Fair Market Rent County Level Data (revised; effective 2026-05-21) and 24 CFR § 982. Calculation methodology reviewed against HUD Handbook 7420.10.
Data retrieved: 2026-08-23. HUD data is public domain (U.S. federal government work).