PHA Directory / NJ DCA

NJ DCA Payment Standards 2026–27

New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) runs the Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) program for New Jersey. It sets its own payment standards — the most it will pay toward rent for each unit size — and federal rules normally require those to fall between 90% and 110% of HUD's Fair Market Rent for the area (the metro-wide FMR, or ZIP-level Small Area FMRs where the authority uses them) unless HUD approves an exception. Below are HUD's FY2027 (effective Oct 1, 2026) figures for the 685 ZIP codes in its area, the benchmark NJ DCA's schedule is built from. Many New Jersey towns and counties also have their own housing authority, so confirm whether DCA or a local authority holds the voucher. The figures below cover every New Jersey ZIP code we hold.

HUD rent figures for New Jersey

HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents (SAFMRs), FY2027 (effective Oct 1, 2026), across 685 ZIP codes. The 90–110% column is the basic range for the median ZIP.

Unit size	Lowest ZIP	Median ZIP	Highest ZIP	90–110% of median
Studio	$880	$1,730	$3,690	$1,557–$1,903
1 bedroom	$970	$1,910	$3,770	$1,719–$2,101
2 bedrooms	$1,200	$2,310	$4,190	$2,079–$2,541
3 bedrooms	$1,540	$2,880	$5,090	$2,592–$3,168
4 bedrooms	$1,700	$3,270	$5,970	$2,943–$3,597

Sources: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents (SAFMRs); payment standard rules from 24 CFR 982 Subpart K and HUD's HCV Guidebook: Payment Standards. These are not NJ DCA's published amounts — confirm yours with NJ DCA.

Contact NJ DCA

Official website

HUD rents by ZIP code

2-bedroom HUD figure for each ZIP. Open a ZIP for every unit size.

Not sure which authority covers an address? Use the PHA directory.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the NJ DCA payment standard?

A payment standard is the maximum monthly amount NJ DCA uses to calculate a voucher's housing assistance for a given unit size. NJ DCA chooses its payment standards, and HUD rules (24 CFR 982.503) normally require them to fall between 90% and 110% of HUD's Fair Market Rent for the area (the metro-wide FMR, or ZIP-level Small Area FMRs where the authority uses them) — the "basic range". An authority can go above 110% only with an exception payment standard approved by HUD or allowed by HUD notice.

Why might NJ DCA's published amounts differ from the HUD figures on this page?

The figures here are HUD's FY2027 (effective Oct 1, 2026) Small Area FMRs. NJ DCA sets its own amounts as a percentage of these (anywhere in the 90–110% basic range), and it adopts new amounts on its own schedule. When new HUD figures would put its payment standards outside the basic range, HUD rules require the authority to revise them within three months of the new figures taking effect. Always use NJ DCA's own published schedule for your actual voucher amount.

Where can I find NJ DCA's official payment standard schedule?

On NJ DCA's website (https://www.nj.gov/dca/divisions/dhcr/offices/summary.html) or from your caseworker. Voucher holders also receive the amount for their unit size in their briefing packet.

Does a higher payment standard mean the voucher pays more of my rent?

It raises the ceiling. The housing assistance payment is the lower of the payment standard or the unit's gross rent (rent plus tenant-paid utilities), minus your total tenant payment — usually about 30% of adjusted monthly income (24 CFR 982.505). If a unit's gross rent is above the payment standard, you pay the difference, and at initial lease-up your share can't exceed 40% of adjusted monthly income.

Why do the amounts change by ZIP code?

HUD publishes Small Area FMRs for each ZIP code in NJ DCA's area rather than one figure for the whole metro area. Some authorities are required to use them and others may choose to; where an authority uses them, its payment standards vary by ZIP too, so higher-rent neighborhoods get higher ceilings. Check NJ DCA's schedule for the ZIP of the unit, not where you live now.