2026–27 Section 8 Rent Limits for 45251
Cincinnati, OH • Hamilton County • Source: SAFMR
OH / Cincinnati
How much will Section 8 pay for rent in 45251?
HUD's FY2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents for 45251 (Cincinnati, OH), effective October 1, 2026, are $1,280 for a studio, $1,370 for 1 bedroom, $1,750 for 2 bedrooms, $2,300 for 3 bedrooms and $2,600 for 4 bedrooms a month. These are gross rents: rent plus any utilities the tenant pays.
Your housing authority turns these into its payment standard — the most the voucher counts toward rent — normally between 90% and 110% of HUD's figure, so about $1,575–$1,925 for a 2-bedroom here. Moving to Work agencies can set theirs outside that range. You usually pay about 30% of your adjusted income plus any amount the gross rent is above the payment standard, and at move-in your share can't exceed 40% of adjusted monthly income. Confirm the amount with your housing authority.
FY2026 vs FY2027: how HUD's figures for 45251 changed
For 45251, HUD's 2-bedroom figure rose $120 (7.4%) from FY2026 to FY2027, from $1,630 to $1,750 a month. All five unit sizes rose, from +7.0% (3 bedrooms) to +11.3% (studio).
| Bedrooms | FY2026 (Oct 2025–Sep 2026) | FY2027 (from Oct 1, 2026) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,150 | $1,280 | +$130 (+11.3%) |
| 1 bedroom | $1,270 | $1,370 | +$100 (+7.9%) |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,630 | $1,750 | +$120 (+7.4%) |
| 3 bedrooms | $2,150 | $2,300 | +$150 (+7.0%) |
| 4 bedrooms | $2,380 | $2,600 | +$220 (+9.2%) |
Voucher amounts nationwide by unit size: Studio · 1 Bedroom · 2 Bedroom · 3 Bedroom · 4 Bedroom
Do you qualify? See the Hamilton County income limits for Section 8.
Related ZIP Codes in Cincinnati
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are Section 8 payment standards for ZIP 45251?
HUD's FY2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents for 45251 in Cincinnati, OH, effective October 1, 2026, run from $1,280 for a studio to $2,600 for 4 bedrooms; the 2-bedroom figure is $1,750 a month. They are not themselves the payment standard: your housing authority sets its payment standard from them, normally between 90% and 110%, so about $1,575–$1,925 for a 2-bedroom here.
What were the Section 8 rent limits for 45251 in 2026?
For FY2026, which ran from October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026, HUD's Small Area Fair Market Rents for 45251 (Cincinnati, OH) were $1,150 for a studio, $1,270 for 1 bedroom, $1,630 for 2 bedrooms, $2,150 for 3 bedrooms and $2,380 for 4 bedrooms a month. These are HUD's figures, not a housing authority's payment standard, which is usually set between 90% and 110% of them. Since October 1, 2026 the FY2027 figures apply; the 2-bedroom figure is $1,750, up $120 from FY2026.
Is 45251 a SAFMR or FMR area?
HUD publishes a Small Area Fair Market Rent (SAFMR) for ZIP code 45251, so its figures are set for this ZIP code rather than averaged across the whole county or metro area. Figures can differ a lot between ZIP codes in the same city.
Can I charge rent above the payment standard in Cincinnati?
Yes, but the tenant pays the difference. For example, if the housing authority's 2-bedroom payment standard equals HUD's $1,750 and the rent is $1,950, the tenant pays the extra $200 on top of their usual share. At move-in the tenant's share can't exceed 40% of adjusted monthly income, and the rent must pass the housing authority's rent reasonableness test against similar unassisted units.