Section 8 Payment Standards by Housing Authority (2026–27)

Authorities’ own published payment standards

Monthly amounts copied from each authority’s published schedule. Ranges are across the ZIP codes or areas in that schedule. Effective dates are the authority’s own; a schedule can take effect after we read it, or be more than a year older than HUD’s current rents. Open an authority for the full table and source.

What is a Section 8 payment standard?

It is the maximum monthly amount a housing authority will count toward the rent and utilities of a voucher unit, set per bedroom size. It is not the amount a voucher pays: the voucher pays the lower of the payment standard or the unit’s gross rent, minus what the family is expected to pay (24 CFR 982.505).

Who decides the payment standard?

Your local housing authority, not HUD. Under 24 CFR 982.503 an authority sets its payment standard within a basic range of 90% to 110% of the HUD Fair Market Rent (or Small Area FMR) for its area. Going above that range generally requires HUD approval or a reasonable accommodation for a person with a disability, and Moving to Work agencies have extra flexibility.

How do payment standards relate to Fair Market Rent?

HUD publishes Fair Market Rents each fiscal year; the FY2027 figures took effect October 1, 2026. The authority’s payment standard is built from them but is not the same number, and an authority can adopt a new schedule at a different time of year.

Why do some authorities on this page show only HUD figures?

We show an authority’s own payment standards only after copying them from a schedule the authority published, with its effective date and where we read it. For the others the schedule has not been transcribed, so the table shows HUD’s 2-bedroom rents for the authority’s ZIP codes, labelled as HUD’s figure. We do not estimate an authority’s amount.

How often do payment standards change?

Authorities review them at least annually after HUD publishes new FMRs, and the effective date varies. Each authority row on this page shows the effective date of the schedule we transcribed, so check the authority’s own site for anything newer.

My housing authority is not listed. Where do I find its payment standard?

This page covers 60 authorities. Ask your authority for its current payment standard schedule, or check the Administrative Plan or Section 8 landlord page on its website. HUD’s public housing contact locator can help you find the right agency, and our PHA directory lists the contacts we have checked.

Can a landlord charge more than the payment standard?

Rent above the payment standard is allowed in some cases, but the tenant would have to cover the difference, and at the start of a tenancy the family’s share generally cannot exceed 40% of adjusted monthly income (24 CFR 982.508). The rent must also pass the authority’s rent reasonableness test. Check your authority’s policy before signing a lease.