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Section 8 Fair Market Rent in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA (FY2026)
HUD's official FY2026 Fair Market Rents for the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA HUD Metro FMR Area, by bedroom count. These figures set the baseline for what the Housing Choice Voucher program pays landlords in this area.
| Unit size | FY2026 FMR | Payment standard range (90–110%) |
|---|---|---|
| Studio / efficiency | $2,621 | $2,359 – $2,883 |
| 1 bedroom | $2,982 | $2,684 – $3,280 |
| 2 bedrooms | $3,483 | $3,135 – $3,831 |
| 3 bedrooms | $4,602 | $4,142 – $5,062 |
| 4 bedrooms | $5,010 | $4,509 – $5,511 |
Source: HUD User — FY 2026 Fair Market Rents. FY2026 FMRs are effective October 1, 2025. Retrieved 2026-06-11.
How this market compares
The 2-bedroom FMR here is $3,483 — 114% above the California median of $1,625 across all 51 FMR areas in the state.
Counties and towns covered
The San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA FMR area is a metro area covering: Santa Clara County. One FMR applies across the whole area — HUD does not publish separate figures per city or ZIP here (some large metros have Small Area FMRs by ZIP; check with the local housing authority).
What a landlord actually collects
FMR is the baseline, not the contract rent. The local housing authority sets a payment standard between 90% and 110% of FMR (the range in the table above), and your unit must pass a rent-reasonableness comparison against similar unassisted rentals nearby. The voucher then covers the gap between the tenant's share (roughly 30% of their income) and the approved rent.
Run the numbers for a deal in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara: Section 8 vs market rent, DSCR, or cash-on-cash return.
Comparable California markets by 2BR FMR
| FMR area | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $2,977 | $3,604 | $4,604 |
| Napa | $2,526 | $3,315 | $4,222 |
| Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine | $2,746 | $3,236 | $4,393 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $2,746 | $3,124 | $4,075 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $2,459 | $3,001 | $3,998 |
| Oakland-Fremont | $2,385 | $2,912 | $3,724 |
Informational only — not financial, legal, or lending advice. Confirm current payment standards with the housing authority serving San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara.