FMR Lookup › Florida › Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater
Section 8 Fair Market Rent in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL (FY2026)
HUD's official FY2026 Fair Market Rents for the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA, 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 | $1,593 | $1,434 – $1,752 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,696 | $1,526 – $1,866 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,977 | $1,779 – $2,175 |
| 3 bedrooms | $2,527 | $2,274 – $2,780 |
| 4 bedrooms | $3,077 | $2,769 – $3,385 |
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 $1,977 — 48% above the Florida median of $1,337 across all 52 FMR areas in the state.
Counties and towns covered
The Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL FMR area is a metro area covering: Hernando County, Hillsborough County, Pasco County, Pinellas 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater: Section 8 vs market rent, DSCR, or cash-on-cash return.
Comparable Florida markets by 2BR FMR
| FMR area | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $1,731 | $1,972 | $2,476 |
| Naples-Marco Island | $1,797 | $1,986 | $2,581 |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers | $1,638 | $1,961 | $2,560 |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota | $1,686 | $1,958 | $2,537 |
| Palm Coast | $1,433 | $1,806 | $2,468 |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin | $1,581 | $1,785 | $2,448 |
Informational only — not financial, legal, or lending advice. Confirm current payment standards with the housing authority serving Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater.