FMR Lookup › Massachusetts › Worcester
Section 8 Fair Market Rent in Worcester, MA (FY2026)
HUD's official FY2026 Fair Market Rents for the Worcester, MA 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 | $1,588 | $1,429 – $1,747 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,599 | $1,439 – $1,759 |
| 2 bedrooms | $2,056 | $1,850 – $2,262 |
| 3 bedrooms | $2,548 | $2,293 – $2,803 |
| 4 bedrooms | $2,825 | $2,543 – $3,108 |
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 $2,056 — right at the Massachusetts median of $2,067 across all 20 FMR areas in the state.
Counties and towns covered
The Worcester, MA FMR area is a metro area covering: Auburn town (Worcester County), Barre town (Worcester County), Boylston town (Worcester County), Brookfield town (Worcester County), Charlton town (Worcester County), Clinton town (Worcester County), Douglas town (Worcester County), Dudley town (Worcester County), East Brookfield town (Worcester County), Grafton town (Worcester County), Holden town (Worcester County), Leicester town (Worcester County), Millbury town (Worcester County), Northborough town (Worcester County), Northbridge town (Worcester County), North Brookfield town (Worcester County), Oakham town (Worcester County), Oxford town (Worcester County), Paxton town (Worcester County), Princeton town (Worcester County), Rutland town (Worcester County), Shrewsbury town (Worcester County), Southbridge Town city (Worcester County), Spencer town (Worcester County), Sterling town (Worcester County), Sturbridge town (Worcester County), Sutton town (Worcester County), Uxbridge town (Worcester County), Webster town (Worcester County), Westborough town (Worcester County), West Boylston town (Worcester County), West Brookfield town (Worcester County), Worcester city (Worcester 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 Worcester: Section 8 vs market rent, DSCR, or cash-on-cash return.
Comparable Massachusetts markets by 2BR FMR
| FMR area | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taunton-Mansfield-Norton | $1,584 | $2,078 | $2,562 |
| Amherst Town-Northampton | $1,580 | $2,004 | $2,504 |
| Dukes County | $1,633 | $2,143 | $2,980 |
| Eastern Worcester County | $1,651 | $2,166 | $3,012 |
| Franklin County | $1,422 | $1,866 | $2,237 |
| Lawrence | $1,730 | $2,270 | $2,722 |
All 20 Massachusetts FMR areas →
Informational only — not financial, legal, or lending advice. Confirm current payment standards with the housing authority serving Worcester.