FMR Lookup › Texas › Brownsville-Harlingen
Section 8 Fair Market Rent in Brownsville-Harlingen, TX (FY2026)
HUD's official FY2026 Fair Market Rents for the Brownsville-Harlingen, TX 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 | $773 | $696 – $850 |
| 1 bedroom | $866 | $779 – $953 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,047 | $942 – $1,152 |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,414 | $1,273 – $1,555 |
| 4 bedrooms | $1,479 | $1,331 – $1,627 |
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 $1,047 — 3% above the Texas median of $1,015 across all 215 FMR areas in the state.
Counties and towns covered
The Brownsville-Harlingen, TX FMR area is a metro area covering: Cameron 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 Brownsville-Harlingen: Section 8 vs market rent, DSCR, or cash-on-cash return.
Comparable Texas markets by 2BR FMR
| FMR area | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Childress County | $853 | $1,049 | $1,409 |
| McCulloch County | $863 | $1,045 | $1,360 |
| Real County | $953 | $1,045 | $1,360 |
| Castro County | $801 | $1,050 | $1,259 |
| Coleman County | $803 | $1,053 | $1,263 |
| Tyler County | $793 | $1,040 | $1,247 |
Informational only — not financial, legal, or lending advice. Confirm current payment standards with the housing authority serving Brownsville-Harlingen.