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Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX

The Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX is $1,852 per month, ranking #89 out of 693 areas nationwide. The area median household income is $97,638, meaning a household spending Fair Market Rent on a 2-bedroom would pay 22.8% of income on housing. The area has a population of 2.4M, with 41.1% of households renting.

22.8%
Moderately Affordable
of income → rent
$1,852
2BR Fair Market Rent
vs $1,250 national median
$97,638
Median Income
vs $71,049 national
$1,646
Actual Median Rent
Census ACS estimate
2.4M
Population
Census ACS
41.1%
Renters
of occupied housing
$434,800
Median Home Value
5.3%
Vacancy Rate
of housing units
9.9%
Poverty Rate
below poverty line

Fair Market Rent by Bedroom Size

$1,474
Studio
$1,562
1 Bedroom
$1,852
2 Bedroom
$2,347
3 Bedroom
$2,760
4 Bedroom

Fair Market Rents (FMRs) are set annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality units in an area. FMRs are used to determine payment standards for the Housing Choice Voucher program and other federal housing assistance.

Housing Affordability

In Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX, a household earning the area median income of $97,638 would spend 22.8% of their gross income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This falls below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, meaning housing is relatively affordable for median-income households in this area.

Income Needed for 2BR
$74,080
annual (30% threshold)
Hourly Wage Needed
$36
full-time (2,080 hrs/yr)
Actual Median Rent
$1,646
$206 below FMR

Minimum Wage Affordability

The minimum wage in Texas is $7.25/hr. A minimum-wage worker would need to work 196.5 hours per week to afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding 30% of income on housing. This means a single minimum-wage earner cannot afford a 2-bedroom working a standard 40-hour week. The poverty rate in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos is 9.9%, below the national average of approximately 12.4%.

State Min Wage
$7.25/hr
Hours/Week Needed
196.5 hrs
Poverty Rate
9.9%

Housing Market Context

The median home value in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos is $434,800. At a median income of $97,638, this represents a price-to-income ratio of 4.5x. 5.3% of housing units in the area are vacant, which is below the national average and suggests a tight housing market.

Rent vs. Buy
$3,044 est. mortgage
vs $1,852 FMR rent
Vacancy Rate
5.3%
of housing units

Other Areas in Texas

Dallas
$1,931/mo
2BR FMR · 26.6% burden
Midland
$1,780/mo
2BR FMR · 22.9% burden
Martin County
$1,772/mo
2BR FMR · 27.6% burden
Fort Worth-Arlington
$1,723/mo
2BR FMR · 23.7% burden
Kendall County
$1,650/mo
2BR FMR · 17.9% burden

Compare Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos

vs Dallas, TXvs Midland, TXvs Martin County, TX

Areas With Similar Rent to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos

Frequently Asked Questions

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX is $1,852 per month. A studio is $1,474/mo, a 1-bedroom is $1,562/mo, and a 3-bedroom is $2,347/mo. The actual median gross rent from Census data is $1,646/mo.

Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos has a rent burden of 22.8%, meaning a household earning the median income of $97,638 would spend 22.8% of income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This is below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, indicating relatively affordable housing. To afford a 2-bedroom without being cost-burdened, a household would need an annual income of at least $74,080.

Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,852/mo is $602 above the national median of $1,250/mo. Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos ranks #89 out of 693 areas for highest rent in the United States.

To afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos without spending more than 30% of income on housing, you would need an annual household income of at least $74,080, or a full-time hourly wage of $36/hour. The area median income is $97,638.

Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality rental units. Rent burden is calculated as annual 2BR FMR divided by area median household income. Census data (income, home value, population, vacancy) is from the ACS 5-Year estimates. Unemployment rates are from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.