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Elmira, NY

The Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Elmira, NY is $1,283 per month, ranking #315 out of 693 areas nationwide. The area median household income is $63,469, meaning a household spending Fair Market Rent on a 2-bedroom would pay 24.3% of income on housing. Rent in Elmira has increased 6.2% year over year. The area has a population of 83K, with 30.2% of households renting.

24.3%
Moderately Affordable
of income → rent
$1,283
2BR Fair Market Rent
vs $1,250 national median
$63,469
Median Income
vs $71,049 national
$1,020
Actual Median Rent
Census ACS estimate
+6.2%
Year-over-Year
2BR FMR change
83K
Population
Census ACS
30.2%
Renters
of occupied housing
$132,100
Median Home Value
10.8%
Vacancy Rate
of housing units
15.8%
Poverty Rate
below poverty line

Fair Market Rent by Bedroom Size

$949
Studio
$978
1 Bedroom
$1,283
2 Bedroom
$1,606
3 Bedroom
$1,713
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 Elmira, NY, a household earning the area median income of $63,469 would spend 24.3% 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
$51,320
annual (30% threshold)
Hourly Wage Needed
$25
full-time (2,080 hrs/yr)
Actual Median Rent
$1,020
$263 below FMR

5-Year Rent Trend

+38.9% since 2021
$9242021$9442022$1,0392023$1,2082024$1,2832025$1,2832026

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent by fiscal year. Source: HUD FMR API.

Minimum Wage Affordability

The minimum wage in New York is $15.50/hr. A minimum-wage worker would need to work 63.7 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 Elmira is 15.8%, near the national average of approximately 12.4%.

State Min Wage
$15.50/hr
Hours/Week Needed
63.7 hrs
Poverty Rate
15.8%

Housing Market Context

The median home value in Elmira is $132,100. At a median income of $63,469, this represents a price-to-income ratio of 2.1x. 10.8% of housing units in the area are vacant, which is near the national average.

Rent vs. Buy
$925 est. mortgage
vs $1,283 FMR rent
Vacancy Rate
10.8%
of housing units

Other Areas in New York

New York
$2,910/mo
2BR FMR · 35.9% burden
Nassau-Suffolk
$2,747/mo
2BR FMR · 33.9% burden
Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh
$1,979/mo
2BR FMR · 24.5% burden
Kingston
$1,818/mo
2BR FMR · 26.7% burden
Ithaca
$1,753/mo
2BR FMR · 28.8% burden

Compare Elmira

vs New York, NYvs Nassau-Suffolk, NYvs Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY

Areas With Similar Rent to Elmira

Frequently Asked Questions

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Elmira, NY is $1,283 per month. A studio is $949/mo, a 1-bedroom is $978/mo, and a 3-bedroom is $1,606/mo. The actual median gross rent from Census data is $1,020/mo.

Elmira has a rent burden of 24.3%, meaning a household earning the median income of $63,469 would spend 24.3% 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 $51,320.

Elmira's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,283/mo is $33 above the national median of $1,250/mo. Elmira ranks #315 out of 693 areas for highest rent in the United States.

To afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Elmira without spending more than 30% of income on housing, you would need an annual household income of at least $51,320, or a full-time hourly wage of $25/hour. The area median income is $63,469.

The 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Elmira increased by 6.2% compared to the prior year. This is a significant increase, suggesting growing demand in the local housing market.

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.