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Franklin County, IN

The Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Franklin County, IN is $1,117 per month, ranking #469 out of 693 areas nationwide. The area median household income is $79,702, meaning a household spending Fair Market Rent on a 2-bedroom would pay 16.8% of income on housing. Rent in Franklin County has increased 19.0% year over year. The area has a population of 23K, with 18.5% of households renting.

16.8%
Affordable
of income → rent
$1,117
2BR Fair Market Rent
vs $1,250 national median
$79,702
Median Income
vs $71,049 national
$803
Actual Median Rent
Census ACS estimate
+19%
Year-over-Year
2BR FMR change
23K
Population
Census ACS
18.5%
Renters
of occupied housing
$236,700
Median Home Value
2.2%
Unemployment
BLS LAUS
6.3%
Vacancy Rate
of housing units
8.5%
Poverty Rate
below poverty line

Fair Market Rent by Bedroom Size

$796
Studio
$861
1 Bedroom
$1,117
2 Bedroom
$1,473
3 Bedroom
$1,479
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 Franklin County, IN, a household earning the area median income of $79,702 would spend 16.8% 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
$44,680
annual (30% threshold)
Hourly Wage Needed
$21
full-time (2,080 hrs/yr)
Actual Median Rent
$803
$314 below FMR

5-Year Rent Trend

+37.6% since 2022
$8122022$9302023$9392024$1,0522025$1,1172026

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

Minimum Wage Affordability

The minimum wage in Indiana is $7.25/hr. A minimum-wage worker would need to work 118.5 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 Franklin County is 8.5%, below the national average of approximately 12.4%.

State Min Wage
$7.25/hr
Hours/Week Needed
118.5 hrs
Poverty Rate
8.5%

Housing Market Context

The median home value in Franklin County is $236,700. At a median income of $79,702, this represents a price-to-income ratio of 3.0x. 6.3% of housing units in the area are vacant, which is below the national average and suggests a tight housing market. The local unemployment rate is 2.2%, below the national average, indicating a relatively strong local labor market.

Rent vs. Buy
$1,657 est. mortgage
vs $1,117 FMR rent
Vacancy Rate
6.3%
of housing units
Unemployment
2.2%
BLS, latest available

Other Areas in Indiana

Indianapolis-Carmel
$1,473/mo
2BR FMR · 22.9% burden
Columbus
$1,415/mo
2BR FMR · 21.1% burden
Cincinnati
$1,353/mo
2BR FMR · 20.4% burden
Gary
$1,317/mo
2BR FMR · 17.8% burden
South Bend-Mishawaka
$1,292/mo
2BR FMR · 23.7% burden

Compare Franklin County

vs Indianapolis-Carmel, INvs Columbus, INvs Cincinnati, IN

Areas With Similar Rent to Franklin County

Frequently Asked Questions

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Franklin County, IN is $1,117 per month. A studio is $796/mo, a 1-bedroom is $861/mo, and a 3-bedroom is $1,473/mo. The actual median gross rent from Census data is $803/mo.

Franklin County has a rent burden of 16.8%, meaning a household earning the median income of $79,702 would spend 16.8% 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 $44,680.

Franklin County's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,117/mo is $133 below the national median of $1,250/mo. Franklin County ranks #469 out of 693 areas for highest rent in the United States.

To afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Franklin County without spending more than 30% of income on housing, you would need an annual household income of at least $44,680, or a full-time hourly wage of $21/hour. The area median income is $79,702.

The 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Franklin County increased by 19.0% 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.