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Lawrence County, PA

The Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Lawrence County, PA is $1,023 per month, ranking #567 out of 693 areas nationwide. The area median household income is $60,779, meaning a household spending Fair Market Rent on a 2-bedroom would pay 20.2% of income on housing. The area has a population of 85K, with 24.6% of households renting.

20.2%
Moderately Affordable
of income → rent
$1,023
2BR Fair Market Rent
vs $1,250 national median
$60,779
Median Income
vs $71,049 national
$778
Actual Median Rent
Census ACS estimate
85K
Population
Census ACS
24.6%
Renters
of occupied housing
$136,700
Median Home Value
4.5%
Unemployment
BLS LAUS
9.1%
Vacancy Rate
of housing units
11.6%
Poverty Rate
below poverty line

Fair Market Rent by Bedroom Size

$705
Studio
$780
1 Bedroom
$1,023
2 Bedroom
$1,423
3 Bedroom
$1,610
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 Lawrence County, PA, a household earning the area median income of $60,779 would spend 20.2% 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
$40,920
annual (30% threshold)
Hourly Wage Needed
$20
full-time (2,080 hrs/yr)
Actual Median Rent
$778
$245 below FMR

Minimum Wage Affordability

The minimum wage in Pennsylvania is $7.25/hr. A minimum-wage worker would need to work 108.5 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 Lawrence County is 11.6%, below the national average of approximately 12.4%.

State Min Wage
$7.25/hr
Hours/Week Needed
108.5 hrs
Poverty Rate
11.6%

Housing Market Context

The median home value in Lawrence County is $136,700. At a median income of $60,779, this represents a price-to-income ratio of 2.2x. 9.1% of housing units in the area are vacant, which is near the national average. The local unemployment rate is 4.5%, roughly in line with national averages.

Rent vs. Buy
$957 est. mortgage
vs $1,023 FMR rent
Vacancy Rate
9.1%
of housing units
Unemployment
4.5%
BLS, latest available

Other Areas in Pennsylvania

Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
$1,810/mo
2BR FMR · 24.3% burden
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton
$1,634/mo
2BR FMR · 23.7% burden
Reading
$1,575/mo
2BR FMR · 24.3% burden
Lancaster
$1,526/mo
2BR FMR · 21.9% burden
Harrisburg-Carlisle
$1,493/mo
2BR FMR · 22.6% burden

Compare Lawrence County

vs Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PAvs Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PAvs Reading, PA

Areas With Similar Rent to Lawrence County

Frequently Asked Questions

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Lawrence County, PA is $1,023 per month. A studio is $705/mo, a 1-bedroom is $780/mo, and a 3-bedroom is $1,423/mo. The actual median gross rent from Census data is $778/mo.

Lawrence County has a rent burden of 20.2%, meaning a household earning the median income of $60,779 would spend 20.2% 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 $40,920.

Lawrence County's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,023/mo is $227 below the national median of $1,250/mo. Lawrence County ranks #567 out of 693 areas for highest rent in the United States.

To afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Lawrence County without spending more than 30% of income on housing, you would need an annual household income of at least $40,920, or a full-time hourly wage of $20/hour. The area median income is $60,779.

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.