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Owen County, IN

The Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Owen County, IN is $956 per month, ranking #644 out of 693 areas nationwide. The area median household income is $59,586, meaning a household spending Fair Market Rent on a 2-bedroom would pay 19.3% of income on housing. Rent in Owen County has increased 6.3% year over year. The area has a population of 21K, with 19.2% of households renting.

19.3%
Affordable
of income → rent
$956
2BR Fair Market Rent
vs $1,250 national median
$59,586
Median Income
vs $71,049 national
$912
Actual Median Rent
Census ACS estimate
+6.3%
Year-over-Year
2BR FMR change
21K
Population
Census ACS
19.2%
Renters
of occupied housing
$162,400
Median Home Value
2.8%
Unemployment
BLS LAUS
12.9%
Vacancy Rate
of housing units
11.9%
Poverty Rate
below poverty line

Fair Market Rent by Bedroom Size

$770
Studio
$798
1 Bedroom
$956
2 Bedroom
$1,155
3 Bedroom
$1,509
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 Owen County, IN, a household earning the area median income of $59,586 would spend 19.3% 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
$38,240
annual (30% threshold)
Hourly Wage Needed
$18
full-time (2,080 hrs/yr)
Actual Median Rent
$912
$44 below FMR

5-Year Rent Trend

+30.6% since 2021
$7322021$7572022$8762023$8992024$9542025$9562026

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 101.4 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 Owen County is 11.9%, below the national average of approximately 12.4%.

State Min Wage
$7.25/hr
Hours/Week Needed
101.4 hrs
Poverty Rate
11.9%

Housing Market Context

The median home value in Owen County is $162,400. At a median income of $59,586, this represents a price-to-income ratio of 2.7x. 12.9% of housing units in the area are vacant, which is above the national average and may indicate softer demand or seasonal housing. The local unemployment rate is 2.8%, below the national average, indicating a relatively strong local labor market.

Rent vs. Buy
$1,137 est. mortgage
vs $956 FMR rent
Vacancy Rate
12.9%
of housing units
Unemployment
2.8%
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 Owen County

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

Areas With Similar Rent to Owen County

Frequently Asked Questions

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Owen County, IN is $956 per month. A studio is $770/mo, a 1-bedroom is $798/mo, and a 3-bedroom is $1,155/mo. The actual median gross rent from Census data is $912/mo.

Owen County has a rent burden of 19.3%, meaning a household earning the median income of $59,586 would spend 19.3% 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 $38,240.

Owen County's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $956/mo is $294 below the national median of $1,250/mo. Owen County ranks #644 out of 693 areas for highest rent in the United States.

To afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Owen County without spending more than 30% of income on housing, you would need an annual household income of at least $38,240, or a full-time hourly wage of $18/hour. The area median income is $59,586.

The 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Owen County increased by 6.3% 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.