Location: Rochester, NY | Metro: Rochester, NY MSA
| Unit Size | Monthly FMR |
|---|---|
| Studio | $1,140 |
| 1 Bedroom | $1,280 |
| 2 Bedrooms | $1,610 |
| 3 Bedrooms | $1,940 |
| 4 Bedrooms | $2,120 |
| 5 Bedrooms | $2,459 |
| 6 Bedrooms | $2,754 |
| 7 Bedrooms | $2,974 |
| 8 Bedrooms | $3,123 |
U.S. Census Bureau data (2024)
To decide whether you should buy in ZIP 14516 (North Rose, NY) for Section 8, follow this decision tree:
1) Does the Fair Market Rent (FMR) of $1370 cover the debt service on a property valued at $202,949?
Yes. The FMR of $1370 per month is sufficient to cover the debt service on a property priced at $202,949. This assumes a typical mortgage payment, including principal, interest, taxes, and insurance, does not exceed $1370 monthly.
No. If your debt service exceeds $1370 monthly, then the FMR will not be enough to cover your expenses, making it financially unwise to purchase a property in this area for Section 8 tenants.
2) How does the market rent of $1,348 compare to the FMR?
Market rent is below FMR. At $1,348, the market rent is slightly below the FMR of $1370. This suggests that Section 8 rents might be higher than what the market would bear, which could be advantageous if you're willing to exclusively or primarily rent to Section 8 tenants.
Market rent is equal to or above FMR. If the market rent is at or above the FMR, it indicates that non-Section 8 tenants might also be interested in renting at the FMR rate, providing flexibility in tenant selection.
3) Is there enough demand with 13.1% of residents being renters and an unknown number of days on the market (DOM)?
It depends. With 13.1% of the population being renters, the demand for rental properties is moderate. However, the lack of data regarding the days on the market makes it difficult to assess how quickly you can expect to fill vacancies. If the vacancy rate is low and units are rented quickly, this could indicate strong demand despite the relatively low percentage of renters.
If you answer yes to the first question, and either yes or it depends on the second and third questions, then purchasing a property in ZIP 14516 for Section 8 could be a viable investment strategy. However, if any of these conditions are not met, especially if the FMR cannot cover your debt service, it would not be advisable to invest in this area for Section 8 purposes.
Data Sources: FMR data from HUD (2027). Demographics from U.S. Census (2024).
About FMR: Fair Market Rent (FMR) is used to determine payment standards for the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program, initial renewal rents for some expiring project-based Section 8 contracts, and rent ceilings for HOME Investment Partnerships.