Section 8 Fair Market Rent (FMR) for ZIP 17865 - 2027

Location: Northumberland County, PA | Metro: Northumberland County, PA

FY 2027 Fair Market Rent Rates

Unit Size	Monthly FMR
Studio	$800
1 Bedroom	$980
2 Bedrooms	$1,110
3 Bedrooms	$1,460
4 Bedrooms	$1,550
5 Bedrooms	$1,798
6 Bedrooms	$2,014
7 Bedrooms	$2,175
8 Bedrooms	$2,284

Demographics & Housing Statistics

U.S. Census Bureau data (2024)

Population

Median Household Income

$37,083

Housing Units

Renter Percentage

N/A

Occupancy Rate

72.2%

Renter Occupied

To determine if you should buy in ZIP code 17865 for Section 8 purposes, follow this decision tree based on the provided data:

Step 1: The Fair Market Rent (FMR) for the metro area in fiscal year 2026 is set at $1,080. This figure must cover your debt service, including mortgage payments and other expenses. If the $1,080 does not clear these costs, purchasing a property here for Section 8 is not advisable.

Step 2: Next, compare the FMR to the market rent. In ZIP 17865, the market rent is currently N/A, which means there is insufficient data to make a direct comparison. However, if the market rent were known to be above $1,080, then Section 8 tenants might struggle to afford the higher rates, reducing the attractiveness of this investment. If the market rent equals or is below $1,080, Section 8 can be a viable option as it aligns with what tenants can pay.

Step 3: Evaluate the rental demand. In ZIP 17865, only 0.0% of residents are renters, indicating a very low demand for rental properties. Additionally, the Days on Market (DOM) for properties is N/A, suggesting incomplete data on how quickly properties are rented out. Given the low percentage of renters, it is unlikely that there will be sufficient demand for your property, especially if you are targeting Section 8 tenants. A high DOM would further suggest that rentals take longer to find tenants, but without this information, we cannot fully assess the speed of occupancy.

Decision branches:

If $1,080 does not cover your debt service, the answer is No.
If market rent is above $1,080, the answer is No, unless you plan to offer below-market rates, which would reduce your profitability.
If market rent is at or below $1,080 and you still consider the low renter percentage acceptable, the answer is It Depends. You must weigh the potential benefits against the risks of low demand and possibly long periods before finding a tenant.

Note: Due to missing data points such as the exact market rent and DOM figures, some decisions rely on assumptions or require additional research to finalize.

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.