Section 8 Fair Market Rent (FMR) for ZIP 21052 - 2027
Location: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | Metro: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA
FY 2027 Fair Market Rent Rates
| Unit Size |
Monthly FMR |
| Studio | $1,340 |
| 1 Bedroom | $1,430 |
| 2 Bedrooms | $1,770 |
| 3 Bedrooms | $2,210 |
| 4 Bedrooms | $2,460 |
| 5 Bedrooms | $2,854 |
| 6 Bedrooms | $3,196 |
| 7 Bedrooms | $3,452 |
| 8 Bedrooms | $3,625 |
Demographics & Housing Statistics
U.S. Census Bureau data (2024)
Median Household Income
$77,300
In evaluating whether to invest in ZIP 21052 for Section 8 properties, follow this decision tree:
- Does the Fair Market Rent (FMR) of $1930 cover the debt service on a property valued at $353,804?
- Yes: The FMR is sufficient to cover the debt service, making it a viable option for Section 8 investment.
- No: The FMR does not cover the debt service, indicating that the property would likely not be profitable under the Section 8 program.
- Is the market rent above, at, or below the FMR?
- Above FMR: If the market rent exceeds the FMR, it suggests that there might be better opportunities outside of Section 8, where you could potentially command higher rents.
- At FMR: Market rent aligns with the FMR, meaning that investing in Section 8 could be competitive with market-rate rentals.
- Below FMR: Market rent is lower than the FMR, which could make Section 8 an attractive option as it guarantees a certain level of income.
- Are the 16.1% of renters combined with the N/A-day Days On Market (DOM) indicative of enough demand?
- It Depends: With 16.1% of the population renting, the demand for rental properties exists but may not be strong. The Days On Market figure being N/A indicates incomplete data, which makes it difficult to assess how quickly properties are typically rented out. If the market is slow to rent out properties, this could affect your ability to find tenants and manage cash flow effectively.
To summarize, the viability of buying in ZIP 21052 for Section 8 purposes hinges on the FMR covering debt service, the relationship between market rent and FMR, and the strength of rental demand. Given the current data, the primary gating factor is the FMR's adequacy for debt service coverage on a property worth $353,804. Should the FMR meet this requirement, further considerations include the alignment of market rents with FMR and the overall rental demand.
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.