Small Area Fair Market Rent (SAFMR)
A Small Area Fair Market Rent (SAFMR) is a Fair Market Rent set at the ZIP-code level rather than for a whole metro. HUD introduced SAFMRs so Housing Choice Voucher payment standards can vary by neighborhood — higher in expensive ZIPs, lower in cheaper ones — instead of one metro-wide figure. SAFMRs are mandatory in designated metropolitan areas and optional elsewhere. The standard 40th-percentile metro and county FMRs that RentMark publishes apply everywhere else.
Source: HUD USER, FY2026 Fair Market Rents (40th percentile, revised final). Data as of June 2026.
SAFMR vs standard (metro) FMR
| Feature | Standard FMR | Small Area FMR (SAFMR) |
|---|---|---|
| Geography | Whole metro / county | Individual ZIP code |
| Goal | One benchmark per area | Track neighborhood rent differences |
| Where used | Most of the country | Designated metros (mandatory) + opt-in PHAs |
| Effect on vouchers | Same payment standard metro-wide | Higher subsidies in pricier ZIPs |
Why it matters
Under a single metro FMR, voucher families often cluster in the lowest-rent neighborhoods because the payment standard cannot stretch to higher-rent ZIPs. SAFMRs raise the payment standard in expensive areas and lower it in cheap ones, aiming to expand where voucher holders can rent. If you want the ZIP-level figures for a designated metro, use HUD's Small Area FMR dataset directly.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Small Area Fair Market Rent (SAFMR)?
A Small Area Fair Market Rent is a Fair Market Rent set at the ZIP-code level instead of for an entire metro area. HUD publishes SAFMRs so voucher payment standards can vary by neighborhood — higher in expensive ZIPs and lower in cheaper ones — rather than using one metro-wide figure.
Where are Small Area FMRs used?
SAFMRs are mandatory in a set of designated metropolitan areas and optional elsewhere at a PHA's choice. HUD designates the mandatory metros based on factors like voucher concentration. The standard (metro-level) 40th-percentile FMRs that RentMark publishes still apply everywhere else.
Why did HUD create SAFMRs?
To reduce the concentration of voucher families in low-rent, often high-poverty neighborhoods. A single metro FMR can be too low to access higher-opportunity ZIPs and too high in the cheapest ones; ZIP-level SAFMRs let subsidies track local rents and expand housing choice.
Does RentMark publish SAFMRs?
RentMark publishes the standard metro and county 40th-percentile FMRs, which are the figures most people look up. ZIP-level SAFMRs for designated metros are available directly from HUD USER's Small Area FMR dataset.
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Last updated: 2026-06-20