How Much Does Section 8 Pay in Memphis? (FY2027 Payment Standards by ZIP)
Ask what Section 8 pays in Memphis and the honest answer is "which ZIP code?" HUD requires housing authorities in the Memphis metro area to build their payment standards from Small Area Fair Market Rents, one figure per ZIP, rather than a single metro-wide number. In FY2027 the 2-bedroom figure runs from $1,000 in ZIP 38126 to $1,950 in ZIP 38139 across the 38 ZIP codes in Shelby County, a gap of roughly half again.
This guide walks through the FY2027 figures by bedroom size, the math behind your share of the rent, and the housing authorities that administer vouchers in the Memphis metro area.
The FY2027 Numbers: Low ZIP vs. High ZIP
HUD's FY2027 Small Area FMRs are the basis for what the housing authorities in the Memphis metro area will pay. Two real ZIP codes in Shelby County show the spread:
| Bedrooms | ZIP 38126 | ZIP 38139 |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $840 | $1,640 |
| 1 BR | $910 | $1,780 |
| 2 BR | $1,000 | $1,950 |
| 3 BR | $1,310 | $2,570 |
| 4 BR | $1,510 | $2,970 |
Split the 38 ZIP codes in Shelby County down the middle and the median 2-bedroom figure is $1,300, at ZIP 38113. For reference, HUD's metro-wide FMR for Shelby County is $1,301 for a 2-bedroom, which is roughly what every ZIP would get if the metro weren't a Small Area FMR area.
Treat these as the starting point, not the final word. A payment standard is set by each housing authority, usually somewhere between 90% and 110% of HUD's figure, and it can differ by authority inside the same metro. Check the number for your ZIP and bedroom size with the PHA that issued your voucher. Our Memphis Section 8 pages list the ZIP-level data, and HUD's SAFMR dataset is the primary source.
Beyond Shelby County: The Whole Metro
The Memphis, TN-MS-AR area takes in 127 ZIP codes in the FY2027 data, and the range widens once you leave Shelby County: the 2-bedroom figure runs from $910 in ZIP 38603 (Benton County) to $1,950 in ZIP 38672 (DeSoto County), with a metro-wide median of $1,240.
To see the full ladder rather than just the two ends, here are five ZIPs spread evenly across the 127 in the metro:
| ZIP | County | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 38603 | Benton County | $830 | $910 | $1,160 |
| 38112 | Shelby County | $960 | $1,050 | $1,390 |
| 38152 | Shelby County | $1,130 | $1,240 | $1,640 |
| 38680 | DeSoto County | $1,210 | $1,320 | $1,740 |
| 38672 | DeSoto County | $1,780 | $1,950 | $2,570 |
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FY2026 to FY2027: The Change Effective October 1, 2026
HUD's metro-wide 2-bedroom FMR for Memphis went up 2.1% from FY2026 to FY2027: $1,274 to $1,301. Across the 105 ZIP codes HUD published in both years, the 2-bedroom figure rose in 56 and fell in 38, holding in 11. The steepest cut was ZIP 38651, $1,410 to $1,270; the biggest increase was ZIP 38060, $1,510 to $1,790. Higher FMRs give the housing authority room to raise its payment standard, which usually shows up in approvable rents a few months after the fiscal year starts on October 1.
What You Actually Pay as a Tenant
The formula is the same everywhere in the country: you pay roughly 30% of adjusted monthly income, and the housing assistance payment fills the gap up to the standard for your ZIP and unit size. A household bringing in $2,400 a month pays about $720; at the median 2-bedroom figure for Shelby County of $1,300, the authority covers up to $580.
The ZIP-based system exists to let voucher holders reach higher-cost neighborhoods: a voucher that only stretches to $1,000 in one ZIP is worth $1,950 in another, and your own payment doesn't move with it. If a landlord asks for more than the standard, you can sometimes pay the difference yourself, but the authority caps your total share at 40% of income at move-in.
Memphis Landlords: What the Standard Means for You
In the lower-rent ZIPs, the SAFMR-based standard frequently meets or beats what comparable units rent for on the open market, while the payment arrives from the housing authority every month. A 2-bedroom in a ZIP with a $1,000 basis is a stronger deal with a voucher tenant, not a weaker one. Rent reasonableness review still applies (the PHA compares your rent to similar unassisted units), but voucher tenants in these neighborhoods are often the best-paying tenants available.
Tennessee has a source-of-income law on the books (Memphis Fair Housing Ordinance (no private right of action)), but it does not protect housing voucher holders, so a private landlord can decline a voucher here unless a local ordinance says otherwise. What a landlord cannot do is refuse on the basis of race, disability, familial status, or another federally protected trait.
Own rentals in the Memphis metro area? List them free on VoucherMatch; tenants here search by ZIP code and voucher type.
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Who Administers Section 8 in Memphis
Which authority runs your voucher determines your paperwork, your inspections, and the exact payment standard applied. The largest programs in the Memphis metro area:
- Memphis Housing Authority (MHA), (901) 544-1100, memphisha.org, about 9,400 vouchers (waitlist reported closed, details)
- St. Francis County Housing Authority, (870) 633-2781, about 590 vouchers
- West Memphis Housing Authority, (870) 735-3520, about 530 vouchers
- Mississippi Regional Housing Authority II (MRHA II), (662) 236-3645, about 370 vouchers (waitlist reported closed)
- Brownsville Housing Authority, (731) 585-0143, about 220 vouchers
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is a 2-bedroom Section 8 voucher worth in Memphis in FY2027? It depends on the ZIP code: HUD's FY2027 Small Area FMRs for 2-bedrooms range from $1,000 (38126) to $1,950 (38139) across the 38 ZIPs in Shelby County, with a median around $1,300. Your PHA's payment standard is set from these figures.
Why does my voucher cover more in some neighborhoods than others? The Memphis metro area is a mandatory Small Area FMR metro, so HUD publishes a separate FMR for every ZIP code instead of one metro-wide number. The ceiling moves with local rents.
Can a Memphis landlord refuse my voucher? Under state law, yes: Tennessee's source-of-income law does not cover housing vouchers, so a private landlord can decline a voucher unless a local ordinance forbids it. Refusal based on race, disability, familial status, or another federally protected trait is still illegal.
Do these numbers include utilities? The standards assume rent plus a utility allowance fit within the ceiling. If you pay utilities yourself, the approvable rent drops by the allowance for your unit size. The mechanics are the same ones we cover in our utility allowance guide, with Memphis's own allowance schedules.
Where can I see the number for my exact ZIP? Our Memphis Section 8 pages list payment data ZIP by ZIP, or check HUD's SAFMR lookup and confirm with your housing authority.
Comparing metros? We have the same breakdown for Nashville, and a Tennessee Section 8 overview.
Searching in Memphis with a voucher? Browse voucher-friendly listings from landlords who want your business.
Memphis landlord? List your property free. In much of the metro, the voucher pays at or close to market.
Sources for this article (3)
- HUD's SAFMR dataset (huduser.gov)
- Memphis Fair Housing Ordinance (no private right of action) (memphistn.gov)
- memphisha.org (memphisha.org)
VoucherMatch Editorial Team
Every rule, date and dollar amount in this article is checked against the agency document it comes from, and the sources are listed above. How VoucherMatch articles are researched and corrected
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