How Much Does Section 8 Pay in Minneapolis? (FY2027 Payment Standards by ZIP)

If you want the short version: the FY2027 metro-wide Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI area is $1,734, and that is the figure most local housing authorities build their Section 8 payment standard from. The long version matters more. HUD's ZIP-level Small Area FMRs for the 67 ZIP codes in Hennepin County run from $1,540 in ZIP 55111 to $2,600 in ZIP 55401, and an authority that has adopted them pays very different ceilings a few miles apart.

Here's how to read those numbers, what they look like across the metro, and what they mean whether you hold a voucher or own a building.

The FY2027 Numbers: Low ZIP vs. High ZIP

The lowest and highest 2-bedroom ZIPs in Hennepin County, with every bedroom size:

The middle of the range: the median 2-bedroom SAFMR across the 67 ZIP codes in Hennepin County is $1,870 (ZIP 55438). For reference, HUD's metro-wide FMR for the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI area is $1,734 for a 2-bedroom, the figure a housing authority uses unless it has adopted the ZIP-level standards.

One important caveat: these are HUD's FY2027 SAFMRs, the basis for payment standards. Each housing authority sets its actual payment standard within a band around these figures (typically 90% to 110%), so confirm the exact standard for your ZIP with your PHA before signing anything. You can browse the ZIP-by-ZIP numbers on our Minneapolis Section 8 guide or straight from HUD's SAFMR dataset.

Beyond Hennepin County: The Whole Metro

A voucher can often be used elsewhere in the metro through portability, and the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI area is bigger than Hennepin County: 262 ZIP codes in all, from $1,020 for a 2-bedroom in ZIP 55051 (Kanabec County) up to $2,600 in ZIP 55401 (Hennepin County). The metro-wide median is $1,630.

Five ZIP codes spaced across the metro show the whole ladder, from cheapest to most expensive:

FY2026 to FY2027: The Change Effective October 1, 2026

HUD's metro-wide 2-bedroom FMR for Minneapolis went up 1.5% from FY2026 to FY2027: $1,709 to $1,734. An increase widens what a voucher can cover, but only once the authority updates its payment standard; ask whether yours has adopted the FY2027 figures yet.

What You Actually Pay as a Tenant

Your share is generally 30% of your adjusted monthly income; the voucher covers the difference between that and the rent, up to the payment standard for your ZIP and bedroom size. Take a household earning $2,400 a month. Its share is about $720. In a ZIP where the 2-bedroom standard is $1,870, the voucher can cover up to $1,150 of the rent.

Practical consequence: in Minneapolis, where you search changes what your voucher is worth more than almost any other decision. Two similar apartments on opposite sides of a ZIP boundary can differ by hundreds of dollars in approvable rent, while your own contribution stays pegged to your income.

Minneapolis Landlords: What the Standard Means for You

The economics vary block to block. In ZIPs near the bottom of the table, the standard often matches what the unit would rent for unassisted, with the housing authority's portion arriving every month on schedule. In the higher-cost ZIPs, the ceiling is high enough that a voucher tenant competes with anyone. Either way the PHA runs a rent reasonableness check against comparable unassisted units before approving the lease.

Also non-negotiable: refusing a voucher holder is illegal in Minneapolis under the Minneapolis Code of Ordinances Title 7 Ch. 139 (2018). Source of income is a protected class, so "no vouchers" in an ad is itself a violation. Outside Minneapolis, Minnesota has no statewide protection, so the rule changes at the city line.

If you own units in Minneapolis, list them free on VoucherMatch and reach voucher holders searching by ZIP right now.

Who Administers Section 8 in Minneapolis

Vouchers in the Minneapolis metro area are administered by several authorities, and each sets its own payment standard inside HUD's band. The biggest ones:

• Metropolitan Council, (651) 602-1187, about 7,100 vouchers
• Public Housing Authority In and For the City of Minneapolis, (612) 342-1400, about 6,800 vouchers
• Public Housing Agency of the City of St Paul, (651) 298-5664, about 5,100 vouchers
• Dakota County Cda, (651) 675-4400, about 2,800 vouchers
• Hra of St. Cloud, (320) 202-3174, about 1,000 vouchers

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is a 2-bedroom Section 8 voucher worth in Minneapolis in FY2027? It depends on the ZIP code: HUD's FY2027 Small Area FMRs for 2-bedrooms range from $1,540 (55111) to $2,600 (55401) across the 67 ZIPs in Hennepin County, with a median around $1,870. Your PHA's payment standard is set from these figures.

Why does my voucher cover more in some neighborhoods than others? HUD publishes a Small Area FMR for every ZIP code in the metro alongside the single metro-wide FMR. Authorities that have adopted the ZIP-level figures pay different ceilings in different neighborhoods; ask yours which it uses.

Can a Minneapolis landlord refuse my voucher? No. Refusing an applicant because they pay with a voucher is illegal in Minneapolis under the Minneapolis Code of Ordinances Title 7 Ch. 139 (2018).

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 Minneapolis's own allowance schedules.

Where can I see the number for my exact ZIP? Our Minneapolis Section 8 guide list payment data ZIP by ZIP, or check HUD's SAFMR lookup and confirm with your housing authority.

For the rest of the state, see our Minnesota Section 8 overview.

---

Have a voucher and looking in Minneapolis? Browse voucher-friendly listings, filtered by ZIP and bedroom size.

Own property in the Minneapolis metro area? List it free and reach tenants with guaranteed rent.