How Much Does Section 8 Pay in Providence? (FY2027 Payment Standards by ZIP)
Section 8 in Providence starts from one number: HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent for the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA area, which is $1,879 for a 2-bedroom. Most housing authorities here set their payment standard within a band around that figure. But HUD also publishes a separate Small Area FMR for every ZIP code, and across the 42 ZIPs in Providence County those run from $1,560 in ZIP 02826 to $2,720 in ZIP 02876, which tells you where a voucher stretches and where it doesn't.
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 Providence metro area.
The FY2027 Numbers: Low ZIP vs. High ZIP
Two ZIP codes at opposite ends of Providence County show how far the FY2027 figures move:
| Bedrooms | ZIP 02826 | ZIP 02876 |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,190 | $2,060 |
| 1 BR | $1,270 | $2,180 |
| 2 BR | $1,560 | $2,720 |
| 3 BR | $1,880 | $3,330 |
| 4 BR | $2,240 | $3,790 |
The middle of the range: the median 2-bedroom SAFMR across the 42 ZIP codes in Providence County is $1,900 (ZIP 02802). For reference, HUD's metro-wide FMR for the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA area is $1,879 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 Providence Section 8 guide or straight from HUD's SAFMR dataset.
Beyond Providence County: The Whole Metro
A voucher can often be used elsewhere in the metro through portability, and the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA area is bigger than Providence County: 125 ZIP codes in all, from $1,560 for a 2-bedroom in ZIP 02721 (Bristol County) up to $2,820 in ZIP 02837 (Newport County). The metro-wide median is $1,940.
Five ZIP codes spaced across the metro show the whole ladder, from cheapest to most expensive:
| ZIP | County | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 02721 | Bristol County | $1,270 | $1,560 | $1,880 |
| 02720 | Bristol County | $1,450 | $1,800 | $2,210 |
| 02881 | Washington County | $1,560 | $1,940 | $2,380 |
| 02921 | Providence County | $1,730 | $2,150 | $2,630 |
| 02837 | Newport County | $2,260 | $2,820 | $3,450 |
FY2026 to FY2027: The Change Effective October 1, 2026
HUD's metro-wide 2-bedroom FMR for Providence went up 8.7% from FY2026 to FY2027: $1,729 to $1,879. 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 $1,900, the voucher can cover up to $1,180 of the rent.
Practical consequence: in Providence, 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.
Providence 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 Providence under the Providence Code of Ordinances §16-55 (2021). Source of income is a protected class, so "no vouchers" in an ad is itself a violation.
If you own units in Providence, list them free on VoucherMatch and reach voucher holders searching by ZIP right now.
Who Administers Section 8 in Providence
Vouchers in the Providence metro area are administered by several authorities, and each sets its own payment standard inside HUD's band. The biggest ones:
- Housing Authority Providence, (401) 751-6400, about 2,700 vouchers
- Fall River Housing Authority, (508) 675-3500, about 2,500 vouchers
- Rhode Island Housing, (401) 443-1614, about 2,000 vouchers
- New Bedford Housing Authority, (508) 997-4800, about 1,900 vouchers
- Taunton Housing Authority, (508) 823-6308, about 1,200 vouchers
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is a 2-bedroom Section 8 voucher worth in Providence in FY2027? It depends on the ZIP code: HUD's FY2027 Small Area FMRs for 2-bedrooms range from $1,560 (02826) to $2,720 (02876) across the 42 ZIPs in Providence County, with a median around $1,900. 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 Providence landlord refuse my voucher? No. Refusing an applicant because they pay with a voucher is illegal in Providence under the Providence Code of Ordinances §16-55 (2021).
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 Providence's own allowance schedules.
Where can I see the number for my exact ZIP? Our Providence 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 Rhode Island Section 8 overview.
Have a voucher and looking in Providence? Browse voucher-friendly listings, filtered by ZIP and bedroom size.
Own property in the Providence metro area? List it free and reach tenants with guaranteed rent.
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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