How Much Does Section 8 Pay in Salt Lake City? (FY2027 Payment Standards by ZIP)
If you want the short version: the FY2027 metro-wide Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in the Salt Lake City-Murray, UT area is $1,615, 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 40 ZIP codes in Salt Lake County run from $1,580 in ZIP 84006 to $2,240 in ZIP 84092, and an authority that has adopted them pays very different ceilings a few miles apart.
Below: the full spread by bedroom size, what your share of the rent actually is, who runs the program in Salt Lake City, and what landlords here should know.
The FY2027 Numbers: Low ZIP vs. High ZIP
The lowest and highest 2-bedroom ZIPs in Salt Lake County, with every bedroom size:
| Bedrooms | ZIP 84006 | ZIP 84092 |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,140 | $1,670 |
| 1 BR | $1,320 | $1,870 |
| 2 BR | $1,580 | $2,240 |
| 3 BR | $2,100 | $2,980 |
| 4 BR | $2,400 | $3,410 |
Split the 40 ZIP codes in Salt Lake County down the middle and the median 2-bedroom figure is $1,670, at ZIP 84047. For reference, HUD's metro-wide FMR for the Salt Lake City-Murray, UT area is $1,615 for a 2-bedroom, the figure a housing authority uses unless it has adopted the ZIP-level standards.
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 Salt Lake City Section 8 guide list the ZIP-level data, and HUD's SAFMR dataset is the primary source.
Beyond Salt Lake County: The Whole Metro
The Salt Lake City-Murray, UT area takes in 63 ZIP codes in the FY2027 data, and the range widens once you leave Salt Lake County: the 2-bedroom figure runs from $1,120 in ZIP 84029 (Tooele County) to $2,240 in ZIP 84092 (Salt Lake County), with a metro-wide median of $1,620.
To see the full ladder rather than just the two ends, here are five ZIPs spread evenly across the 63 in the metro:
| ZIP | County | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 84029 | Tooele County | $890 | $1,120 | $1,510 |
| 84123 | Salt Lake County | $1,320 | $1,580 | $2,100 |
| 84138 | Salt Lake County | $1,350 | $1,620 | $2,150 |
| 84044 | Salt Lake County | $1,420 | $1,700 | $2,260 |
| 84092 | Salt Lake County | $1,870 | $2,240 | $2,980 |
FY2026 to FY2027: The Change Effective October 1, 2026
HUD's metro-wide 2-bedroom FMR for Salt Lake City went down 7.6% from FY2026 to FY2027: $1,747 to $1,615. If you already rent with a voucher and stay put, you are protected for at least two years: the housing authority may keep your current payment standard, and it cannot reduce it sooner than two years after the decrease takes effect, or without written notice (24 CFR 982.505(c)(3)). If you are shopping now, the ceiling for a new lease is lower than the number a landlord may remember from last year.
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 Salt Lake County of $1,670, the authority covers up to $950.
The ZIP-based system exists to let voucher holders reach higher-cost neighborhoods: a voucher that only stretches to $1,580 in one ZIP is worth $2,240 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.
Salt Lake City Landlords: What the Standard Means for You
A voucher tenancy in Salt Lake City means the authority pays its share directly every month, the unit passes an inspection up front, and turnover is typically lower than market-rate. Where the ZIP-level standard is close to market rent, that stability is the whole pitch; where the standard runs below market, you can still list and let the PHA's rent reasonableness review decide.
Also non-negotiable: refusing a voucher holder is illegal in Utah under the Utah Fair Housing Act, Utah Code §57-21-5 (source of income added 1993). Source of income is a protected class, so "no vouchers" in an ad is itself a violation.
Own rentals in the Salt Lake City metro area? List them free on VoucherMatch; tenants here search by ZIP code and voucher type.
Who Administers Section 8 in Salt Lake City
Which authority runs your voucher determines your paperwork, your inspections, and the exact payment standard applied. The largest programs in the Salt Lake City metro area:
- Housing Authority of the County of Salt Lake, (801) 284-4400, about 4,200 vouchers
- Housing Authority of Salt Lake City, (801) 487-2161, about 3,200 vouchers
- Tooele County Housing Authority, (435) 882-7875, about 240 vouchers
- West Valley City Housing Authority, (801) 963-3320
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is a 2-bedroom Section 8 voucher worth in Salt Lake City in FY2027? It depends on the ZIP code: HUD's FY2027 Small Area FMRs for 2-bedrooms range from $1,580 (84006) to $2,240 (84092) across the 40 ZIPs in Salt Lake County, with a median around $1,670. 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 Salt Lake City landlord refuse my voucher? No. Refusing an applicant because they pay with a voucher is illegal in Utah under the Utah Fair Housing Act, Utah Code §57-21-5 (source of income added 1993).
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 Salt Lake City's own allowance schedules.
Where can I see the number for my exact ZIP? Our Salt Lake City 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 Utah Section 8 overview.
Searching in Salt Lake City with a voucher? Browse voucher-friendly listings from landlords who want your business.
Salt Lake City landlord? List your property free. In much of the metro, the voucher pays at or close to market.
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
Related Articles
How Much Does Section 8 Pay in Oklahoma City? (FY2027 Payment Standards by ZIP)
Oklahoma City Section 8 ceilings are set ZIP by ZIP: FY2027 2-bedroom figures in Oklahoma County run from $960 to $1,900. The full spread by bedroom, your share of the rent, and who to call.
7 min readHow Much Does Section 8 Pay in Greenville? (FY2027 Payment Standards by ZIP)
Greenville Section 8 ceilings are set ZIP by ZIP: FY2027 2-bedroom figures in Greenville County run from $1,210 to $2,180. The full spread by bedroom, your share of the rent, and who to call.
6 min readHow Much Does Section 8 Pay in New Orleans? (FY2027 Payment Standards by ZIP)
New Orleans Section 8 ceilings are set ZIP by ZIP: FY2027 2-bedroom figures in Orleans Parish run from $1,210 to $2,220. The full spread by bedroom, your share of the rent, and who to call.
6 min readHow Much Does Section 8 Pay in Omaha? (FY2027 Payment Standards by ZIP)
Omaha Section 8 ceilings are set ZIP by ZIP: FY2027 2-bedroom figures in Douglas County run from $1,180 to $2,180. The full spread by bedroom, your share of the rent, and who to call.
6 min readHow Much Does Section 8 Pay in Honolulu? (FY2027 Payment Standards by ZIP)
Honolulu Section 8 ceilings are set ZIP by ZIP: FY2027 2-bedroom figures in Honolulu County run from $2,080 to $3,810. The full spread by bedroom, your share of the rent, and who to call.
6 min readHow Much Does Section 8 Pay in Rochester? (FY2027 Payment Standards by ZIP)
Rochester Section 8 ceilings are set ZIP by ZIP: FY2027 2-bedroom figures in Monroe County run from $1,420 to $2,130. The full spread by bedroom, your share of the rent, and who to call.
6 min read