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

Ask what Section 8 pays in Tampa and the honest answer is "which ZIP code?" HUD requires housing authorities in the Tampa 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 $1,170 in ZIP 33527 to $2,880 in ZIP 33621 across the 53 ZIP codes in Hillsborough County, more than double.

Below: the full spread by bedroom size, what your share of the rent actually is, who runs the program in Tampa, and what landlords here should know.

The FY2027 Numbers: Low ZIP vs. High ZIP

HUD's FY2027 Small Area FMRs are the basis for what the housing authorities in the Tampa metro area will pay. Two real ZIP codes in Hillsborough County show the spread:

Split the 53 ZIP codes in Hillsborough County down the middle and the median 2-bedroom figure is $2,090, at ZIP 33503. For reference, HUD's metro-wide FMR for the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL area is $1,917 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 Tampa Section 8 pages list the ZIP-level data, and HUD's SAFMR dataset is the primary source.

Beyond Hillsborough County: The Whole Metro

The Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL area takes in 200 ZIP codes in the FY2027 data, and the range widens once you leave Hillsborough County: the 2-bedroom figure runs from $1,020 in ZIP 33597 to $2,880 in ZIP 33786 (Pinellas County), with a metro-wide median of $1,930.

To see the full ladder rather than just the two ends, here are five ZIPs spread evenly across the 200 in the metro:

FY2026 to FY2027: The Change Effective October 1, 2026

HUD's metro-wide 2-bedroom FMR for Tampa went down 3.0% from FY2026 to FY2027: $1,977 to $1,917. Across the 208 ZIP codes HUD published in both years, the 2-bedroom figure rose in 13 and fell in 194, holding in 1. The steepest cut was ZIP 34691, $1,820 to $1,640; the biggest increase was ZIP 33810, $1,680 to $1,800. 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 Hillsborough County of $2,090, the authority covers up to $1,370.

The ZIP-based system exists to let voucher holders reach higher-cost neighborhoods: a voucher that only stretches to $1,170 in one ZIP is worth $2,880 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.

Tampa Landlords: What the Standard Means for You

A voucher tenancy in Tampa 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.

Florida law blocks cities and counties from requiring landlords to accept vouchers (Florida HB 1417 (2023) preempts local tenant regulation; county source-of-income ordinances (Miami-Dade, Broward, Hillsborough, Orange, Pinellas) are of uncertain effect), so acceptance in Tampa is voluntary. Federal fair-housing law still applies.

Own rentals in the Tampa metro area? List them free on VoucherMatch; tenants here search by ZIP code and voucher type.

Who Administers Section 8 in Tampa

Which authority runs your voucher determines your paperwork, your inspections, and the exact payment standard applied. The largest programs in the Tampa metro area:

• Tampa Housing Authority, (813) 341-9101, about 12,000 vouchers (waitlist reported closed, details)
• Pinellas County Housing Authority, (727) 443-7684, about 4,000 vouchers (waitlist reported closed, details)
• Housing Authority of the City of St. Petersburg, (727) 323-3171, about 3,900 vouchers (waitlist reported closed, details)
• Pasco County Housing Authority, (352) 567-0848, about 1,800 vouchers
• Clearwater Housing Authority, (727) 461-5777, about 1,400 vouchers (waitlist reported closed, details)

If a landlord or the authority gives you trouble, Bay Area Legal Services handles housing cases in the area: bals.org.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is a 2-bedroom Section 8 voucher worth in Tampa in FY2027? It depends on the ZIP code: HUD's FY2027 Small Area FMRs for 2-bedrooms range from $1,170 (33527) to $2,880 (33621) across the 53 ZIPs in Hillsborough County, with a median around $2,090. Your PHA's payment standard is set from these figures.

Why does my voucher cover more in some neighborhoods than others? The Tampa 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 Tampa landlord refuse my voucher? Generally yes. Florida preempts local source-of-income ordinances, so voucher acceptance is voluntary, though federal fair-housing protections still apply.

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 Tampa's own allowance schedules.

Where can I see the number for my exact ZIP? Our Tampa 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 Miami, and a Florida Section 8 overview.

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Searching in Tampa with a voucher? Browse voucher-friendly listings from landlords who want your business.

Tampa landlord? List your property free. In much of the metro, the voucher pays at or close to market.