Section 8 Rent Limits in Washington for FY2027: Fair Market Rent for Every County
There is no single Section 8 rent limit for Washington. HUD publishes one Fair Market Rent per county, 39 of them for FY2027, and the 2-bedroom figure stretches from $1,058 (Ferry County) to $2,549 (Snohomish County). The median county is $1,467. Your housing authority's payment standard, the number that actually caps your lease, is set between 90% and 110% of the figure for your county.
Compared with FY2026, the 2-bedroom figure rose in 26 counties and fell in 13. The largest increase was Pend Oreille County ($1,099 to $1,298, +18.1%); the steepest cut was Yakima County ($1,374 to $1,313, -4.4%). One metro in Washington is on HUD's mandatory Small Area FMR list (Seattle-Bellevue, WA), where the limit is set ZIP code by ZIP code instead of by county; the county figure there is only an average.
Reading the table. These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the basis for payment standards, not the standards themselves. Each housing authority picks a point between 90% and 110% of the FMR for each bedroom size and publishes it as its payment standard. The voucher then pays the standard (or the actual gross rent, if lower) minus about 30% of your adjusted income. Utilities you pay yourself count against the ceiling through a utility allowance.
FY2027 Fair Market Rents by Metro Area in Washington
HUD groups counties into FMR areas; a metro's figure applies to every county inside it. "ZIP-level" marks mandatory Small Area FMR metros.
| FMR area | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2 BR vs FY2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bellingham, WA | $1,489 | $1,529 | $1,872 | $2,545 | $3,129 | +4.3% |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $1,370 | $1,535 | $1,967 | $2,637 | $2,804 | -3.2% |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $1,094 | $1,230 | $1,487 | $2,051 | $2,341 | -3.3% |
| Lewiston, ID-WA | $938 | $943 | $1,234 | $1,709 | $2,028 | +1.1% |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | $974 | $1,124 | $1,398 | $1,936 | $2,337 | -3.7% |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $1,162 | $1,275 | $1,668 | $2,310 | $2,578 | -3.0% |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $1,586 | $1,656 | $1,946 | $2,541 | $3,141 | -0.7% |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $1,527 | $1,633 | $1,878 | $2,550 | $3,069 | -2.3% |
| Seattle-Bellevue, WA (ZIP-level) | $2,091 | $2,180 | $2,549 | $3,324 | $3,954 | +1.9% |
| Spokane, WA | $1,116 | $1,173 | $1,494 | $2,047 | $2,497 | -2.4% |
| Stevens County, WA | $855 | $878 | $1,121 | $1,552 | $1,874 | -0.9% |
| Tacoma, WA | $1,491 | $1,682 | $2,064 | $2,849 | $3,219 | +4.7% |
| Walla Walla, WA | $1,127 | $1,193 | $1,561 | $2,154 | $2,609 | +0.7% |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | $1,048 | $1,121 | $1,467 | $1,989 | $2,452 | -2.2% |
| Yakima, WA | $997 | $1,004 | $1,313 | $1,818 | $2,049 | -4.4% |
FY2027 Fair Market Rents for Every County in Washington
All 39 counties, alphabetical. Studio figures are in the metro table above.
| County | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2 BR vs FY2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams County | $965 | $1,262 | $1,747 | $2,109 | +11.4% |
| Asotin County | $943 | $1,234 | $1,709 | $2,028 | +1.1% |
| Benton County | $1,230 | $1,487 | $2,051 | $2,341 | -3.3% |
| Chelan County | $1,121 | $1,467 | $1,989 | $2,452 | -2.2% |
| Clallam County | $1,098 | $1,429 | $1,973 | $2,289 | +12.9% |
| Clark County | $1,633 | $1,878 | $2,550 | $3,069 | -2.3% |
| Columbia County | $1,093 | $1,190 | $1,648 | $1,989 | +13.1% |
| Cowlitz County | $1,124 | $1,398 | $1,936 | $2,337 | -3.7% |
| Douglas County | $1,121 | $1,467 | $1,989 | $2,452 | -2.2% |
| Ferry County | $809 | $1,058 | $1,465 | $1,768 | +8.7% |
| Franklin County | $1,230 | $1,487 | $2,051 | $2,341 | -3.3% |
| Garfield County | $874 | $1,143 | $1,583 | $1,910 | +9.2% |
| Grant County | $1,040 | $1,361 | $1,850 | $2,275 | +10.5% |
| Grays Harbor County | $1,045 | $1,345 | $1,862 | $2,123 | +10.6% |
| Island County | $1,459 | $1,824 | $2,501 | $2,987 | +9.2% |
| Jefferson County | $1,341 | $1,588 | $2,199 | $2,654 | +16.2% |
| King County | $2,180 | $2,549 | $3,324 | $3,954 | +1.9% |
| Kitsap County | $1,535 | $1,967 | $2,637 | $2,804 | -3.2% |
| Kittitas County | $1,267 | $1,655 | $2,292 | $2,766 | +13.8% |
| Klickitat County | $1,106 | $1,447 | $1,888 | $1,965 | +8.3% |
| Lewis County | $1,097 | $1,435 | $1,870 | $2,177 | +12.2% |
| Lincoln County | $950 | $1,091 | $1,511 | $1,824 | +6.9% |
| Mason County | $1,202 | $1,572 | $2,177 | $2,320 | +16.1% |
| Okanogan County | $946 | $1,202 | $1,664 | $1,706 | +15.2% |
| Pacific County | $1,028 | $1,282 | $1,775 | $2,143 | +13.1% |
| Pend Oreille County | $992 | $1,298 | $1,674 | $2,170 | +18.1% |
| Pierce County | $1,682 | $2,064 | $2,849 | $3,219 | +4.7% |
| San Juan County | $1,546 | $2,022 | $2,647 | $2,657 | +14.8% |
| Skagit County | $1,275 | $1,668 | $2,310 | $2,578 | -3.0% |
| Skamania County | $1,633 | $1,878 | $2,550 | $3,069 | -2.3% |
| Snohomish County | $2,180 | $2,549 | $3,324 | $3,954 | +1.9% |
| Spokane County | $1,173 | $1,494 | $2,047 | $2,497 | -2.4% |
| Stevens County | $878 | $1,121 | $1,552 | $1,874 | -0.9% |
| Thurston County | $1,656 | $1,946 | $2,541 | $3,141 | -0.7% |
| Wahkiakum County | $1,066 | $1,183 | $1,638 | $1,977 | +4.0% |
| Walla Walla County | $1,193 | $1,561 | $2,154 | $2,609 | +0.7% |
| Whatcom County | $1,529 | $1,872 | $2,545 | $3,129 | +4.3% |
| Whitman County | $1,001 | $1,269 | $1,757 | $2,121 | +8.6% |
| Yakima County | $1,004 | $1,313 | $1,818 | $2,049 | -4.4% |
Where the Limit Moved Most From FY2026 to FY2027
Biggest increases (2-bedroom):
| County | FY2026 | FY2027 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pend Oreille County | $1,099 | $1,298 | +18.1% |
| Jefferson County | $1,367 | $1,588 | +16.2% |
| Mason County | $1,354 | $1,572 | +16.1% |
| Okanogan County | $1,043 | $1,202 | +15.2% |
| San Juan County | $1,762 | $2,022 | +14.8% |
Biggest cuts (2-bedroom):
| County | FY2026 | FY2027 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yakima County | $1,374 | $1,313 | -4.4% |
| Cowlitz County | $1,451 | $1,398 | -3.7% |
| Benton County | $1,538 | $1,487 | -3.3% |
| Franklin County | $1,538 | $1,487 | -3.3% |
| Kitsap County | $2,031 | $1,967 | -3.2% |
Two rules soften these swings: HUD will not let an FMR fall more than 10% in a year, and a housing authority can hold its payment standard anywhere up to 110% of the new figure. A cut shows up first in new leases and rent-increase requests, not in a lease already signed.
Where a Voucher Beats the Market in Washington
Comparing HUD's 2-bedroom limit to Zillow's observed rent in the same ZIP code shows where a voucher actually stretches. In Washington, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue is the friendliest metro: the median ZIP's limit is +8.0% against market rent and 65% of its ZIPs have a limit above the going rent. Spokane-Spokane Valley is the hardest at -3.2%. "Median premium" is the typical ZIP's rent limit minus market rent, as a percent of market rent.
| Metro | ZIPs with data | Median premium | ZIPs above market |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 128 | +8.0% | 65% |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 16 | -1.5% | 44% |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | 21 | -3.2% | 33% |
Landlords in the positive-premium metros are leaving money on the table by turning away vouchers; the authority's rent reasonableness check still applies, so you will be approved at market, not above it. The national ranking is in our voucher-vs-market analysis.
The Largest Housing Authorities in Washington
The largest voucher programs in Washington, by vouchers administered. Each publishes its own payment standard table, usually a one-page PDF under its Housing Choice Voucher section:
- Seattle Housing Authority (Seattle), about 13,000 vouchers, (206) 615-3300
- Ha of King County (Tukwila), about 11,000 vouchers, (206) 574-1100
- Spokane Housing Authority (Spokane), about 6,000 vouchers, (509) 328-2953
- Ha City of Tacoma (Tacoma), about 5,400 vouchers, (253) 207-4400
- Housing Authority of Snohomish County (Everett), about 4,300 vouchers, (425) 290-8499
- Housing Authority of the City of Everett (Everett), about 3,700 vouchers, (425) 258-9222
- Housing Authority of the City of Vancouver (Vancouver), about 3,700 vouchers, (360) 694-2501
- Ha of Pierce County (Puyallup), about 3,100 vouchers, (253) 620-5406
Can a Landlord Refuse a Voucher in Washington?
No. Washington protects source of income statewide (RCW 59.18.255 (2018)), so refusing an applicant because they pay with a voucher is illegal anywhere in the state.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Section 8 pay in Washington? It depends on the county. HUD's FY2027 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent runs from $1,058 in Ferry County to $2,549 in Snohomish County, with a median county of $1,467. Your housing authority's payment standard is 90% to 110% of the figure for your county, and the voucher pays that standard minus about 30% of your adjusted income.
Which Washington county has the highest Section 8 rent limit? Snohomish County, at $2,549 for a 2-bedroom ($3,324 for a 3-bedroom) in FY2027. The lowest is Ferry County at $1,058.
Did Section 8 rent limits go up in Washington for FY2027? Mostly yes: the 2-bedroom figure rose in 26 counties, fell in 13, and held in 0. The biggest increase was Pend Oreille County (+18.1%). The biggest cut was Yakima County (-4.4%).
Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Washington? No. Washington protects source of income statewide (RCW 59.18.255 (2018)), so refusing an applicant because they pay with a voucher is illegal anywhere in the state.
Where is my housing authority's actual payment standard? On the authority's website, usually a one-page PDF updated each fall, or by calling its Housing Choice Voucher office. The largest Washington authorities are listed above with phone numbers.
See also our Washington Section 8 overview; metro guides for Seattle, Spokane; the national 2-bedroom table for the 40 largest metros; HUD's FY2027 FMR dataset.
Holding a voucher in Washington? Browse voucher-friendly listings by ZIP code and bedroom size.
Washington landlord? List your property free. The table above is what a voucher tenant's authority can pay.
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