Section 8 in Allentown, PA: Rent Limits and Housing Authorities
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metro area. FY2026 Fair Market Rents, active voucher counts, the housing authorities that run the program here, and whether landlords can legally refuse a voucher. Every figure comes straight from HUD data.
Fair Market Rent by bedroom count
HUD-published metro FMR for FY2026, in effect from October 1, 2025. Payment standards, the amount a PHA actually pays, are set between 90% and 110% of FMR at each PHA's discretion.
| Bedrooms | FMR | Payment standard (90 to 110%) |
|---|---|---|
| Efficiency (studio) | $1,130 | $1,017 to $1,243 |
| 1-bedroom | $1,341 | $1,207 to $1,475 |
| 2-bedroom | $1,634 | $1,471 to $1,797 |
| 3-bedroom | $2,087 | $1,878 to $2,296 |
| 4-bedroom | $2,195 | $1,976 to $2,415 |
Example: at 100% of FMR, a 2-bedroom voucher in Allentown covers up to $1,634 in gross rent, before the tenant's utility allowance. Across the full range a PHA may set: $1,471 to $1,797.
FY2027 rent limits in Allentown: what changes on October 1, 2026
HUD's two-bedroom Fair Market Rent for the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metro rises from $1,634 in FY2026 to $1,839 in FY2027, a change of +$205 a month (+12.5%). FY2027 figures take effect on October 1, 2026.
| Bedrooms | FY2026 | FY2027 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Efficiency (studio) | $1,130 | $1,302 | +$172 (+15.2%) |
| 1-bedroom | $1,341 | $1,519 | +$178 (+13.3%) |
| 2-bedroom | $1,634 | $1,839 | +$205 (+12.5%) |
| 3-bedroom | $2,087 | $2,306 | +$219 (+10.5%) |
| 4-bedroom | $2,195 | $2,482 | +$287 (+13.1%) |
The FMR is not what the voucher pays. Each housing authority sets its own payment standard, normally between 90% and 110% of the published figure. When a new one pushes the old schedule outside that range, the authority has up to three months after the effective date to publish a new one (24 CFR 982.503). Until it does, the old payment standards still apply, so call the authority before you rely on the new number.
Already renting with a voucher in Allentown? Once the housing authority raises its payment standard, the higher amount must be used for your subsidy no later than the earliest of three dates: a rent increase that would raise your share, your next regular or interim reexamination, or one year after the increase took effect (24 CFR 982.505(c)(4)).
Landlords: a higher FMR does not raise a contract rent by itself. You still request the increase from the housing authority, and the new rent has to pass its rent reasonableness review against comparable unassisted units.
Source: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 and FY2027, huduser.gov.
Voucher demand in this metro
Aggregated from HUD Public Housing Authority data (FY2026). High utilization means most vouchers issued here are already placed in a unit, so landlords who accept vouchers fill vacancies from a deep, reliable applicant pool.
Housing authorities serving Allentown
8 PHAs administer vouchers in this metro. Apply with (or contact) the PHA that covers the specific address.
- Status unknown
Lehigh County Housing Authority
Emmaus , PA · PA081 · 3,359 HCV units
6109654514 - Status unknown
Allentown Housing Authority
Allentown , PA · PA004 · 1,839 HCV units
6104398678 - Status unknown
Northampton County Housing Authority
Nazareth , PA · PA076 · 930 HCV units
6109654514 - Status unknown
Warren County Housing Authority
Belvidere , NJ · NJ102 · 671 HCV units
9084753989 - Status unknown
Easton Housing Authority
Easton , PA · PA024 · 599 HCV units
6103334055 - Status unknown
Bethlehem Housing Authority
Bethlehem , PA · PA011 · 513 HCV units
6108658357 - Status unknown
Carbon County Housing Authority
Lehighton , PA · PA067 · 447 HCV units
6103779375 - Status unknown
Phillipsburg Housing Authority
Phillipsburg , NJ · NJ024 · 215 HCV units
9088590122
Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Allentown, PA?
In most of the state, yes. Pennsylvania has no statewide source-of-income protection, so landlords in Allentown, PA can decline Section 8 applications unless a local ordinance says otherwise.
Pennsylvania has no statewide source-of-income protection for housing vouchers. Local ordinances may apply.
Informational only, not legal advice. Laws change, so verify current status before acting on a rejection or making a leasing decision.
Counties in the Allentown metro
County pages show the local voucher count, the housing authorities that serve it, and ZIP-level rent limits where HUD publishes them.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does Section 8 pay for a 2-bedroom in Allentown?
- In the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metro, the FY2026 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent is $1,634 per month. A housing authority usually sets its Section 8 payment standard between 90% and 110% of that, roughly $1,471 to $1,797 in gross rent before the tenant's utility allowance.
- What are the FY2026 Fair Market Rents in Allentown?
- HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rents for the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metro, by bedroom size: studio $1,130, 1-bedroom $1,341, 2-bedroom $1,634, 3-bedroom $2,087, 4-bedroom $2,195. Section 8 payment standards are based on these figures.
- Did Section 8 rent limits change in Allentown for FY2027?
- The two-bedroom Fair Market Rent for the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metro goes from $1,634 in FY2026 to $1,839 in FY2027, an increase of $205 a month. FY2027 Fair Market Rents take effect on October 1, 2026. Housing authorities set their own payment standards from that figure and have up to three months to update them, so confirm the current amount with the authority that covers the address.
- How do I apply for Section 8 in Allentown?
- Section 8 in Allentown is administered by Lehigh County Housing Authority, Allentown Housing Authority, Northampton County Housing Authority and other local housing authorities. Apply through the authority whose jurisdiction covers the address, as each runs its own waitlist. Once you have a voucher, search voucher-friendly units and apply on VoucherMatch.
Find Section 8 apartments in Allentown
VoucherMatch connects voucher holders with landlords who accept Section 8, and it is free for renters. Landlords: listings here reach applicants whose voucher already covers the rent above.
Other Section 8 markets in PA
Rent limits from HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent data. Investor running the numbers? The RentalCalcs voucher analyzer uses this same dataset.