Section 8 in Columbia, MO, MO: Rent Limits and Housing Authorities
Columbia, MO 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. 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) | $720 | $648 to $792 |
| 1-bedroom | $796 | $716 to $876 |
| 2-bedroom | $1,044 | $940 to $1,148 |
| 3-bedroom | $1,252 | $1,127 to $1,377 |
| 4-bedroom | $1,382 | $1,244 to $1,520 |
Example: at 100% of FMR, a 2-bedroom voucher in Columbia covers up to $1,044 in gross rent, before the tenant's utility allowance. Across the full range a PHA may set: $940 to $1,148.
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 Columbia
5 PHAs administer vouchers in this metro. Apply with (or contact) the PHA that covers the specific address.
- Status unknown
Housing Authority of the City of Columbia, Mo
Columbia , MO · MO007 · 1,902 HCV units
5734432556 - Status unknown
Boone County Public Housing Agency
Columbia , MO · MO198 · 592 HCV units
5734438706 - Status unknown
Housing Authority of the City of Boonville
Boonville , MO · MO054
6608827332 - Status unknown
Housing Authority of the City of Fayette
Fayette , MO · MO056
6602482213 - Status unknown
Housing Authority of the City of Glasgow
Glasgow , MO · MO039
6603382151
Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Columbia, MO?
In most of the state, yes. Missouri has no statewide source-of-income protection, so landlords in Columbia, MO can decline Section 8 applications unless a local ordinance says otherwise.
No statewide SOI protection in Missouri. Kansas City has a local ordinance passed 2022; St Louis does not.
Informational only, not legal advice. Laws change, so verify current status before acting on a rejection or making a leasing decision.
Counties in the Columbia 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 Columbia?
- In the Columbia, MO metro, the FY2026 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent is $1,044 per month. A housing authority usually sets its Section 8 payment standard between 90% and 110% of that, roughly $940 to $1,148 in gross rent before the tenant's utility allowance.
- What are the FY2026 Fair Market Rents in Columbia?
- HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rents for the Columbia, MO metro, by bedroom size: studio $720, 1-bedroom $796, 2-bedroom $1,044, 3-bedroom $1,252, 4-bedroom $1,382. Section 8 payment standards are based on these figures.
- How do I apply for Section 8 in Columbia?
- Section 8 in Columbia is administered by Housing Authority of the City of Columbia, Mo, Boone County Public Housing Agency, Housing Authority of the City of Boonville 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 Columbia
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 MO
Rent limits from HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent data. Investor running the numbers? The RentalCalcs voucher analyzer uses this same dataset.