Section 8 in Allentown, PA: Rent Limits and Housing Authorities
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metro area. FY2027 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 rent benchmarks for FY2027, effective October 1, 2026. These are not adopted housing-authority payment standards or household subsidy amounts. The illustration shows 90% to 110% of FMR; ZIP-based schedules, approved exceptions and Moving to Work rules can differ.
| Bedrooms | FMR | Illustration: 90% to 110% of FMR |
|---|---|---|
| Efficiency (studio) | $1,302 | $1,172 to $1,432 |
| 1-bedroom | $1,519 | $1,367 to $1,671 |
| 2-bedroom | $1,839 | $1,655 to $2,023 |
| 3-bedroom | $2,306 | $2,075 to $2,537 |
| 4-bedroom | $2,482 | $2,234 to $2,730 |
The two-bedroom HUD benchmark for Allentown is $1,839. Multiplying by 90% and 110% gives $1,655 to $2,023, not an approval range. Gross rent includes the applicable allowance for tenant-paid utilities. Your agency must calculate assistance using its adopted standard, your household and the proposed unit.
What changed from FY2026 to FY2027 in Allentown
HUD's two-bedroom Fair Market Rent for the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metro rose from $1,634 in FY2026 to $1,839 in FY2027, a change of +$205 a month (+12.5%). FY2027 figures took 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. The basic range is 90% to 110% of the applicable FMR or SAFMR, with exceptions and Moving to Work policies that may differ. A HUD effective date is not a household rent-change notice. Confirm the adopted schedule and its application to your lease or reexamination with your agency.
Already renting with a voucher in Allentown? Under standard HCV rules, 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)). Confirm any applicable Moving to Work policy with your agency.
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 FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent is $1,839 per month. For illustration, 90% to 110% of that benchmark is roughly $1,655 to $2,023. This is not an adopted payment standard or subsidy quote. ZIP schedules, approved exceptions and Moving to Work rules may differ. Gross rent includes the applicable allowance for tenant-paid utilities.
- What are the FY2027 Fair Market Rents in Allentown?
- HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rents for the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metro, by bedroom size: studio $1,302, 1-bedroom $1,519, 2-bedroom $1,839, 3-bedroom $2,306, 4-bedroom $2,482. These are HUD benchmarks, not household subsidy amounts. Confirm whether your agency uses ZIP-based standards and which schedule applies to your unit.
- Did Section 8 rent limits change in Allentown for FY2027?
- The two-bedroom Fair Market Rent for the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metro went from $1,634 in FY2026 to $1,839 in FY2027, an increase of $205 a month. FY2027 Fair Market Rents took effect on October 1, 2026. HUD's effective date does not automatically change a household's assistance. Ask your administering agency which adopted schedule and effective date apply to a new lease, move or reexamination.
- 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. Each agency has its own application process, waiting lists and preferences. You may apply to more than one agency when eligible lists are open; a listing inquiry is not a voucher application. If you already have a voucher, confirm the receiving agency and any portability requirements for the proposed address.
Find Section 8 apartments in Allentown
VoucherMatch connects voucher holders with landlords who accept Section 8, and it is free for renters. The administering housing authority must approve the actual unit, rent and household assistance calculation.
Other Section 8 markets in PA
Rent limits from HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rent data. Investor running the numbers? The RentalCalcs voucher analyzer uses this same dataset.