Section 8 in San Diego County, CA
32,503 active Housing Choice Vouchers in San Diego County, 85% utilized. 6 housing authorities serve this county. Voucher data as of 2026.
HUD Fair Market Rents in San Diego County (FY2027)
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) | $2,192 | $1,973 to $2,411 |
| 1-bedroom | $2,335 | $2,102 to $2,569 |
| 2-bedroom | $2,823 | $2,541 to $3,105 |
| 3-bedroom | $3,743 | $3,369 to $4,117 |
| 4-bedroom | $4,526 | $4,073 to $4,979 |
The two-bedroom HUD benchmark for San Diego County is $2,823. Multiplying by 90% and 110% gives $2,541 to $3,105, 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 San Diego County
HUD's two-bedroom Fair Market Rent for San Diego County, CA fell from $3,001 in FY2026 to $2,823 in FY2027, a change of -$178 a month (-5.9%). FY2027 figures took effect on October 1, 2026.
| Bedrooms | FY2026 | FY2027 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Efficiency (studio) | $2,288 | $2,192 | -$96 (-4.2%) |
| 1-bedroom | $2,459 | $2,335 | -$124 (-5.0%) |
| 2-bedroom | $3,001 | $2,823 | -$178 (-5.9%) |
| 3-bedroom | $3,998 | $3,743 | -$255 (-6.4%) |
| 4-bedroom | $4,845 | $4,526 | -$319 (-6.6%) |
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 San Diego County? Under standard HCV rules, a lower payment standard does not cut your subsidy right away. Moving to Work agencies may use different policies. The housing authority may keep your current payment standard for as long as you stay in the same unit. If it decides to lower it, the reduction cannot start sooner than two years after the decrease takes effect, and only after it sends you the required notice (24 CFR 982.505(c)(3)). Families who are new to the program, or who move to a different unit, get the schedule in effect at that time.
Source: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 and FY2027, huduser.gov.
Section 8 income limits in San Diego County (FY2026)
To qualify for a Housing Choice Voucher, a household's gross annual income generally has to be at or below the very low income limit for its size. In San Diego County that is $87,450 a year for a family of four, about $7,280 a month before taxes. HUD's area median family income here is $130,900.
| Household size | Extremely low | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $36,750 | $61,250 | $97,950 |
| 2 people | $42,000 | $70,000 | $111,950 |
| 3 people | $47,250 | $78,750 | $125,950 |
| 4 people | $52,450 | $87,450 | $139,900 |
| 5 people | $56,650 | $94,450 | $151,100 |
| 6 people | $60,850 | $101,450 | $162,300 |
| 7 people | $65,050 | $108,450 | $173,500 |
| 8 people | $69,250 | $115,450 | $184,700 |
Which column applies to you. The middle column is the eligibility line for most applicants (24 CFR 982.201). The low income column only applies in special cases, such as families already receiving federal housing assistance. Federal rules generally require at least 75% of admissions from the waiting list each year to be extremely low income families. This does not predict selection or waiting time. For a family of four here, that threshold is $52,450 or less.
Income is counted before taxes and covers the whole household. The housing authority verifies it when your name is reached on the waiting list, so what counts is your income at that point. Being under the income limit is only one part of eligibility and does not guarantee admission.
Compare your household income with Section 8 limits and see how monthly income becomes an annual estimate.
Source: HUD FY2026 Section 8 Income Limits for the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA MSA, huduser.gov.
Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in San Diego County?
No. California law prohibits landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a Section 8 voucher. That protection applies in San Diego County. If you were turned away for having a voucher, that refusal may be illegal.
California FEHA source-of-income protection (SB 329 / Gov. Code 12955)
Statewide: landlords may not refuse Section 8/HCV vouchers as a source of income.
View statute →Informational only, not legal advice. Laws change, so verify current status before acting on a rejection or making a leasing decision.
San Diego County in the San Diego metro
San Diego County is one of the counties inside the San Diego, CA core-based statistical area. The metro-level view aggregates voucher activity across every housing authority in the CBSA.
See San Diego metro rent limits and PHA breakdown →Landlord and investor tools for San Diego County
RentalCalcsFree calculators and guides from RentalCalcs, built by the VoucherMatch team, for landlords deciding whether to accept vouchers.
- San Diego County rental market dataRents, home prices, cap rates and cash flow estimates for investors.
- Section 8 rent analyzerHUD rent benchmarks and modeled comparisons for California ZIP codes. Confirm adopted amounts with the agency.
- Compare HUD benchmarks with market rent in CaliforniaExplore modeled ZIP comparisons; these do not establish an approved rent or agency payment.
- Average rent in CaliforniaMarket rent versus HUD fair market rent by city and bedroom count.
- How Section 8 rent is calculatedFair market rent, payment standards and rent reasonableness, step by step.
- Section 8 landlord math for 2026What the payment standard changes mean for cash flow this year.
Housing authorities serving San Diego County
Each PHA sets its own payment standard, runs its own waitlist, and does its own inspections. Confirm the administering agency on your voucher and whether it can serve the proposed address; a ZIP code alone does not settle jurisdiction or portability.
San Diego · PHA code CA063
16,368 Section 8 unitsHousing Authority of the County of San Diego
San Diego · PHA code CA108
12,507 Section 8 unitsCity of Oceanside Community Development Comm
Oceanside · PHA code CA132
1,600 Section 8 unitsCdc of National City
National City · PHA code CA116
1,131 Section 8 unitsCarlsbad Housing & Homeless Services
Carlsbad · PHA code CA077
756 Section 8 unitsHousing Authority of the City of Encinitas
Encinitas · PHA code CA155
141 Section 8 units
Section 8 rent by ZIP in San Diego County
San Diego County is in a Small Area FMR metro, so HUD publishes a separate rent limit for each ZIP (FY2027). The 2-bedroom figure is shown; each ZIP page has the full bedroom table.
- 91901$2,610
- 91902$2,870
- 91905$2,640
- 91906$2,080
- 91910$2,590
- 91911$2,660
- 91913$3,740
- 91914$4,120
- 91915$3,810
- 91916$2,820
- 91917$2,730
- 91931$3,060
- 91932$2,590
- 91934$2,790
- 91935$2,730
- 91941$2,630
- 91942$2,840
- 91945$2,350
- 91948$2,810
- 91950$2,220
- 91962$3,290
- 91963$2,820
- 91977$2,420
- 91978$2,940
- 91980$2,820
- 92003$2,760
- 92004$1,750
- 92007$3,760
- 92008$3,250
- 92009$3,670
- 92010$3,650
- 92011$4,050
- 92014$4,170
- 92019$2,840
- 92020$2,510
- 92021$2,440
- 92024$3,680
- 92025$2,590
- 92026$2,800
- 92027$2,500
- 92028$2,300
- 92029$3,030
- 92036$2,230
- 92037$3,380
- 92040$2,480
- 92054$2,640
- 92055$3,110
- 92056$3,310
- 92057$3,020
- 92058$2,880
- 92059$1,990
- 92060$1,920
- 92061$2,520
- 92064$2,970
- 92065$2,510
- 92066$1,840
- 92067$3,630
- 92069$2,820
- 92070$2,250
- 92071$2,750
- 92075$3,940
- 92078$3,190
- 92081$3,120
- 92082$2,050
- 92083$2,790
- 92084$2,600
- 92086$1,840
- 92091$3,510
- 92092$2,820
- 92093$3,360
- 92096$2,820
- 92101$4,090
- 92102$2,700
- 92103$3,210
- 92104$2,910
- 92105$2,290
- 92106$2,930
- 92107$3,170
- 92108$4,120
- 92109$3,480
- 92110$3,250
- 92111$2,820
- 92113$2,240
- 92114$2,420
- 92115$2,650
- 92116$2,860
- 92117$2,810
- 92118$4,230
- 92119$2,940
- 92120$3,110
- 92121$3,290
- 92122$3,700
- 92123$3,590
- 92124$4,010
- 92126$3,480
- 92127$3,410
- 92128$3,610
- 92129$3,090
- 92130$4,230
- 92131$3,950
- 92132$2,820
- 92134$3,990
- 92135$4,230
- 92136$2,230
- 92139$2,730
- 92140$3,820
- 92145$3,410
- 92147$3,410
- 92154$2,770
- 92155$4,230
- 92161$2,820
- 92173$2,310
- 92179$2,770
- 92182$2,820
- 92672$3,140
Frequently asked questions
- What is the income limit for Section 8 in San Diego County?
- For FY2026, the very low income screening threshold in San Diego County, CA is $61,250 for one person, $70,000 for two, $78,750 for three and $87,450 for a family of four. Limits vary by household size. The agency also checks other eligibility requirements and any applicable exceptions.
- What counts as extremely low income in San Diego County?
- HUD's FY2026 extremely low income limit in San Diego County is $36,750 for one person and $52,450 for a family of four. Housing authorities must give at least 75% of the vouchers they issue from the waiting list each year to families at or below this level.
- How much does Section 8 pay for a 2-bedroom in San Diego County?
- The FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent in San Diego County is $2,823 per month. For illustration, 90% to 110% of the benchmark is roughly $2,541 to $3,105. This is not a household rent limit. ZIP-based schedules, approved exceptions and Moving to Work rules may differ; ask your agency for its adopted standard and the unit's utility allowance.
- Who runs Section 8 in San Diego County?
- Housing Choice Vouchers in San Diego County are administered by San Diego Housing Commission, Housing Authority of the County of San Diego, City of Oceanside Community Development Comm and other local housing authorities. Each authority keeps its own waiting lists and eligibility preferences. Check each official application notice; applying to one agency does not apply to the others.
Find Section 8 apartments in San Diego County
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.
Nearby California counties
Voucher counts aggregated from HUD PHA jurisdiction data. Population 3,289,701 · FIPS 06073.