Section 8 in Highlands County, FL
HUD rent limits, income limits and housing authorities for Highlands County. 1 housing authority serves this county.
HUD Fair Market Rents in Highlands 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) | $877 | $789 to $965 |
| 1-bedroom | $1,022 | $920 to $1,124 |
| 2-bedroom | $1,259 | $1,133 to $1,385 |
| 3-bedroom | $1,500 | $1,350 to $1,650 |
| 4-bedroom | $1,905 | $1,715 to $2,096 |
The two-bedroom HUD benchmark for Highlands County is $1,259. Multiplying by 90% and 110% gives $1,133 to $1,385, 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 Highlands County
HUD's two-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Highlands County, FL fell from $1,271 in FY2026 to $1,259 in FY2027, a change of -$12 a month (-0.9%). FY2027 figures took effect on October 1, 2026.
| Bedrooms | FY2026 | FY2027 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Efficiency (studio) | $876 | $877 | +$1 (+0.1%) |
| 1-bedroom | $1,006 | $1,022 | +$16 (+1.6%) |
| 2-bedroom | $1,271 | $1,259 | -$12 (-0.9%) |
| 3-bedroom | $1,538 | $1,500 | -$38 (-2.5%) |
| 4-bedroom | $2,017 | $1,905 | -$112 (-5.6%) |
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 Highlands 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 Highlands 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 Highlands County that is $40,400 a year for a family of four, about $3,360 a month before taxes. HUD's area median family income here is $75,600.
| Household size | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $17,000 | $28,300 | $45,300 |
| 2 people | $21,640 | $32,350 | $51,750 |
| 3 people | $27,320 | $36,400 | $58,200 |
| 4 people | $33,000 | $40,400 | $64,650 |
| 5 people | $38,680 | $43,650 | $69,850 |
| 6 people | $44,360 | $46,900 | $75,000 |
| 7 people | $50,040 | $50,100 | $80,200 |
| 8 people | $53,350 | $53,350 | $85,350 |
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. The extremely low column matters for how fast you are reached: housing authorities must give at least 75% of the vouchers they issue from the waiting list each year to extremely low income families, which for a family of four here means $33,000 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 limit makes you eligible; it does not move you up a closed or full waiting list.
Source: HUD FY2026 Section 8 Income Limits for the Sebring, FL MSA, huduser.gov.
Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Highlands County?
Yes. Florida law blocks local governments from requiring voucher acceptance, so landlords in Highlands County can legally decline Section 8 applicants. Listing on a voucher-friendly marketplace is the fastest way to find the landlords who do accept.
Florida HB 1417 (2023) preempts local tenant regulation; county source-of-income ordinances (Miami-Dade, Broward, Hillsborough, Orange, Pinellas) are of uncertain effect
PRRAC notes the 2023 preemption may nullify existing county ordinances; ask the county human-rights office whether it is still enforcing. PRRAC Appendix B (March 2026).
View statute →Informational only, not legal advice. Laws change, so verify current status before acting on a rejection or making a leasing decision.
Highlands County in the Sebring metro
Highlands County is one of the counties inside the Sebring, FL core-based statistical area. The metro-level view aggregates voucher activity across every housing authority in the CBSA.
See Sebring metro rent limits and PHA breakdown →Landlord and investor tools for Highlands County
RentalCalcsFree calculators and guides from RentalCalcs, built by the VoucherMatch team, for landlords deciding whether to accept vouchers.
- Highlands County rental market dataRents, home prices, cap rates and cash flow estimates for investors.
- Section 8 rent analyzerHUD rent benchmarks and modeled comparisons for Florida ZIP codes. Confirm adopted amounts with the agency.
- Compare HUD benchmarks with market rent in FloridaExplore modeled ZIP comparisons; these do not establish an approved rent or agency payment.
- Average rent in FloridaMarket 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 Highlands County
Each PHA sets its own payment standard, runs its own waitlist, and does its own inspections. The PHA whose jurisdiction covers a unit's ZIP is the one both tenant and landlord will deal with.
Housing Authority of Avon Park
Avon Park · PHA code FL012
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Frequently asked questions
- What is the income limit for Section 8 in Highlands County?
- For FY2026, the very low income screening threshold in Highlands County, FL is $28,300 for one person, $32,350 for two, $36,400 for three and $40,400 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 Highlands County?
- HUD's FY2026 extremely low income limit in Highlands County is $17,000 for one person and $33,000 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 Highlands County?
- The FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Highlands County is $1,259 per month. For illustration, 90% to 110% of the benchmark is roughly $1,133 to $1,385. 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 Highlands County?
- Housing Choice Vouchers in Highlands County are administered by Housing Authority of Avon Park. 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 Highlands 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 Florida counties
Voucher counts aggregated from HUD PHA jurisdiction data. Population 102,339 · FIPS 12055.