Section 8 in Cumberland County, ME
5,123 active Housing Choice Vouchers in Cumberland County, 84% utilized. 4 housing authorities serve this county. Voucher data as of 2026.
HUD Fair Market Rents in Cumberland 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) | $1,545 | $1,391 to $1,700 |
| 1-bedroom | $1,561 | $1,405 to $1,717 |
| 2-bedroom | $1,941 | $1,747 to $2,135 |
| 3-bedroom | $2,425 | $2,183 to $2,668 |
| 4-bedroom | $3,244 | $2,920 to $3,568 |
The two-bedroom HUD benchmark for Cumberland County is $1,941. Multiplying by 90% and 110% gives $1,747 to $2,135, 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.
Section 8 income limits in Cumberland 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 Cumberland County that is $69,550 a year for a family of four, about $5,790 a month before taxes. HUD's area median family income here is $139,100.
| Household size | Extremely low | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $29,250 | $48,700 | $74,800 |
| 2 people | $33,400 | $55,650 | $85,450 |
| 3 people | $37,600 | $62,600 | $96,150 |
| 4 people | $41,750 | $69,550 | $106,800 |
| 5 people | $45,100 | $75,150 | $115,350 |
| 6 people | $48,450 | $80,700 | $123,900 |
| 7 people | $51,800 | $86,250 | $132,450 |
| 8 people | $55,720 | $91,850 | $141,000 |
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 $41,750 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 Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area, huduser.gov.
Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Cumberland County?
A statewide voucher-specific protection has not been identified for Maine. Local laws, federal fair-housing duties and property funding requirements may still apply in Cumberland County; confirm the property and jurisdiction before assuming a refusal is lawful.
Maine Human Rights Act, 5 M.R.S. §4582
Statute protects recipients of housing assistance, but Dussault v. RRE Coach Lantern Holdings (2014) lets landlords refuse voucher tenants over program requirements. Portland has its own ordinance. 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.
Cumberland County in the Portland metro
Cumberland County is one of the counties inside the Portland, ME core-based statistical area. The metro-level view aggregates voucher activity across every housing authority in the CBSA.
See Portland metro rent limits and PHA breakdown →Landlord and investor tools for Cumberland County
RentalCalcsFree calculators and guides from RentalCalcs, built by the VoucherMatch team, for landlords deciding whether to accept vouchers.
- Cumberland County rental market dataRents, home prices, cap rates and cash flow estimates for investors.
- Section 8 rent analyzerHUD rent benchmarks and modeled comparisons for Maine ZIP codes. Confirm adopted amounts with the agency.
- Compare HUD benchmarks with market rent in MaineExplore modeled ZIP comparisons; these do not establish an approved rent or agency payment.
- Average rent in MaineMarket 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 Cumberland 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.
Portland · PHA code ME003
2,679 Section 8 unitsthe Housing Authority of the City of Westbroo
Westbrook · PHA code ME015
1,026 Section 8 unitsSouth Portland Housing Authority
South Portland · PHA code ME020
740 Section 8 unitsBrunswick Housing Authority
Brunswick · PHA code ME006
678 Section 8 units
Frequently asked questions
- What is the income limit for Section 8 in Cumberland County?
- For FY2026, the very low income screening threshold in Cumberland County, ME is $48,700 for one person, $55,650 for two, $62,600 for three and $69,550 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 Cumberland County?
- HUD's FY2026 extremely low income limit in Cumberland County is $29,250 for one person and $41,750 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 Cumberland County?
- The FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Cumberland County is $1,941 per month. For illustration, 90% to 110% of the benchmark is roughly $1,747 to $2,135. 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 Cumberland County?
- Housing Choice Vouchers in Cumberland County are administered by Portland Housing Authority, the Housing Authority of the City of Westbroo, South Portland Housing Authority 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 Cumberland 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 Maine counties
Voucher counts aggregated from HUD PHA jurisdiction data. Population 303,357 · FIPS 23005.