Section 8 in Knox County, ME
HUD rent limits, income limits and housing authorities for Knox County. Serving housing authorities vary by ZIP.
HUD Fair Market Rents in Knox 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) | $1,101 | $991 to $1,211 |
| 1-bedroom | $1,236 | $1,112 to $1,360 |
| 2-bedroom | $1,503 | $1,353 to $1,653 |
| 3-bedroom | $1,968 | $1,771 to $2,165 |
| 4-bedroom | $1,975 | $1,778 to $2,173 |
The two-bedroom HUD benchmark for Knox County is $1,503. Multiplying by 90% and 110% gives $1,353 to $1,653, 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 Knox 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 Knox County that is $49,150 a year for a family of four, about $4,090 a month before taxes. HUD's area median family income here is $98,300.
| Household size | Extremely low | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $20,650 | $34,450 | $55,100 |
| 2 people | $23,600 | $39,350 | $62,950 |
| 3 people | $27,320 | $44,250 | $70,800 |
| 4 people | $33,000 | $49,150 | $78,650 |
| 5 people | $38,680 | $53,100 | $84,950 |
| 6 people | $44,360 | $57,050 | $91,250 |
| 7 people | $50,040 | $60,950 | $97,550 |
| 8 people | $55,720 | $64,900 | $103,850 |
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 $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 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 Knox County, ME, huduser.gov.
Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Knox County?
In most of the state, yes. Maine has no statewide source-of-income protection, so landlords in Knox County can decline Section 8 applications unless a local ordinance says otherwise.
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.
Landlord and investor tools for Knox County
RentalCalcsFree calculators and guides from RentalCalcs, built by the VoucherMatch team, for landlords deciding whether to accept vouchers.
- Knox 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.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the income limit for Section 8 in Knox County?
- For FY2026, the very low income screening threshold in Knox County, ME is $34,450 for one person, $39,350 for two, $44,250 for three and $49,150 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 Knox County?
- HUD's FY2026 extremely low income limit in Knox County is $20,650 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 Knox County?
- The FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Knox County is $1,503 per month. For illustration, 90% to 110% of the benchmark is roughly $1,353 to $1,653. 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.
Find Section 8 apartments in Knox 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 40,729 · FIPS 23013.