Section 8 in Penobscot County, ME
808 active Housing Choice Vouchers in Penobscot County, 89% utilized. 3 housing authorities serve this county. Voucher data as of 2026.
HUD Fair Market Rents in Penobscot 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) | $1,042 | $938 to $1,146 |
| 1-bedroom | $1,144 | $1,030 to $1,258 |
| 2-bedroom | $1,496 | $1,346 to $1,646 |
| 3-bedroom | $2,039 | $1,835 to $2,243 |
| 4-bedroom | $2,096 | $1,886 to $2,306 |
The two-bedroom HUD benchmark for Penobscot County is $1,496. Multiplying by 90% and 110% gives $1,346 to $1,646, 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 Penobscot 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 Penobscot County that is $45,950 a year for a family of four, about $3,820 a month before taxes. HUD's area median family income here is $79,000.
| Household size | Extremely low | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $19,300 | $32,200 | $51,450 |
| 2 people | $22,050 | $36,800 | $58,800 |
| 3 people | $27,320 | $41,400 | $66,150 |
| 4 people | $33,000 | $45,950 | $73,500 |
| 5 people | $38,680 | $49,650 | $79,400 |
| 6 people | $44,360 | $53,350 | $85,300 |
| 7 people | $50,040 | $57,000 | $91,150 |
| 8 people | $55,720 | $60,700 | $97,050 |
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 Penobscot County, ME (part) HUD Metro FMR Area, huduser.gov.
Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Penobscot County?
In most of the state, yes. Maine has no statewide source-of-income protection, so landlords in Penobscot 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.
Penobscot County in the Bangor metro
Penobscot County is one of the counties inside the Bangor, ME core-based statistical area. The metro-level view aggregates voucher activity across every housing authority in the CBSA.
See Bangor metro rent limits and PHA breakdown →Landlord and investor tools for Penobscot County
RentalCalcsFree calculators and guides from RentalCalcs, built by the VoucherMatch team, for landlords deciding whether to accept vouchers.
- Penobscot 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 Penobscot 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.
Housing Authority City of Bangor
Bangor · PHA code ME009
459 Section 8 unitsOld Town Housing Authority
Old Town · PHA code ME018
213 Section 8 unitsBrewer Housing Authority
Brewer · PHA code ME021
136 Section 8 units
Frequently asked questions
- What is the income limit for Section 8 in Penobscot County?
- For FY2026, the very low income screening threshold in Penobscot County, ME is $32,200 for one person, $36,800 for two, $41,400 for three and $45,950 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 Penobscot County?
- HUD's FY2026 extremely low income limit in Penobscot County is $19,300 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 Penobscot County?
- The FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Penobscot County is $1,496 per month. For illustration, 90% to 110% of the benchmark is roughly $1,346 to $1,646. 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 Penobscot County?
- Housing Choice Vouchers in Penobscot County are administered by Housing Authority City of Bangor, Old Town Housing Authority, Brewer Housing Authority. 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 Penobscot 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 152,640 · FIPS 23019.