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Section 8 in Bergen County, NJ

7,443 active Housing Choice Vouchers in Bergen County, 94% utilized. 6 housing authorities serve this county. Voucher data as of 2026.

Active vouchers
7,443
Occupied
7,011
94% utilized
Housing authorities
6
serving this county
Voucher protection
Protected statewide
NJ Law Against Discrimination §10:5-12.5(g)

HUD Fair Market Rents in Bergen 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.

BedroomsFMRIllustration: 90% to 110% of FMR
Efficiency (studio)$1,772$1,595 to $1,949
1-bedroom$1,987$1,788 to $2,186
2-bedroom$2,282$2,054 to $2,510
3-bedroom$2,771$2,494 to $3,048
4-bedroom$3,497$3,147 to $3,847

The two-bedroom HUD benchmark for Bergen County is $2,282. Multiplying by 90% and 110% gives $2,054 to $2,510, 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 Bergen County

HUD's two-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Bergen County, NJ fell from $2,324 in FY2026 to $2,282 in FY2027, a change of -$42 a month (-1.8%). FY2027 figures took effect on October 1, 2026.

BedroomsFY2026FY2027Change
Efficiency (studio)$1,778$1,772-$6 (-0.3%)
1-bedroom$2,024$1,987-$37 (-1.8%)
2-bedroom$2,324$2,282-$42 (-1.8%)
3-bedroom$2,835$2,771-$64 (-2.3%)
4-bedroom$3,618$3,497-$121 (-3.3%)

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 Bergen 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 Bergen 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 Bergen 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 sizeExtremely lowVery low (50%)Low (80%)
1 person$29,250$48,700$75,900
2 people$33,400$55,650$86,750
3 people$37,600$62,600$97,600
4 people$41,750$69,550$108,400
5 people$45,100$75,150$117,100
6 people$48,450$80,700$125,750
7 people$51,800$86,250$134,450
8 people$55,720$91,850$143,100

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 Bergen-Passaic, NJ HUD Metro FMR Area, huduser.gov.

Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Bergen County?

No. New Jersey law prohibits landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a Section 8 voucher. That protection applies in Bergen County. If you were turned away for having a voucher, that refusal may be illegal.

NJ Law Against Discrimination §10:5-12.5(g)

New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (§10:5-12.5(g)) prohibits housing discrimination based on source of income including Section 8 vouchers. Statewide protection.

View statute →

Informational only, not legal advice. Laws change, so verify current status before acting on a rejection or making a leasing decision.

Bergen County in the New York metro

Metro vouchers
292,183
Metro utilization
86%
Type
MSA
CBSA 35620

Bergen County is one of the counties inside the New York, NY core-based statistical area. The metro-level view aggregates voucher activity across every housing authority in the CBSA.

See New York metro rent limits and PHA breakdown →

Landlord and investor tools for Bergen County

RentalCalcs

Free calculators and guides from RentalCalcs, built by the VoucherMatch team, for landlords deciding whether to accept vouchers.

Housing authorities serving Bergen 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 of Bergen County

    Hackensack · PHA code NJ067

    4,155 Section 8 units
  • Englewood Housing Authority

    Englewood · PHA code NJ055

    876 Section 8 units
  • Cliffside Park Housing Authority

    Cliffside Park · PHA code NJ070

    706 Section 8 units
  • Edgewater Housing Authority

    Edgewater · PHA code NJ075

    693 Section 8 units
  • Fort Lee Housing Authority

    Fort Lee · PHA code NJ071

    536 Section 8 units
  • Housing Authority of the Borough of Lodi

    Lodi · PHA code NJ011

    477 Section 8 units

Section 8 rent by ZIP in Bergen County

Bergen 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.

Frequently asked questions

What is the income limit for Section 8 in Bergen County?
For FY2026, the very low income screening threshold in Bergen County, NJ 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 Bergen County?
HUD's FY2026 extremely low income limit in Bergen 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 Bergen County?
The FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Bergen County is $2,282 per month. For illustration, 90% to 110% of the benchmark is roughly $2,054 to $2,510. 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 Bergen County?
Housing Choice Vouchers in Bergen County are administered by Housing Authority of Bergen County, Englewood Housing Authority, Cliffside Park 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 Bergen 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 New Jersey counties

Voucher counts aggregated from HUD PHA jurisdiction data. Population 953,243 · FIPS 34003.