Section 8 in Mercer County, NJ
25,391 active Housing Choice Vouchers in Mercer County, 92% utilized. 5 housing authorities serve this county. Voucher data as of 2026.
Section 8 payment standards in Mercer County (FY2026)
HUD-published metro FMR for FY2026. Payment standards, the amount a PHA actually pays, are set between 90% and 110% of FMR at each PHA's discretion.
| Bedrooms | FMR | Payment standard (90 to 110%) |
|---|---|---|
| Efficiency (studio) | $1,344 | $1,210 to $1,478 |
| 1-bedroom | $1,545 | $1,391 to $1,700 |
| 2-bedroom | $1,950 | $1,755 to $2,145 |
| 3-bedroom | $2,338 | $2,104 to $2,572 |
| 4-bedroom | $2,670 | $2,403 to $2,937 |
Example: at 100% of FMR, a 2-bedroom voucher in Mercer County covers up to $1,950 in gross rent, before the tenant's utility allowance. Across the full range a PHA may set: $1,755 to $2,145.
Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Mercer County?
No. New Jersey law prohibits landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a Section 8 voucher. That protection applies in Mercer 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.
Mercer County in the Trenton metro
Mercer County is one of the counties inside the Trenton, NJ core-based statistical area. The metro-level view aggregates voucher activity across every housing authority in the CBSA.
See Trenton metro rent limits and PHA breakdown →Housing authorities serving Mercer 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.
State of Nj Dept. of Comm. Affairs
Trenton · PHA code NJ912
25,164 Section 8 unitsHamilton Township Ha
Hamilton · PHA code NJ212
227 Section 8 unitsHightstown Housing Authority
Hightstown · PHA code NJ045
100 units totalPrinceton Housing Authority
Princeton · PHA code NJ027
—Trenton Housing Authority
Trenton · PHA code NJ005
1,493 units total
Section 8 rent by ZIP in Mercer County
Mercer County is in a Small Area FMR metro, so HUD publishes a separate rent limit for each ZIP (FY2026). The 2-bedroom figure is shown; each ZIP page has the full bedroom table.
Find Section 8 apartments in Mercer County
VoucherMatch connects voucher holders with landlords who accept Section 8, and it is free for renters. Landlords: listings here reach applicants whose voucher already covers the rent above.
Other New Jersey counties
Voucher counts aggregated from HUD PHA jurisdiction data. Population 383,732 · FIPS 34021.