Section 8 in Hamilton County, OH
12,006 active Housing Choice Vouchers in Hamilton County, 79% utilized. 1 housing authority serves this county. Voucher data as of 2026.
Hamilton County and Cincinnati CMHA rental approval
Use Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority’s resources for its Hamilton County voucher program. Other Ohio agencies also use the initials CMHA, so check the agency name and website on your voucher. A move into Northern Kentucky or another county can require a different administrator.
Find the agency’s adopted payment standard
Cincinnati CMHA explains that its payment standard is not the rent it will pay an owner. The proposed home still requires affordability and rent review. If the unit has a different bedroom count from the voucher, confirm the lower applicable size with the housing specialist.
Move the proposed tenancy forward
CMHA’s published sequence begins with the owner and tenant completing the RTA, then rent review and inspection. Its FAQ describes a 90-day search term and case-by-case extensions. Use the date on your voucher and the current extension instructions, and retain proof of each submission.
Official documents and contacts
- Cincinnati CMHA voucher holder FAQs
- CMHA RTA, unit approval and move-in steps
- CMHA program and portability information
Agency guidance reviewed September 29, 2026. Confirm the schedule effective for your tenancy. The HUD table below is market reference data.
HUD Fair Market Rents in Hamilton 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) | $1,052 | $947 to $1,157 |
| 1-bedroom | $1,128 | $1,015 to $1,241 |
| 2-bedroom | $1,442 | $1,298 to $1,586 |
| 3-bedroom | $1,897 | $1,707 to $2,087 |
| 4-bedroom | $2,141 | $1,927 to $2,355 |
The two-bedroom HUD benchmark for Hamilton County is $1,442. Multiplying by 90% and 110% gives $1,298 to $1,586, 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 Hamilton County
HUD's two-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Hamilton County, OH rose from $1,353 in FY2026 to $1,442 in FY2027, a change of +$89 a month (+6.6%). FY2027 figures took effect on October 1, 2026.
| Bedrooms | FY2026 | FY2027 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Efficiency (studio) | $958 | $1,052 | +$94 (+9.8%) |
| 1-bedroom | $1,051 | $1,128 | +$77 (+7.3%) |
| 2-bedroom | $1,353 | $1,442 | +$89 (+6.6%) |
| 3-bedroom | $1,785 | $1,897 | +$112 (+6.3%) |
| 4-bedroom | $1,976 | $2,141 | +$165 (+8.4%) |
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 Hamilton County? Under standard HCV rules, once the housing authority raises its payment standard, the higher amount must be used for your subsidy no later than the earliest of three dates: a rent increase that would raise your share, your next regular or interim reexamination, or one year after the increase took effect (24 CFR 982.505(c)(4)). Confirm any applicable Moving to Work policy with your agency.
Landlords: a higher FMR does not raise a contract rent by itself. You still request the increase from the housing authority, and the new rent has to pass its rent reasonableness review against comparable unassisted units.
Source: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 and FY2027, huduser.gov.
Section 8 income limits in Hamilton 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 Hamilton County that is $54,950 a year for a family of four, about $4,570 a month before taxes. HUD's area median family income here is $109,900.
| Household size | Extremely low | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $23,100 | $38,500 | $61,550 |
| 2 people | $26,400 | $44,000 | $70,350 |
| 3 people | $29,700 | $49,500 | $79,150 |
| 4 people | $33,000 | $54,950 | $87,900 |
| 5 people | $38,680 | $59,350 | $94,950 |
| 6 people | $44,360 | $63,750 | $102,000 |
| 7 people | $50,040 | $68,150 | $109,000 |
| 8 people | $55,720 | $72,550 | $116,050 |
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 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area, huduser.gov.
Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Hamilton County?
In most of the state, yes. Ohio has no statewide source-of-income protection, so landlords in Hamilton County can decline Section 8 applications unless a local ordinance says otherwise.
No statewide source-of-income law (Ohio Civil Rights Act, R.C. 4112.02(H), does not cover vouchers)
Ohio has no statewide source-of-income protection, so outside the cities with their own ordinance a landlord can decline a voucher applicant. Akron, Cincinnati, Cleveland Heights, Columbus, Dayton, South Euclid, Toledo and University Heights have local ordinances. Ohio HB 430 (2022) bars local rent control; it does not mention source-of-income ordinances, and Dayton adopted its ordinance in 2023, after HB 430. The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights Ohio Advisory Committee (2024) documented widespread source-of-income discrimination in the state. 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.
Hamilton County in the Cincinnati metro
Hamilton County is one of the counties inside the Cincinnati, OH core-based statistical area. The metro-level view aggregates voucher activity across every housing authority in the CBSA.
See Cincinnati metro rent limits and PHA breakdown →Landlord and investor tools for Hamilton County
RentalCalcsFree calculators and guides from RentalCalcs, built by the VoucherMatch team, for landlords deciding whether to accept vouchers.
- Hamilton County rental market dataRents, home prices, cap rates and cash flow estimates for investors.
- Section 8 rent analyzerHUD rent benchmarks and modeled comparisons for Ohio ZIP codes. Confirm adopted amounts with the agency.
- Compare HUD benchmarks with market rent in OhioExplore modeled ZIP comparisons; these do not establish an approved rent or agency payment.
- Average rent in OhioMarket 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 Hamilton 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.
Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA)
Cincinnati · PHA code OH004
12,006 Section 8 units
Applying, following up or moving with a voucher? Find the right Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) portal and next step.
Section 8 rent by ZIP in Hamilton County
Hamilton 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.
- 45001$1,090
- 45002$1,430
- 45030$1,470
- 45033$1,430
- 45041$1,430
- 45051$1,270
- 45052$1,470
- 45111$2,160
- 45174$1,830
- 45202$2,160
- 45203$1,200
- 45204$1,120
- 45205$1,230
- 45206$1,310
- 45207$1,310
- 45208$1,760
- 45209$1,880
- 45211$1,210
- 45212$1,430
- 45213$1,310
- 45214$1,140
- 45215$1,370
- 45216$1,280
- 45217$1,230
- 45218$1,350
- 45219$1,740
- 45220$1,470
- 45223$1,230
- 45224$1,220
- 45225$1,140
- 45226$1,620
- 45227$1,610
- 45229$1,190
- 45230$1,290
- 45231$1,590
- 45232$1,040
- 45233$1,220
- 45236$1,540
- 45237$1,200
- 45238$1,280
- 45239$1,310
- 45240$1,650
- 45241$1,540
- 45242$2,160
- 45243$2,160
- 45244$1,470
- 45246$1,660
- 45247$1,400
- 45248$1,400
- 45249$1,910
- 45251$1,750
- 45252$1,260
- 45255$1,700
- 45267$1,480
Frequently asked questions
- What is the income limit for Section 8 in Hamilton County?
- For FY2026, the very low income screening threshold in Hamilton County, OH is $38,500 for one person, $44,000 for two, $49,500 for three and $54,950 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 Hamilton County?
- HUD's FY2026 extremely low income limit in Hamilton County is $23,100 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 Hamilton County?
- The FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Hamilton County is $1,442 per month. For illustration, 90% to 110% of the benchmark is roughly $1,298 to $1,586. 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 Hamilton County?
- Housing Choice Vouchers in Hamilton County are administered by Cincinnati Metropolitan 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 Hamilton 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 Ohio counties
Voucher counts aggregated from HUD PHA jurisdiction data. Population 827,671 · FIPS 39061.