Section 8 in Bedford County, VA
HUD rent limits, income limits and housing authorities for Bedford County. Serving housing authorities vary by ZIP.
HUD Fair Market Rents in Bedford 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) | $965 | $869 to $1,062 |
| 1-bedroom | $971 | $874 to $1,068 |
| 2-bedroom | $1,117 | $1,005 to $1,229 |
| 3-bedroom | $1,547 | $1,392 to $1,702 |
| 4-bedroom | $1,678 | $1,510 to $1,846 |
The two-bedroom HUD benchmark for Bedford County is $1,117. Multiplying by 90% and 110% gives $1,005 to $1,229, 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 Bedford County
HUD's two-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Bedford County, VA fell from $1,187 in FY2026 to $1,117 in FY2027, a change of -$70 a month (-5.9%). FY2027 figures took effect on October 1, 2026.
| Bedrooms | FY2026 | FY2027 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Efficiency (studio) | $1,027 | $965 | -$62 (-6.0%) |
| 1-bedroom | $1,033 | $971 | -$62 (-6.0%) |
| 2-bedroom | $1,187 | $1,117 | -$70 (-5.9%) |
| 3-bedroom | $1,635 | $1,547 | -$88 (-5.4%) |
| 4-bedroom | $1,750 | $1,678 | -$72 (-4.1%) |
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 Bedford 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 Bedford 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 Bedford County that is $44,150 a year for a family of four, about $3,670 a month before taxes. HUD's area median family income here is $88,300.
| Household size | Extremely low | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $18,550 | $30,950 | $49,500 |
| 2 people | $21,640 | $35,350 | $56,550 |
| 3 people | $27,320 | $39,750 | $63,600 |
| 4 people | $33,000 | $44,150 | $70,650 |
| 5 people | $38,680 | $47,700 | $76,350 |
| 6 people | $44,360 | $51,250 | $82,000 |
| 7 people | $50,040 | $54,750 | $87,650 |
| 8 people | $55,720 | $58,300 | $93,300 |
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 Lynchburg, VA MSA, huduser.gov.
Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Bedford County?
No. Virginia law prohibits landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a Section 8 voucher. That protection applies in Bedford County. If you were turned away for having a voucher, that refusal may be illegal.
Virginia Fair Housing Law (HB 6, 2020)
Virginia's HB 6 (2020) added source of income to the list of protected classes under the Virginia Fair Housing Law. Applies statewide to all landlords regardless of unit count. Enforcement via Virginia DPOR / Virginia Fair Housing Office.
View statute →Informational only, not legal advice. Laws change, so verify current status before acting on a rejection or making a leasing decision.
Bedford County in the Lynchburg metro
Bedford County is one of the counties inside the Lynchburg, VA core-based statistical area. The metro-level view aggregates voucher activity across every housing authority in the CBSA.
See Lynchburg metro rent limits and PHA breakdown →Landlord and investor tools for Bedford County
RentalCalcsFree calculators and guides from RentalCalcs, built by the VoucherMatch team, for landlords deciding whether to accept vouchers.
- Bedford County rental market dataRents, home prices, cap rates and cash flow estimates for investors.
- Section 8 rent analyzerHUD rent benchmarks and modeled comparisons for Virginia ZIP codes. Confirm adopted amounts with the agency.
- Compare HUD benchmarks with market rent in VirginiaExplore modeled ZIP comparisons; these do not establish an approved rent or agency payment.
- Average rent in VirginiaMarket 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 Bedford County?
- For FY2026, the very low income screening threshold in Bedford County, VA is $30,950 for one person, $35,350 for two, $39,750 for three and $44,150 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 Bedford County?
- HUD's FY2026 extremely low income limit in Bedford County is $18,550 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 Bedford County?
- The FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Bedford County is $1,117 per month. For illustration, 90% to 110% of the benchmark is roughly $1,005 to $1,229. 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 Bedford 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 Virginia counties
Voucher counts aggregated from HUD PHA jurisdiction data. Population 79,761 · FIPS 51019.