How much does Section 8 pay for a 2-bedroom in Dover?

In the Dover, DE metro, the FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent is $1,629 per month. For illustration, 90% to 110% of that benchmark is roughly $1,466 to $1,792. This is not an adopted payment standard or subsidy quote. ZIP schedules, approved exceptions and Moving to Work rules may differ. Gross rent includes the applicable allowance for tenant-paid utilities.

What are the FY2027 Fair Market Rents in Dover?

HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rents for the Dover, DE metro, by bedroom size: studio $1,286, 1-bedroom $1,294, 2-bedroom $1,629, 3-bedroom $2,244, 4-bedroom $2,590. These are HUD benchmarks, not household subsidy amounts. Confirm whether your agency uses ZIP-based standards and which schedule applies to your unit.

Did Section 8 rent limits change in Dover for FY2027?

The two-bedroom Fair Market Rent for the Dover, DE metro went from $1,470 in FY2026 to $1,629 in FY2027, an increase of $159 a month. FY2027 Fair Market Rents took effect on October 1, 2026. HUD's effective date does not automatically change a household's assistance. Ask your administering agency which adopted schedule and effective date apply to a new lease, move or reexamination.

How do I apply for Section 8 in Dover?

Section 8 in Dover is administered by Delaware State Housing Authority, Dover Housing Authority, Delaware State Housing Authority. Each agency has its own application process, waiting lists and preferences. You may apply to more than one agency when eligible lists are open; a listing inquiry is not a voucher application. If you already have a voucher, confirm the receiving agency and any portability requirements for the proposed address.

Section 8 in Dover, DE: Rent Limits and Housing Authorities

Dover, DE metro area. FY2027 Fair Market Rents, active voucher counts, the housing authorities that run the program here, and whether landlords can legally refuse a voucher. Every figure comes straight from HUD data.

2-bedroom FMR (FY2027)

$1,629

HUD

Active vouchers

1,589

55% utilized

Housing authorities

serving this metro

Voucher protection

Protected

Delaware Fair Housing Act, 6 Del. C. §4601 (voucher exemption repealed effective January 2026)

Fair Market Rent by bedroom count

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)	$1,286	$1,157 to $1,415
1-bedroom	$1,294	$1,165 to $1,423
2-bedroom	$1,629	$1,466 to $1,792
3-bedroom	$2,244	$2,020 to $2,468
4-bedroom	$2,590	$2,331 to $2,849

The two-bedroom HUD benchmark for Dover is $1,629. Multiplying by 90% and 110% gives $1,466 to $1,792, 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 Dover

HUD's two-bedroom Fair Market Rent for the Dover, DE metro rose from $1,470 in FY2026 to $1,629 in FY2027, a change of +$159 a month (+10.8%). FY2027 figures took effect on October 1, 2026.

Bedrooms	FY2026	FY2027	Change
Efficiency (studio)	$1,158	$1,286	+$128 (+11.1%)
1-bedroom	$1,165	$1,294	+$129 (+11.1%)
2-bedroom	$1,470	$1,629	+$159 (+10.8%)
3-bedroom	$2,044	$2,244	+$200 (+9.8%)
4-bedroom	$2,285	$2,590	+$305 (+13.3%)

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 Dover? 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.

Voucher demand in this metro

Active vouchers

1,589

Occupied

872

Utilization

55%

Aggregated from HUD Public Housing Authority data (FY2026). High utilization means most vouchers issued here are already placed in a unit, so landlords who accept vouchers fill vacancies from a deep, reliable applicant pool.

Housing authorities serving Dover

3 PHAs administer vouchers in this metro. Apply with (or contact) the PHA that covers the specific address.

Delaware State Housing Authority
Dover , DE · DE901 · 1,295 HCV units
Status unknown
3027394263
Dover Housing Authority
Dover , DE · DE002 · 294 HCV units
Status unknown
3026781965
Delaware State Housing Authority
Dover , DE · DE004
Status unknown
3027394263

Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Dover, DE?

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

Delaware Fair Housing Act, 6 Del. C. §4601 (voucher exemption repealed effective January 2026)

Source of income has been protected since 2016; a 2024 amendment removed the exemption that let landlords decline voucher programs, effective January 2026 once unified PHA procedures were adopted. 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.

Counties in the Dover metro

County pages show the local voucher count, the housing authorities that serve it, and ZIP-level rent limits where HUD publishes them.

Kent County

Frequently asked questions

How much does Section 8 pay for a 2-bedroom in Dover?: In the Dover, DE metro, the FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent is $1,629 per month. For illustration, 90% to 110% of that benchmark is roughly $1,466 to $1,792. This is not an adopted payment standard or subsidy quote. ZIP schedules, approved exceptions and Moving to Work rules may differ. Gross rent includes the applicable allowance for tenant-paid utilities.
What are the FY2027 Fair Market Rents in Dover?: HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rents for the Dover, DE metro, by bedroom size: studio $1,286, 1-bedroom $1,294, 2-bedroom $1,629, 3-bedroom $2,244, 4-bedroom $2,590. These are HUD benchmarks, not household subsidy amounts. Confirm whether your agency uses ZIP-based standards and which schedule applies to your unit.
Did Section 8 rent limits change in Dover for FY2027?: The two-bedroom Fair Market Rent for the Dover, DE metro went from $1,470 in FY2026 to $1,629 in FY2027, an increase of $159 a month. FY2027 Fair Market Rents took effect on October 1, 2026. HUD's effective date does not automatically change a household's assistance. Ask your administering agency which adopted schedule and effective date apply to a new lease, move or reexamination.
How do I apply for Section 8 in Dover?: Section 8 in Dover is administered by Delaware State Housing Authority, Dover Housing Authority, Delaware State Housing Authority. Each agency has its own application process, waiting lists and preferences. You may apply to more than one agency when eligible lists are open; a listing inquiry is not a voucher application. If you already have a voucher, confirm the receiving agency and any portability requirements for the proposed address.

Find Section 8 apartments in Dover

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.

Browse voucher-friendly listings in Dover List your unit free

Rent limits from HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rent data. Investor running the numbers? The RentalCalcs voucher analyzer uses this same dataset.