Section 8 in Harrisburg, PA, PA: Rent Limits and Housing Authorities
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA metro area. FY2026 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.
Fair Market Rent by bedroom count
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) | $1,058 | $952 to $1,164 |
| 1-bedroom | $1,212 | $1,091 to $1,333 |
| 2-bedroom | $1,493 | $1,344 to $1,642 |
| 3-bedroom | $1,920 | $1,728 to $2,112 |
| 4-bedroom | $1,977 | $1,779 to $2,175 |
Example: at 100% of FMR, a 2-bedroom voucher in Harrisburg covers up to $1,493 in gross rent, before the tenant's utility allowance. Across the full range a PHA may set: $1,344 to $1,642.
Voucher demand in this metro
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 Harrisburg
3 PHAs administer vouchers in this metro. Apply with (or contact) the PHA that covers the specific address.
- Status unknown
Harrisburg Housing Authority
Harrisburg , PA · PA008 · 1,520 HCV units
7172326781 - Status unknown
Housing Authority of the County of Cumberland
Carlisle , PA · PA075 · 1,382 HCV units
7172490789 - Status unknown
Housing Authority of the County of Dauphin
Steelton , PA · PA035 · 1,201 HCV units
7179399301
Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Harrisburg, PA?
In most of the state, yes. Pennsylvania has no statewide source-of-income protection, so landlords in Harrisburg, PA can decline Section 8 applications unless a local ordinance says otherwise.
Pennsylvania has no statewide source-of-income protection for housing vouchers. Local ordinances may apply.
Informational only, not legal advice. Laws change, so verify current status before acting on a rejection or making a leasing decision.
Counties in the Harrisburg metro
County pages show the local voucher count, the housing authorities that serve it, and ZIP-level rent limits where HUD publishes them.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does Section 8 pay for a 2-bedroom in Harrisburg?
- In the Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA metro, the FY2026 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent is $1,493 per month. A housing authority usually sets its Section 8 payment standard between 90% and 110% of that, roughly $1,344 to $1,642 in gross rent before the tenant's utility allowance.
- What are the FY2026 Fair Market Rents in Harrisburg?
- HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rents for the Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA metro, by bedroom size: studio $1,058, 1-bedroom $1,212, 2-bedroom $1,493, 3-bedroom $1,920, 4-bedroom $1,977. Section 8 payment standards are based on these figures.
- How do I apply for Section 8 in Harrisburg?
- Section 8 in Harrisburg is administered by Harrisburg Housing Authority, Housing Authority of the County of Cumberland, Housing Authority of the County of Dauphin. Apply through the authority whose jurisdiction covers the address, as each runs its own waitlist. Once you have a voucher, search voucher-friendly units and apply on VoucherMatch.
Find Section 8 apartments in Harrisburg
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 Section 8 markets in PA
Rent limits from HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent data. Investor running the numbers? The RentalCalcs voucher analyzer uses this same dataset.