Section 8 in Hickory, NC, NC: Rent Limits and Housing Authorities
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC 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) | $858 | $772 to $944 |
| 1-bedroom | $908 | $817 to $999 |
| 2-bedroom | $1,095 | $986 to $1,205 |
| 3-bedroom | $1,372 | $1,235 to $1,509 |
| 4-bedroom | $1,660 | $1,494 to $1,826 |
Example: at 100% of FMR, a 2-bedroom voucher in Hickory covers up to $1,095 in gross rent, before the tenant's utility allowance. Across the full range a PHA may set: $986 to $1,205.
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 Hickory
5 PHAs administer vouchers in this metro. Apply with (or contact) the PHA that covers the specific address.
- Status unknown
Western Piedmont Council of Governments
Hickory , NC · NC159 · 1,952 HCV units
8284854247 - Status unknown
Valdese Housing Authority
Valdese , NC · NC055
8284854247 - Status unknown
Morganton Housing Authority
Morganton , NC · NC049
8284379101 - Status unknown
Lenoir Housing Authority
Lenoir , NC · NC074
8287585536 - Status unknown
City of Hickory Public Housing Authority
Hickory , NC · NC056
8283229191
Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Hickory, NC?
In most of the state, yes. North Carolina has no statewide source-of-income protection, so landlords in Hickory, NC can decline Section 8 applications unless a local ordinance says otherwise.
No statewide SOI protection in North Carolina. Landlords can refuse vouchers.
Informational only, not legal advice. Laws change, so verify current status before acting on a rejection or making a leasing decision.
Counties in the Hickory 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 Hickory?
- In the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro, the FY2026 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent is $1,095 per month. A housing authority usually sets its Section 8 payment standard between 90% and 110% of that, roughly $986 to $1,205 in gross rent before the tenant's utility allowance.
- What are the FY2026 Fair Market Rents in Hickory?
- HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rents for the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro, by bedroom size: studio $858, 1-bedroom $908, 2-bedroom $1,095, 3-bedroom $1,372, 4-bedroom $1,660. Section 8 payment standards are based on these figures.
- How do I apply for Section 8 in Hickory?
- Section 8 in Hickory is administered by Western Piedmont Council of Governments, Valdese Housing Authority, Morganton Housing Authority and other local housing authorities. 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 Hickory
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 NC
Rent limits from HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent data. Investor running the numbers? The RentalCalcs voucher analyzer uses this same dataset.