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

In the Lawrence, KS metro, the FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent is $1,272 per month. For illustration, 90% to 110% of that benchmark is roughly $1,145 to $1,399. 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 Lawrence?

HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rents for the Lawrence, KS metro, by bedroom size: studio $961, 1-bedroom $1,103, 2-bedroom $1,272, 3-bedroom $1,761, 4-bedroom $2,126. 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 Lawrence for FY2027?

The two-bedroom Fair Market Rent for the Lawrence, KS metro went from $1,182 in FY2026 to $1,272 in FY2027, an increase of $90 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 Lawrence?

Section 8 in Lawrence is administered by Lawrence/Douglas County 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 Lawrence, KS: Rent Limits and Housing Authorities

Lawrence, KS 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)

$1,272

HUD

Active vouchers

882

89% utilized

Housing authorities

serving this metro

Voucher protection

State preempts

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)	$961	$865 to $1,057
1-bedroom	$1,103	$993 to $1,213
2-bedroom	$1,272	$1,145 to $1,399
3-bedroom	$1,761	$1,585 to $1,937
4-bedroom	$2,126	$1,913 to $2,339

The two-bedroom HUD benchmark for Lawrence is $1,272. Multiplying by 90% and 110% gives $1,145 to $1,399, 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 Lawrence

HUD's two-bedroom Fair Market Rent for the Lawrence, KS metro rose from $1,182 in FY2026 to $1,272 in FY2027, a change of +$90 a month (+7.6%). FY2027 figures took effect on October 1, 2026.

Bedrooms	FY2026	FY2027	Change
Efficiency (studio)	$895	$961	+$66 (+7.4%)
1-bedroom	$1,006	$1,103	+$97 (+9.6%)
2-bedroom	$1,182	$1,272	+$90 (+7.6%)
3-bedroom	$1,644	$1,761	+$117 (+7.1%)
4-bedroom	$1,983	$2,126	+$143 (+7.2%)

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 Lawrence? 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

882

Occupied

785

Utilization

89%

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 Lawrence

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

Lawrence/Douglas County Housing Authority
Lawrence , KS · KS053 · 882 HCV units
Status unknown
7858428110

Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Lawrence, KS?

Yes. Kansas law blocks local governments from requiring voucher acceptance, so landlords in Lawrence, KS can legally decline Section 8 applicants. Listing on a voucher-friendly marketplace is the fastest way to find the landlords who do accept.

No statewide source-of-income protection for housing vouchers. PRRAC Appendix B (March 2026).

Informational only, not legal advice. Laws change, so verify current status before acting on a rejection or making a leasing decision.

Counties in the Lawrence metro

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

Douglas County

Frequently asked questions

How much does Section 8 pay for a 2-bedroom in Lawrence?: In the Lawrence, KS metro, the FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent is $1,272 per month. For illustration, 90% to 110% of that benchmark is roughly $1,145 to $1,399. 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 Lawrence?: HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rents for the Lawrence, KS metro, by bedroom size: studio $961, 1-bedroom $1,103, 2-bedroom $1,272, 3-bedroom $1,761, 4-bedroom $2,126. 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 Lawrence for FY2027?: The two-bedroom Fair Market Rent for the Lawrence, KS metro went from $1,182 in FY2026 to $1,272 in FY2027, an increase of $90 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 Lawrence?: Section 8 in Lawrence is administered by Lawrence/Douglas County 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 Lawrence

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 Lawrence List your unit free

Wichita, KS3,564 vouchers

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