Section 8 in Raleigh, NC, NC: Rent Limits and Housing Authorities
Raleigh-Cary, 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) | $1,524 | $1,372 to $1,676 |
| 1-bedroom | $1,596 | $1,436 to $1,756 |
| 2-bedroom | $1,750 | $1,575 to $1,925 |
| 3-bedroom | $2,196 | $1,976 to $2,416 |
| 4-bedroom | $2,936 | $2,642 to $3,230 |
Example: at 100% of FMR, a 2-bedroom voucher in Raleigh covers up to $1,750 in gross rent, before the tenant's utility allowance. Across the full range a PHA may set: $1,575 to $1,925.
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 Raleigh
7 PHAs administer vouchers in this metro. Apply with (or contact) the PHA that covers the specific address.
- Status unknown
Housing Authority of the City of Raleigh
Raleigh , NC · NC002 · 4,301 HCV units
9198318300 - Status unknown
North Carolina Commission of Indian Affairs
Raleigh , NC · NC901 · 997 HCV units
9842360160 - Status unknown
Johnston County Housing Assistance Payments Program
Smithfield , NC · NC164 · 634 HCV units
9199895070 - Status unknown
Housing Authority of the County of Wake
Zebulon , NC · NC021 · 595 HCV units
9192696404 - Status unknown
Benson Housing Authority
Benson , NC · NC028
9198944710 - Status unknown
Selma Housing Authority
Selma , NC · NC036
9199653755 - Status unknown
Smithfield Housing Authority
Smithfield , NC · NC040
9199349491
Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Raleigh, NC?
In most of the state, yes. North Carolina has no statewide source-of-income protection, so landlords in Raleigh, 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 Raleigh 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 Raleigh?
- In the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro, the FY2026 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent is $1,750 per month. A housing authority usually sets its Section 8 payment standard between 90% and 110% of that, roughly $1,575 to $1,925 in gross rent before the tenant's utility allowance.
- What are the FY2026 Fair Market Rents in Raleigh?
- HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rents for the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro, by bedroom size: studio $1,524, 1-bedroom $1,596, 2-bedroom $1,750, 3-bedroom $2,196, 4-bedroom $2,936. Section 8 payment standards are based on these figures.
- How do I apply for Section 8 in Raleigh?
- Section 8 in Raleigh is administered by Housing Authority of the City of Raleigh, North Carolina Commission of Indian Affairs, Johnston County Housing Assistance Payments Program 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 Raleigh
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.