How much does Section 8 pay for a 2-bedroom in St. Joseph?

In the St. Joseph, MO-KS metro, the FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent is $1,101 per month. For illustration, 90% to 110% of that benchmark is roughly $991 to $1,211. 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 St. Joseph?

HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rents for the St. Joseph, MO-KS metro, by bedroom size: studio $850, 1-bedroom $857, 2-bedroom $1,101, 3-bedroom $1,406, 4-bedroom $1,629. 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 St. Joseph for FY2027?

The two-bedroom Fair Market Rent for the St. Joseph, MO-KS metro went from $1,077 in FY2026 to $1,101 in FY2027, an increase of $24 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 St. Joseph?

Section 8 in St. Joseph is administered by St. Joseph 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 St. Joseph, MO: Rent Limits and Housing Authorities

St. Joseph, MO-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)

$1,101

HUD

Active vouchers

1,030

83% utilized

Housing authorities

serving this metro

Voucher protection

State preempts

Mo. Rev. Stat. §441.043 (HB 595, 2025)

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)	$850	$765 to $935
1-bedroom	$857	$771 to $943
2-bedroom	$1,101	$991 to $1,211
3-bedroom	$1,406	$1,265 to $1,547
4-bedroom	$1,629	$1,466 to $1,792

The two-bedroom HUD benchmark for St. Joseph is $1,101. Multiplying by 90% and 110% gives $991 to $1,211, 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 St. Joseph

HUD's two-bedroom Fair Market Rent for the St. Joseph, MO-KS metro rose from $1,077 in FY2026 to $1,101 in FY2027, a change of +$24 a month (+2.2%). FY2027 figures took effect on October 1, 2026.

Bedrooms	FY2026	FY2027	Change
Efficiency (studio)	$774	$850	+$76 (+9.8%)
1-bedroom	$832	$857	+$25 (+3.0%)
2-bedroom	$1,077	$1,101	+$24 (+2.2%)
3-bedroom	$1,363	$1,406	+$43 (+3.2%)
4-bedroom	$1,566	$1,629	+$63 (+4.0%)

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 St. Joseph? 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

1,030

Occupied

856

Utilization

83%

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 St. Joseph

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

St. Joseph Housing Authority
Saint Joseph , MO · MO003 · 1,030 HCV units
Status unknown
8162368200

Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in St. Joseph, MO?

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

Mo. Rev. Stat. §441.043 (HB 595, 2025)

Nullified Kansas City, St. Louis, Columbia, Clayton and Webster Groves ordinances. 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 St. Joseph metro

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

Buchanan County

Frequently asked questions

How much does Section 8 pay for a 2-bedroom in St. Joseph?: In the St. Joseph, MO-KS metro, the FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent is $1,101 per month. For illustration, 90% to 110% of that benchmark is roughly $991 to $1,211. 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 St. Joseph?: HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rents for the St. Joseph, MO-KS metro, by bedroom size: studio $850, 1-bedroom $857, 2-bedroom $1,101, 3-bedroom $1,406, 4-bedroom $1,629. 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 St. Joseph for FY2027?: The two-bedroom Fair Market Rent for the St. Joseph, MO-KS metro went from $1,077 in FY2026 to $1,101 in FY2027, an increase of $24 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 St. Joseph?: Section 8 in St. Joseph is administered by St. Joseph 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 St. Joseph

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 St. Joseph 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.