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

In the Watertown-Fort Drum, NY metro, the FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent is $1,453 per month. For illustration, 90% to 110% of that benchmark is roughly $1,308 to $1,598. 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 Watertown?

HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rents for the Watertown-Fort Drum, NY metro, by bedroom size: studio $1,012, 1-bedroom $1,111, 2-bedroom $1,453, 3-bedroom $1,995, 4-bedroom $2,376. 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 Watertown for FY2027?

The two-bedroom Fair Market Rent for the Watertown-Fort Drum, NY metro went from $1,405 in FY2026 to $1,453 in FY2027, an increase of $48 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 Watertown?

Section 8 in Watertown is administered by Watertown Housing Authority, Wilna 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 Watertown, NY: Rent Limits and Housing Authorities

Watertown-Fort Drum, NY 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)

$1,453

HUD

Active vouchers

Housing authorities

serving this metro

Voucher protection

Protected

NY Human Rights Law §296(5)

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)	$1,012	$911 to $1,113
1-bedroom	$1,111	$1,000 to $1,222
2-bedroom	$1,453	$1,308 to $1,598
3-bedroom	$1,995	$1,796 to $2,195
4-bedroom	$2,376	$2,138 to $2,614

The two-bedroom HUD benchmark for Watertown is $1,453. Multiplying by 90% and 110% gives $1,308 to $1,598, 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 Watertown

HUD's two-bedroom Fair Market Rent for the Watertown-Fort Drum, NY metro rose from $1,405 in FY2026 to $1,453 in FY2027, a change of +$48 a month (+3.4%). FY2027 figures took effect on October 1, 2026.

Bedrooms	FY2026	FY2027	Change
Efficiency (studio)	$969	$1,012	+$43 (+4.4%)
1-bedroom	$1,071	$1,111	+$40 (+3.7%)
2-bedroom	$1,405	$1,453	+$48 (+3.4%)
3-bedroom	$1,907	$1,995	+$88 (+4.6%)
4-bedroom	$2,340	$2,376	+$36 (+1.5%)

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 Watertown? 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.

Housing authorities serving Watertown

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

Watertown Housing Authority
Watertown , NY · NY010
Status unknown
3157821251
Wilna Housing Authority
Carthage , NY · NY058
Status unknown
3154931480

Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Watertown, NY?

No. New York law prohibits landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a Section 8 voucher. That protection applies in Watertown, NY. If you were turned away for having a voucher, that refusal may be illegal.

NY Human Rights Law §296(5)

NY State Human Rights Law prohibits housing discrimination based on lawful source of income statewide (added by 2019 amendment). Enforcement by NYS Division of Human Rights. In People v Commons West (App. Div. 3d Dept., March 5, 2026) the court held the provision facially unconstitutional to the extent it bars refusing Section 8 vouchers; the Attorney General has appealed to the Court of Appeals. NYC's own Human Rights Law was not before the court. See county-level notes.

View statute →

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

Frequently asked questions

How much does Section 8 pay for a 2-bedroom in Watertown?: In the Watertown-Fort Drum, NY metro, the FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent is $1,453 per month. For illustration, 90% to 110% of that benchmark is roughly $1,308 to $1,598. 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 Watertown?: HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rents for the Watertown-Fort Drum, NY metro, by bedroom size: studio $1,012, 1-bedroom $1,111, 2-bedroom $1,453, 3-bedroom $1,995, 4-bedroom $2,376. 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 Watertown for FY2027?: The two-bedroom Fair Market Rent for the Watertown-Fort Drum, NY metro went from $1,405 in FY2026 to $1,453 in FY2027, an increase of $48 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 Watertown?: Section 8 in Watertown is administered by Watertown Housing Authority, Wilna 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 Watertown

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 Watertown 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.