Section 8 in Worcester, MA: Rent Limits and Housing Authorities
Worcester, MA 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.
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) | $1,577 | $1,419 to $1,735 |
| 1-bedroom | $1,587 | $1,428 to $1,746 |
| 2-bedroom | $2,043 | $1,839 to $2,247 |
| 3-bedroom | $2,560 | $2,304 to $2,816 |
| 4-bedroom | $2,915 | $2,624 to $3,207 |
The two-bedroom HUD benchmark for Worcester is $2,043. Multiplying by 90% and 110% gives $1,839 to $2,247, 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 Worcester
HUD's two-bedroom Fair Market Rent for the Worcester, MA metro fell from $2,056 in FY2026 to $2,043 in FY2027, a change of -$13 a month (-0.6%). FY2027 figures took effect on October 1, 2026.
| Bedrooms | FY2026 | FY2027 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Efficiency (studio) | $1,588 | $1,577 | -$11 (-0.7%) |
| 1-bedroom | $1,599 | $1,587 | -$12 (-0.8%) |
| 2-bedroom | $2,056 | $2,043 | -$13 (-0.6%) |
| 3-bedroom | $2,548 | $2,560 | +$12 (+0.5%) |
| 4-bedroom | $2,825 | $2,915 | +$90 (+3.2%) |
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 Worcester? Under standard HCV rules, a lower payment standard does not cut your subsidy right away. Moving to Work agencies may use different policies. The housing authority may keep your current payment standard for as long as you stay in the same unit. If it decides to lower it, the reduction cannot start sooner than two years after the decrease takes effect, and only after it sends you the required notice (24 CFR 982.505(c)(3)). Families who are new to the program, or who move to a different unit, get the schedule in effect at that time.
Source: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 and FY2027, huduser.gov.
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 Worcester
15 PHAs administer vouchers in this metro. Apply with (or contact) the PHA that covers the specific address.
- Status unknown
Worcester Housing Authority
Worcester , MA · MA012 · 3,700 HCV units
5086353000 - Status unknown
Milford Housing Authority
Milford , MA · MA069 · 567 HCV units
5084739521 - Status unknown
Leominster Housing Authority
Leominster , MA · MA086 · 404 HCV units
9785375300 - Status unknown
Fitchburg Housing Authority
Fitchburg , MA · MA037 · 227 HCV units
9783425222 - Status unknown
Shrewsbury Housing Authority
Shrewsbury , MA · MA041 · 177 HCV units
5087570323 - Status unknown
Oxford Housing Authority
Oxford , MA · MA106 · 153 HCV units
5089875055 - Status unknown
the Bridge of Central Massachusetts
Worcester , MA · MA188 · 133 HCV units
5087550333 - Status unknown
Southbridge Housing Authority
Southbridge , MA · MA076 · 128 HCV units
5087655858 - Status unknown
Gardner Housing Authority
Gardner , MA · MA127 · 108 HCV units
9786326634 - Status unknown
Warren Housing Authority
Warren , MA · MA105 · 69 HCV units
4134367184 - Status unknown
Holden Housing Authority
Holden , MA · MA082 · 62 HCV units
9787286970 - Status unknown
Athol Housing Authority
Athol , MA · MA100 · 61 HCV units
9782494848 - Status unknown
Webster Housing Authority
Webster , MA · MA123 · 47 HCV units
5089431634 - Status unknown
Winchendon Housing Authority
Winchendon , MA · MA039 · 44 HCV units
9782972280 - Status unknown
Auburn Housing Authority
Auburn , MA · MA159
5088323852
Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Worcester, MA?
No. Massachusetts law prohibits landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a Section 8 voucher. That protection applies in Worcester, MA. If you were turned away for having a voucher, that refusal may be illegal.
MGL Ch 151B §4(10)
Massachusetts General Laws Ch 151B §4(10) prohibits housing discrimination based on lawful source of income statewide. Enforcement by the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD).
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 Worcester 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 Worcester?
- In the Worcester, MA metro, the FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent is $2,043 per month. For illustration, 90% to 110% of that benchmark is roughly $1,839 to $2,247. 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 Worcester?
- HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rents for the Worcester, MA metro, by bedroom size: studio $1,577, 1-bedroom $1,587, 2-bedroom $2,043, 3-bedroom $2,560, 4-bedroom $2,915. 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 Worcester for FY2027?
- The two-bedroom Fair Market Rent for the Worcester, MA metro went from $2,056 in FY2026 to $2,043 in FY2027, a decrease of $13 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 Worcester?
- Section 8 in Worcester is administered by Worcester Housing Authority, Milford Housing Authority, Leominster Housing Authority and other local housing authorities. 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 Worcester
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.
Other Section 8 markets in MA
Rent limits from HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rent data. Investor running the numbers? The RentalCalcs voucher analyzer uses this same dataset.