Kern County fair market rent FY 2027California, HUD studio to 4 bedrooms
HUD's FY 2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom home in Kern County, California is $1,656 a month, effective October 1, 2026: $1,265 for a studio, $1,273 for one bedroom, $2,293 for three and $2,768 for four. It is set for the Bakersfield-Delano, CA MSA. The FY 2026 two-bedroom FMR was $1,483 (+11.7%).
Kern County Fair Market Rents by bedrooms
| Bedrooms | FY 2027 | FY 2026 | Change | Payment standard basic range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,265 | $1,132 | +11.7% | $1,138 to $1,391 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,273 | $1,140 | +11.7% | $1,145 to $1,400 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,656 | $1,483 | +11.7% | $1,490 to $1,821 |
| 3 bedrooms | $2,293 | $2,062 | +11.2% | $2,063 to $2,522 |
| 4 bedrooms | $2,768 | $2,488 | +11.3% | $2,491 to $3,044 |
Monthly gross rent (rent plus tenant-paid utilities except telephone). FY 2027 runs October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027. The payment standard basic range is 90 to 110 percent of the FMR (24 CFR 982.503(c)); the local housing agency sets the actual payment standard.
How Kern County compares
Kern County's two-bedroom FMR of $1,656 is the 32nd highest of 58 counties in California, where the county median is $1,725 and the range $1,084 to $4,254. Across all 3,144 US counties the median two-bedroom FMR is $1,071; Kern County ranks 358th.
Small Area FMRs and ZIP codes
HUD also publishes Small Area FMRs by ZIP code for metropolitan areas. For the Bakersfield-Delano, CA MSA it lists 68 ZIP codes, with two-bedroom Small Area FMRs from $1,340 to $2,610. This area is not one of HUD's designated Small Area FMR areas, so agencies use the area-wide FMR above unless they opt in.
Look up any ZIP code: fair market rent by ZIP code.
Fair market rents in nearby counties
All California counties · Fair market rents in every state
More for Kern County
- Kern County loan limitsThis year's FHFA conforming, FHA and VA county loan limits for 1 to 4 unit homes, from FHFA's and HUD's official files.
- Kern County property tax rateEffective property tax rate from Census survey data: median taxes paid against median home value, ranked in the state.
- Title insurance premium calculatorOwner's and lender's policy premiums from the official rate schedules of Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania and New York.
- Seller net sheet and closing costsNet proceeds after the payoff, commission, transfer taxes, title premiums and recording fees.
- Real estate transfer tax calculatorDeed transfer taxes for New York, Florida, Pennsylvania, Illinois, the Carolinas, Arkansas, Texas and Arizona.
- Flood zone lookupThe FEMA flood zone mapped at any US address. A screening check, not an official flood zone determination.
Check a Kern County property
HeritageDeed does not search title records in Kern County yet; the counties it covers are listed under title search coverage, where a title report is $49 per report. For any US address, the Environmental Records Report lists Superfund, hazardous waste, leaking tank and brownfield sites nearby, with the flood zone.
Questions about Kern County fair market rent
What is the fair market rent in Kern County for FY 2027?
$1,265 for a studio, $1,273 for one bedroom, $1,656 for two, $2,293 for three and $2,768 for four bedrooms a month. FY 2027 runs from October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027.
What was the fair market rent in Kern County for FY 2026?
$1,132 for a studio, $1,140 for one bedroom, $1,483 for two, $2,062 for three and $2,488 for four bedrooms (FY 2026, October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026).
What is the Section 8 voucher amount for a 2 bedroom in Kern County?
The housing agency sets a payment standard, usually within the basic range of 90 to 110 percent of the FMR: $1,490 to $1,821 for two bedrooms here. The voucher then pays the lower of the payment standard or the gross rent, minus the family's total tenant payment, usually 30 percent of adjusted monthly income (24 CFR 982.505 and 5.628). The local housing agency publishes its own schedule.
Does fair market rent include utilities?
Yes. HUD's rule defines Fair Market Rents as "estimates of rent plus the cost of utilities, except telephone", set at the 40th percentile of rents for standard-quality units rented by recent movers (24 CFR 888.113).
Is Kern County's fair market rent high for California?
$1,656 for two bedrooms ranks 32nd of 58 counties in California; the state's county median is $1,725 (range $1,084 to $4,254) and the national county median is $1,071.
Legal references
- 24 CFR 888.113, Fair market rents for existing housing: methodology
- 24 CFR 982.503, Voucher tenancy: payment standard amount and schedule
- 24 CFR 982.505, How to calculate housing assistance payment
JSON: /api/data/fair-market-rent/california/kern-county. Fair Market Rents are HUD program figures, not an appraisal of any unit's rent.