Reference · HUD list last updated August 2024
The 65 metros where vouchers pay by ZIP code
In these 65 metro areas, HUD requires housing agencies to set Section 8 voucher payment standards from Small Area Fair Market Rents, which HUD publishes for each ZIP code, instead of one FMR for the whole metro. 23 were designated in 2016 and started April 1, 2018; 41 were designated in 2023 and started January 1, 2025; Dallas has used them since 2011.
Mandatory Small Area FMR areas, with the metro-wide FY 2027 FMR for reference
| HUD metro FMR area | Designated | In use since | Metro 2BR FMR | State pages |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akron, OH | 2023 | Jan 1, 2025 | $1,231 | OH |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 2016 | Apr 1, 2018 | $1,762 | GA |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | 2023 | Jan 1, 2025 | $1,329 | GA, SC |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | 2023 | Jan 1, 2025 | $1,218 | TX |
| Bergen-Passaic, NJ | 2016 | Apr 1, 2018 | $2,282 | NJ |
| Birmingham-Hoover, AL | 2023 | Jan 1, 2025 | $1,375 | AL |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | 2023 | Jan 1, 2025 | $1,423 | NY |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | 2023 | Jan 1, 2025 | $1,884 | SC |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 2016 | Apr 1, 2018 | $1,785 | NC, SC |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | 2023 | Jan 1, 2025 | $1,340 | GA, TN |
| Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL | 2016 | Apr 1, 2018 | $2,011 | IL |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 2023 | Jan 1, 2025 | $1,442 | IN, KY, OH |
| Cleveland, OHHUD's list names it Cleveland-Elyria, OH MSA (METRO17460M17460) | 2023 | Jan 1, 2025 | $1,274 | OH |
| Colorado Springs, CO | 2016 | Apr 1, 2018 | $1,621 | CO |
| Columbus, OH | 2023 | Jan 1, 2025 | $1,602 | OH |
| Dallas, TX | 2011 | Oct 1, 2011 | $1,807 | TX |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | 2023 | Jan 1, 2025 | $1,248 | OH |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | 2023 | Jan 1, 2025 | $1,360 | IA |
| Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI | 2023 | Jan 1, 2025 | $1,459 | MI |
| Fort Lauderdale, FL | 2016 | Apr 1, 2018 | $2,321 | FL |
| Fort Wayne, IN | 2023 | Jan 1, 2025 | $1,248 | IN |
| Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 2016 | Apr 1, 2018 | $1,745 | TX |
| Gary, IN | 2016 | Apr 1, 2018 | $1,429 | IN |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | 2023 | Jan 1, 2025 | $1,271 | NC |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | 2023 | Jan 1, 2025 | $1,598 | PA |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | 2016 | Apr 1, 2018 | $1,933 | CT |
| Indianapolis-Carmel, IN | 2023 | Jan 1, 2025 | $1,536 | IN |
| Jackson, MS | 2016 | Apr 1, 2018 | $1,289 | MS |
| Jacksonville, FL | 2016 | Apr 1, 2018 | $1,694 | FL |
| Jersey City, NJ | 2023 | Jan 1, 2025 | $2,792 | NJ |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | 2023 | Jan 1, 2025 | $1,546 | KS, MO |
| Knoxville, TN | 2023 | Jan 1, 2025 | $1,475 | TN |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA | 2023 | Jan 1, 2025 | $2,964 | CA |
| Louisville, KY-IN | 2023 | Jan 1, 2025 | $1,276 | IN, KY |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | 2023 | Jan 1, 2025 | $1,301 | AR, MS, TN |
| Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL | 2023 | Jan 1, 2025 | $2,564 | FL |
| Mobile, AL | 2023 | Jan 1, 2025 | $1,139 | AL |
| Monmouth-Ocean, NJ | 2016 | Apr 1, 2018 | $2,283 | NJ |
| Montgomery, AL | 2023 | Jan 1, 2025 | $1,150 | AL |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | 2023 | Jan 1, 2025 | $1,798 | TN |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | 2016 | Apr 1, 2018 | $2,188 | FL |
| Oklahoma City, OK | 2023 | Jan 1, 2025 | $1,264 | OK |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA | 2023 | Jan 1, 2025 | $1,450 | IA, NE |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | 2023 | Jan 1, 2025 | $1,959 | FL |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CAR | 2023 | Jan 1, 2025 | $2,693 | CA |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | 2016 | Apr 1, 2018 | $1,779 | FL |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 2016 | Apr 1, 2018 | $1,860 | DE, MD, NJ, PA |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 2023 | Jan 1, 2025 | $1,734 | AZ |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 2016 | Apr 1, 2018 | $1,389 | PA |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | 2023 | Jan 1, 2025 | $1,689 | NC |
| Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA | 2016 | Apr 1, 2018 | $2,201 | CA |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | 2016 | Apr 1, 2018 | $1,441 | TX |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 2016 | Apr 1, 2018 | $2,823 | CA |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CAR | 2023 | Jan 1, 2025 | $3,483 | CA |
| Seattle-Bellevue, WA | 2023 | Jan 1, 2025 | $2,549 | WA |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 2023 | Jan 1, 2025 | $1,349 | IL, MO |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 2016 | Apr 1, 2018 | $1,917 | FL |
| Tucson, AZ | 2023 | Jan 1, 2025 | $1,405 | AZ |
| Tulsa, OK | 2023 | Jan 1, 2025 | $1,229 | OK |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | 2016 | Apr 1, 2018 | $2,542 | HI |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC | 2023 | Jan 1, 2025 | $1,667 | NC, VA |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD | 2016 | Apr 1, 2018 | $2,438 | DC, MD, VA |
| West Palm Beach-Boca Raton, FL | 2016 | Apr 1, 2018 | $2,349 | FL |
| Wichita, KS | 2023 | Jan 1, 2025 | $1,043 | KS |
| Winston-Salem, NC | 2023 | Jan 1, 2025 | $1,332 | NC |
Source: HUD, "Designated Small Area Fair Market Rent (SAFMR) Areas", last updated August 2024 (huduser.gov, FY 2025 FMR documents), and the FY 2027 FMR notice, 91 FR 56156. R = FY 2026 figures remain in force while HUD reevaluates the area. The metro FMR is shown only for comparison: inside these areas the ZIP figure is the one that sets payment standards. Look up any ZIP on the home page.
What changes for a landlord in these metros
The payment standard follows the ZIP, so the same 2-bedroom can carry a very different voucher ceiling a few miles apart. In a high-rent ZIP the Small Area FMR runs above the metro figure and a voucher can cover a rent that would fail under a metro-wide standard. In a low-rent ZIP it runs below.
Agencies still choose the payment standard within the basic range of 90% to 110% of the Small Area FMR (24 CFR 982.503). In these metros a ZIP's FY 2027 Small Area FMR cannot fall below 90% of its FY 2026 figure, per the FY 2027 notice, so a ZIP's figure drops at most 10% in a year.
Boundaries move. The FY 2027 notice says Calvert County, Maryland left the Washington, DC area with the FY 2026 FMRs, four Connecticut towns left the Hartford area and eight joined it.
Outside these metros
Everywhere else the payment standard is set from the metro or nonmetro county FMR, unless the housing agency has told HUD it will use Small Area FMRs voluntarily. A housing agency can also adopt an exception payment standard for a ZIP of up to 110% of that ZIP's Small Area FMR without leaving the rules (24 CFR 982.503(d)(2)). Ask the agency which schedule it uses.