Is my rent reasonable?
The number HUD says you should be paying. vs the number you actually are.
HUD publishes Fair Market Rents annually as the basis for federal rental assistance. It's the closest thing to a federal “what should this cost” benchmark for housing.
The HUD benchmark vs you
HUD FMR
$1,600/mo
1 bedroom in US average
You pay
$1,800/mo
113% of FMR
In the band. Roughly what HUD expects this combo to cost.
FMRs are 40th-percentile rents for “modest” standard quality housing — they undercount luxury / amenity-heavy buildings. A unit at 110–130% of FMR isn't necessarily a rip-off. 150%+ usually is.
Source: HUD Fair Market Rents (FY2025). Curated subset of major metros — full ZIP-level coverage on the way.
Negotiate, move, or live with it?