Section 8 Rent Calculator

Independent calculator. Not HUD and not a housing authority.

CA · Housing Choice Voucher

California Section 8 rent calculator

257,217 California households rented with a tenant-based voucher at the end of 2025; Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles ran 35,468. The average household paid $634 a month toward rent and utilities.

How much Section 8 can pay by bedroom size in California

Your voucher pays the lower of the gross rent and your agency’s payment standard, minus your total tenant payment; the standard is the one for the smaller of your voucher size and the unit’s bedrooms. Standards are normally set at 90% to 110% of HUD’s published fair market rent for the area. California’s FY2027 two-bedroom fair market rent runs from $1,084 in Modoc County, CA to $4,254 in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA MSA; three bedrooms, $1,501 in Modoc County, CA to $5,531 in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA MSA.

California FY2027 HUD fair market rents by bedroom size, 51 HUD areas
UnitLowest areaHighest area
Studio $755 Modoc County, CA$3,230 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA MSA
1 bedroom $856 Modoc County, CA$3,390 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA MSA
2 bedrooms $1,084 Modoc County, CA$4,254 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA MSA
3 bedrooms $1,501 Modoc County, CA$5,531 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA MSA
4 bedrooms $1,515 Trinity County, CA$5,748 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA MSA

An agency with an approved exception standard can pay above 110%. Ask yours for its actual figure (California agencies), then enter it below. Rules: 24 CFR 982.503(c), 982.505(c); rents: HUD FY2027 workbook.

Work out a California voucher rent split

Your case
How will you enter your share?
Which lease is this?
The unit
Monthly rent on the lease.
From your housing authority, not your bills.
Your housing authority’s amount, not a HUD fair market rent.
Your household
Whole dollars, from your rent notice.
Needed for the 40% move-in test.

Monthly rent split

Enter your figures to see who pays what.

You pay the owner
—
plus Voucher pays the owner
—
equals Owner receives
—

How the split works

Look up FY2027 HUD rents by ZIP code

Small Area Fair Market Rents (SAFMRs) are HUD references. A ZIP value is not an approved rent or a PHA payment standard. Confirm whether your agency uses SAFMRs, which area applies and its effective schedule.

Source: HUD FY2027 SAFMR workbook. All 51,871 ZIP-area records in this lookup were checked against the HUD workbook on October 3, 2026. FY2027 takes effect October 1 subject to HUD reevaluation exceptions; a PHA schedule can have a different effective date.

Find the California payment standard for your ZIP and housing authority

A five-digit ZIP identifies a HUD rent reference. Your voucher’s administering housing authority still determines the applicable payment standard, bedroom sizes, utility allowance and effective schedule. Use the HUD ZIP reference lookup above for the area benchmark, then confirm the actual standard with the authority on your voucher paperwork.

Los Angeles example: HACLA’s September 2026 schedule

The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles payment-standard page links its schedule revised September 1, 2026. ZIP 90002 is in Tier 1: the one-bedroom standard is $1,793 and the two-bedroom standard is $2,277. Confirm that this schedule applies to your particular address and tenancy. These figures are HACLA standards, not a statewide California schedule or a HUD FY2027 ZIP reference.

HACLA uses the lower of the standard for the voucher’s approved bedroom size and the rented unit’s bedroom size. A one-bedroom voucher for a two-bedroom unit therefore uses $1,793 in this Tier 1 example, rather than $2,277. ZIP membership alone does not establish HACLA jurisdiction: its schedule restricts listed ZIPs outside Los Angeles city limits to the Community Choice Demonstration program. Another administering authority or an approved case exception needs its own determination.

Work the confirmed standard through the rent calculator

For illustration, assume HACLA confirms the $2,277 standard for a two-bedroom voucher and two-bedroom unit at an eligible 90002 address. All other amounts below are hypothetical prepared inputs, not an agency award or published allowance.

Monthly example with a confirmed applicable standard, dollars
ItemAmount
Rent to owner$2,400
PHA utility allowance$150
Gross rent$2,550
Applicable family payment standard$2,277
PHA-determined total tenant payment$400
Total assistance / assistance to owner$1,877
Family rent to owner$523
Family share including the utility allowance$673

The lower of $2,277 and $2,550, less $400, gives $1,877 assistance. With hypothetical approved adjusted monthly income of $1,200, the initial-occupancy 40% ceiling is $480. The $673 family share exceeds that ceiling, so this standard initial-occupancy calculation fails the test. A published ZIP standard does not by itself approve the lease. Enter your confirmed amounts in the calculator above and keep the initial or ongoing tenancy selection accurate.

Compare voucher and unit bedroom standards · Review the assistance formula and excluded programs

Who runs vouchers in California

Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles is the largest voucher agency in California, ahead of Los Angeles County Development Authority (21,597 households) and 84 smaller agencies.

San Diego Housing Commission, Santa Clara County Housing Authority, Oakland Housing Authority, Housing Authority of the County of San Bernardino, Housing Authority of the City of San Jose, Housing Authority of the County of San Mateo and Tulare County Housing Authority are Moving to Work agencies and can set their own rent rules; check their rent policy against this estimate.

Waits before admission averaged 2 months at Housing Authority of the County of Yolo and 245 at Housing Authority of the City of Glendale.

Average family payments ran from $452 at Housing Authority of the City of Calexico to $852 at Housing Authority of the County of Alameda.

Households
257,217
Avg. family payment
$634
Avg. yearly income
$23,488
Avg. wait
28 months
2-bed / 3+ bed units
36% / 24%
Vouchers by agency, Dec. 31, 2025 (largest 12 of 86)
AgencyHouseholdsAvg. family paymentAvg. wait
Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles CA004 35,468 $575 24 mo
Los Angeles County Development Authority CA002 21,597 $654 21 mo
San Diego Housing Commission MTWCA063 12,506 $577 —
County of Sacramento Housing Authority CA007 10,086 $522 26 mo
Santa Clara County Housing Authority MTWCA059 9,418 $731 —
Housing Authority of the County of San Diego CA108 9,324 $728 29 mo
Orange County Housing Authority CA094 8,744 $697 11 mo
Oakland Housing Authority MTWCA003 7,868 $672 —
Housing Authority of the County of Riverside CA027 7,831 $589 47 mo
Housing Authority of the County of San Bernardino MTWCA019 7,821 $662 —
Housing Authority of the City & County of SF CA001 7,759 $715 31 mo
Housing Authority of the County Contra Costa CA011 7,558 $754 31 mo

Source: HUD Picture of Subsidized Households 2025; field notes.

FY2027 rent references for California

HUD’s county workbook contains 58 location rows across 51 FMR areas in California. The two-bedroom references range from $1,084 in Modoc County (Modoc County, CA) to $4,254 in Santa Cruz County (Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA MSA). These are area references including utilities, not a statewide voucher amount.

California metropolitan HUD areas

HUD areaRowsStudio1 bed2 beds3 beds4 beds
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA MSA1$3,230$3,390$4,254$5,531$5,748
San Francisco, CA HUD Metro FMR Area3$2,574$3,003$3,697$4,832$5,439
Napa, CA MSA1$2,350$2,580$3,375$4,201$5,094
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA HUD Metro FMR Area1$2,458$2,778$3,272$4,396$4,688
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA MSA1$2,479$2,711$3,106$3,990$4,557
Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA HUD Metro FMR Area1$2,580$2,610$3,057$4,153$4,964
San Benito County, CA HUD Metro FMR Area1$2,279$2,296$3,004$4,160$4,555
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA HUD Metro FMR Area1$2,151$2,402$2,964$3,760$4,208
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA MSA1$2,192$2,335$2,823$3,743$4,526
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA MSA1$1,980$2,155$2,819$3,903$4,295
Oakland-Fremont, CA HUD Metro FMR Area2$2,088$2,290$2,805$3,592$4,250
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA MSA1$1,894$2,079$2,720$3,634$4,208
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA MSA1$1,827$2,035$2,424$3,287$3,816
Salinas, CA MSA1$1,956$2,009$2,416$3,261$3,551
Vallejo, CA MSA1$1,706$1,876$2,342$3,053$3,483
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area3$1,742$1,793$2,201$2,887$3,329
Yolo, CA HUD Metro FMR Area1$1,659$1,670$2,135$2,956$3,095
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA MSA2$1,605$1,705$2,103$2,771$3,336
Stockton-Lodi, CA MSA1$1,525$1,628$2,015$2,790$3,368
Modesto, CA MSA1$1,276$1,378$1,803$2,410$2,827
Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area1$1,354$1,363$1,685$2,333$2,671
Bakersfield-Delano, CA MSA1$1,265$1,273$1,656$2,293$2,768
Yuba City, CA MSA2$1,159$1,367$1,600$2,216$2,674
Redding, CA MSA1$1,201$1,209$1,581$2,189$2,643
Merced, CA MSA1$1,200$1,262$1,517$2,087$2,477
Hanford-Corcoran, CA MSA1$1,175$1,183$1,512$2,094$2,467
Chico, CA MSA1$1,064$1,190$1,509$2,090$2,522
Madera County, CA HUD Metro FMR Area1$1,264$1,272$1,460$2,022$2,440
Visalia, CA MSA1$1,101$1,108$1,450$1,995$2,338
El Centro, CA MSA1$938$1,030$1,347$1,819$2,251

The other 21 California rows use 21 nonmetropolitan references, with two-bedroom amounts from $1,084 to $1,927; $1,361 applies to 2 of them.

58 location rows

Monthly HUD FY2027 FMRs, dollars; studio through four bedrooms
Location / HUD areaStudio1 bed2 beds3 beds4 beds
Alameda County Oakland-Fremont, CA HUD Metro FMR Area$2,088$2,290$2,805$3,592$4,250
Alpine County Alpine County, CA$1,063$1,167$1,526$2,113$2,522
Amador County Amador County, CA$1,373$1,381$1,765$2,219$2,568
Butte County Chico, CA MSA$1,064$1,190$1,509$2,090$2,522
Calaveras County Calaveras County, CA$1,109$1,172$1,533$2,123$2,224
Colusa County Colusa County, CA$1,073$1,080$1,344$1,861$2,221
Contra Costa County Oakland-Fremont, CA HUD Metro FMR Area$2,088$2,290$2,805$3,592$4,250
Del Norte County Del Norte County, CA$979$1,292$1,406$1,947$2,322
El Dorado County Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area$1,742$1,793$2,201$2,887$3,329
Fresno County Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area$1,354$1,363$1,685$2,333$2,671
Glenn County Glenn County, CA$948$1,040$1,361$1,867$2,251
Humboldt County Humboldt County, CA$1,122$1,188$1,554$2,152$2,597
Imperial County El Centro, CA MSA$938$1,030$1,347$1,819$2,251
Inyo County Inyo County, CA$1,020$1,346$1,465$1,996$2,449
Kern County Bakersfield-Delano, CA MSA$1,265$1,273$1,656$2,293$2,768
Kings County Hanford-Corcoran, CA MSA$1,175$1,183$1,512$2,094$2,467
Lake County Lake County, CA$1,233$1,235$1,616$2,238$2,701
Lassen County Lassen County, CA$884$1,046$1,248$1,728$2,086
Los Angeles County Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA HUD Metro FMR Area$2,151$2,402$2,964$3,760$4,208
Madera County Madera County, CA HUD Metro FMR Area$1,264$1,272$1,460$2,022$2,440
Marin County San Francisco, CA HUD Metro FMR Area$2,574$3,003$3,697$4,832$5,439
Mariposa County Mariposa County, CA$1,035$1,147$1,486$2,058$2,196
Mendocino County Mendocino County, CA$1,209$1,287$1,683$2,330$2,610
Merced County Merced, CA MSA$1,200$1,262$1,517$2,087$2,477
Modoc County Modoc County, CA$755$856$1,084$1,501$1,792
Mono County Mono County, CA$1,342$1,550$1,927$2,374$3,185
Monterey County Salinas, CA MSA$1,956$2,009$2,416$3,261$3,551
Napa County Napa, CA MSA$2,350$2,580$3,375$4,201$5,094
Nevada County Nevada County, CA$1,313$1,441$1,885$2,610$3,151
Orange County Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA HUD Metro FMR Area$2,580$2,610$3,057$4,153$4,964
Placer County Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area$1,742$1,793$2,201$2,887$3,329
Plumas County Plumas County, CA$990$1,087$1,422$1,883$1,966
Riverside County Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA MSA$1,605$1,705$2,103$2,771$3,336
Sacramento County Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area$1,742$1,793$2,201$2,887$3,329
San Benito County San Benito County, CA HUD Metro FMR Area$2,279$2,296$3,004$4,160$4,555
San Bernardino County Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA MSA$1,605$1,705$2,103$2,771$3,336
San Diego County San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA MSA$2,192$2,335$2,823$3,743$4,526
San Francisco County San Francisco, CA HUD Metro FMR Area$2,574$3,003$3,697$4,832$5,439
San Joaquin County Stockton-Lodi, CA MSA$1,525$1,628$2,015$2,790$3,368
San Luis Obispo County San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA MSA$1,894$2,079$2,720$3,634$4,208
San Mateo County San Francisco, CA HUD Metro FMR Area$2,574$3,003$3,697$4,832$5,439
Santa Barbara County Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA MSA$2,479$2,711$3,106$3,990$4,557
Santa Clara County San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA HUD Metro FMR Area$2,458$2,778$3,272$4,396$4,688
Santa Cruz County Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA MSA$3,230$3,390$4,254$5,531$5,748
Shasta County Redding, CA MSA$1,201$1,209$1,581$2,189$2,643
Sierra County Sierra County, CA$1,063$1,167$1,526$2,113$2,522
Siskiyou County Siskiyou County, CA$953$959$1,254$1,736$1,984
Solano County Vallejo, CA MSA$1,706$1,876$2,342$3,053$3,483
Sonoma County Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA MSA$1,980$2,155$2,819$3,903$4,295
Stanislaus County Modesto, CA MSA$1,276$1,378$1,803$2,410$2,827
Sutter County Yuba City, CA MSA$1,159$1,367$1,600$2,216$2,674
Tehama County Tehama County, CA$948$1,040$1,361$1,885$2,275
Trinity County Trinity County, CA$803$881$1,153$1,510$1,515
Tulare County Visalia, CA MSA$1,101$1,108$1,450$1,995$2,338
Tuolumne County Tuolumne County, CA$1,116$1,271$1,603$2,082$2,679
Ventura County Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA MSA$1,827$2,035$2,424$3,287$3,816
Yolo County Yolo, CA HUD Metro FMR Area$1,659$1,670$2,135$2,956$3,095
Yuba County Yuba City, CA MSA$1,159$1,367$1,600$2,216$2,674

Source: HUD FY2027 county and town workbook, effective October 1, 2026 (notice); scope and dates. Section 8 fair market rents by ZIP code. HUD reference data checked October 3, 2026; PHA payment standards require agency confirmation.

California housing agency directory

The HUD California contact report lists 96 agencies; these 89 run Section 8 or combined programs.

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