Rent Burden HUD 30% Rule 2026 Calculator
Calculate your rent burden using the HUD 30% rule for 2026. Enter income, rent, and utilities to see HUD burden class (none, moderate, severe), affordable maximum rent, and Area Median Income category. Based on HUD 24 CFR 5.609.
| Gross monthly income | — |
| Total housing cost (rent + utilities) | — |
| 30% affordability threshold | — |
| 50% severe-burden threshold | — |
| Housing cost burden | — |
| AMI category | — |
| Income vs AMI (%) | — |
The HUD 30% rule is the federal standard for housing affordability. If your total housing cost (rent plus tenant-paid utilities) exceeds 30% of gross monthly income, you are "cost-burdened" under HUD 24 CFR 5.609. Over 50% is "severely cost-burdened." This 2026 calculator applies the official HUD formula and pairs it with Area Median Income (AMI) bands to show where you sit in the local income distribution.
How HUD Defines Rent Burden
HUD measures housing cost as gross rent — contract rent plus the tenant's share of utilities (electricity, gas, water, sewer, trash). It does not include phone, cable, or internet. The burden ratio is gross rent divided by gross household income (before taxes). Under 30% is unburdened. Between 30% and 50% is moderately cost-burdened. Above 50% is severely cost-burdened — the threshold that HUD priority programs (Section 8 vouchers, LIHTC waiting lists) use to qualify applicants.
Area Median Income (AMI) Categories
HUD income bands set who qualifies for affordable-housing programs: Extremely Low Income is at or below 30% of AMI. Very Low Income is 30–50% of AMI (Section 8 voucher cutoff). Low Income is 50–80% of AMI (LIHTC, USDA Rural Housing). Moderate is 80–120% of AMI. Above 120% is generally market-rate. HUD publishes updated AMI tables every April at huduser.gov — verify your metro's 2026 figure before applying to programs.
What To Do If You Are Cost-Burdened
If your burden exceeds 30%, options include: (1) Apply for a Housing Choice (Section 8) voucher through your local PHA — wait lists are long but you keep the voucher when you move. (2) Search LIHTC-financed apartments at nlihc.org — rents capped at 30% of imputed income for your AMI band. (3) Negotiate a longer lease for a rent freeze. (4) Reduce utility load — switch to LED, weatherize windows; HUD's 2024 utility allowance schedule shows tenant savings of $30–$80/month average. (5) If severely burdened (over 50%), you are in HUD's priority category for emergency rental assistance.
Common Mistakes In Rent Burden Math
(1) Using net income — HUD uses gross (pre-tax). (2) Excluding utilities — HUD counts tenant-paid utilities as part of gross rent; ignoring them undercounts burden by 10–20%. (3) Ignoring household composition — AMI bands adjust by household size (a 4-person 80% AMI cutoff is roughly 1.4× a 1-person cutoff). (4) Using outdated AMI — HUD revises AMI every April; using 2023 figures in 2026 misrepresents your bracket.
Last updated May 2026. Sources: HUD 24 CFR 5.609; HUD User AMI tables 2026.