Section 8 in Baltimore, MD: FMR & Landlord Guide
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metro area (CBSA 12580). FY2026 Fair Market Rents, active voucher counts, housing authorities and wait-list status, and source-of-income law. Every figure below links back to its source.
Fair Market Rent by bedroom count
HUD-published metro FMR for FY2026. Payment standards (what a PHA actually pays) are set between 90% and 110% of FMR at PHA discretion.
| Bedrooms | FMR | Payment standard (90–110%) |
|---|---|---|
| Efficiency (studio) | $1,362 | $1,226 – $1,498 |
| 1-bedroom | $1,511 | $1,360 – $1,662 |
| 2-bedroom | $1,857 | $1,671 – $2,043 |
| 3-bedroom | $2,358 | $2,122 – $2,594 |
| 4-bedroom | $2,611 | $2,350 – $2,872 |
Example: at 100% of FMR, a 2-bedroom voucher in Baltimore, MD covers up to $1,857 in gross rent (before the tenant’s utility allowance). Between the low and high end of the range: $1,671–$2,043.
Voucher demand in this metro
Aggregated from HUD Public Housing Authority data (FY2026). High utilization means voucher holders are placed and reliably paying rent, a stable but competitive tenant pool for accepting landlords.
Housing authorities serving Baltimore, MD
10 PHAs administer vouchers in this metro. Contact the PHA that covers the specific address you’re considering.
- Status unknown
Housing Authority Of Baltimore City
Baltimore, MD · MD002 · 21,280 HCV units
- Status unknown
Baltimore County, MD
Baltimore, MD · MD033 · 6,716 HCV units
- Status unknown
Housing Commisson Of Anne Arundel County
Glen Burnie, MD · MD018 · 2,824 HCV units
- Status unknown
Harford County Housing Agency
Bel Air, MD · MD025 · 1,291 HCV units
- Status unknown
Howard County Housing Commission
Columbia, MD · MD023 · 1,184 HCV units
- Status unknown
Carroll County Housing & Community Dev
Westminster, MD · MD032 · 796 HCV units
- Status unknown
Housing Authority of the City of Annapolis
Annapolis, MD · MD001 · 770 HCV units
- Status unknown
City Of Westminster Housing Office
Westminster, MD · MD027 · 297 HCV units
- Status unknown
Queen Anne's County Housing Authority
Centreville, MD · MD034 · 176 HCV units
- Status unknown
Havre de Grace Housing Authority
Havre De Grace, MD · MD012 · 0 HCV units
Source-of-income law in MD
MD state law prohibits landlords from refusing to rent to Section 8 voucher holders on the basis of their source of income.
HOME Act of 2020 · view statute →
Informational only, not legal advice. Laws change; verify current status before making a leasing decision.
Analyze a specific Baltimore, MD property
Look up the address’s SAFMR (ZIP-level rent), plug the numbers into the voucher-vs-market analyzer, and check the HQS pre-inspection list before scheduling.