Section 8 in Denver, CO: FMR & Landlord Guide

Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area (CBSA 19740). 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.

2-bedroom FMR (FY2026)
$2,089
HUD
Active vouchers
24,963
87% utilized
Housing authorities
12
serving this metro
Source-of-income law
Protected
HB 20-1332

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.

BedroomsFMRPayment standard (90–110%)
Efficiency (studio)$1,643$1,479 – $1,807
1-bedroom$1,754$1,579 – $1,929
2-bedroom$2,089$1,880 – $2,298
3-bedroom$2,734$2,461 – $3,007
4-bedroom$3,049$2,744 – $3,354

Example: at 100% of FMR, a 2-bedroom voucher in Denver, CO covers up to $2,089 in gross rent (before the tenant’s utility allowance). Between the low and high end of the range: $1,880$2,298.

Voucher demand in this metro

Active vouchers
24,963
Occupied
21,639
Utilization
87%

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 Denver, CO

12 PHAs administer vouchers in this metro. Contact the PHA that covers the specific address you’re considering.

  • Housing Authority of the City and County of Denver

    Denver, CO · CO001 · 8,090 HCV units

    Status unknown
  • Colorado Division of Housing

    Denver, CO · CO911 · 7,961 HCV units

    Status unknown
  • Jefferson County Housing Authority

    Wheat Ridge, CO · CO072 · 1,880 HCV units

    Status unknown
  • Aurora Housing Authority

    Aurora, CO · CO052 · 1,847 HCV units

    Status unknown
  • Adams County Housing Authority

    Westminster, CO · CO058 · 1,600 HCV units

    Status unknown
  • Lakewood Housing Authority

    Lakewood, CO · CO049 · 1,439 HCV units

    Status unknown
  • Littleton Housing Authority

    Littleton, CO · CO036 · 624 HCV units

    Status unknown
  • Arvada Housing Authority

    Arvada, CO · CO050 · 562 HCV units

    Status unknown
  • Englewood Housing Authority

    Englewood, CO · CO048 · 437 HCV units

    Status unknown
  • Housing Authority of the City of Brighton

    Brighton, CO · CO019 · 255 HCV units

    Status unknown
  • Sheridan Housing Authority

    Englewood, CO · CO057 · 181 HCV units

    Status unknown
  • Colorado Housing Finance Authority

    Denver, CO · CO921 · 87 HCV units

    Status unknown

Source-of-income law in CO

CO state law prohibits landlords from refusing to rent to Section 8 voucher holders on the basis of their source of income.

HB 20-1332 · view statute →

Informational only, not legal advice. Laws change; verify current status before making a leasing decision.

Analyze a specific Denver, CO 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.