Section 8 in Lakeland, FL: FMR & Landlord Guide
Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL metro area (CBSA 29460). 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) | $1,226 | $1,103 – $1,349 |
| 1-bedroom | $1,230 | $1,107 – $1,353 |
| 2-bedroom | $1,497 | $1,347 – $1,647 |
| 3-bedroom | $2,023 | $1,821 – $2,225 |
| 4-bedroom | $2,511 | $2,260 – $2,762 |
Example: at 100% of FMR, a 2-bedroom voucher in Lakeland, FL covers up to $1,497 in gross rent (before the tenant’s utility allowance). Between the low and high end of the range: $1,347–$1,647.
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 Lakeland, FL
5 PHAs administer vouchers in this metro. Contact the PHA that covers the specific address you’re considering.
- Status unknown
HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF LAKELAND
Lakeland, FL · FL011 · 1,813 HCV units
- Status unknown
WINTER HAVEN HOUSING AUTHORITY
Winter Haven, FL · FL139 · 385 HCV units
- Status unknown
LAKE WALES HOUSING AUTHORITY
Lake Wales, FL · FL071 · 269 HCV units
- Status unknown
HOUSING AUTHORITY OF BARTOW
Bartow, FL · FL026 · 84 HCV units
- Status unknown
HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF MULBERRY
Mulberry, FL · FL054 · 0 HCV units
Source-of-income law in FL
A local ordinance in this jurisdiction protects voucher holders from source-of-income discrimination, even though FL has no statewide protection.
Miami-Dade Code Ch.11A · view statute →
Informational only, not legal advice. Laws change; verify current status before making a leasing decision.
Analyze a specific Lakeland, FL 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.