Section 8 in Philadelphia, PA: FMR & Landlord Guide
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area (CBSA 37980). 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) | $1,397 | $1,257 – $1,537 |
| 1-bedroom | $1,520 | $1,368 – $1,672 |
| 2-bedroom | $1,810 | $1,629 – $1,991 |
| 3-bedroom | $2,170 | $1,953 – $2,387 |
| 4-bedroom | $2,423 | $2,181 – $2,665 |
Example: at 100% of FMR, a 2-bedroom voucher in Philadelphia, PA covers up to $1,810 in gross rent (before the tenant’s utility allowance). Between the low and high end of the range: $1,629–$1,991.
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 Philadelphia, PA
15 PHAs administer vouchers in this metro. Contact the PHA that covers the specific address you’re considering.
- Status unknown
Philadelphia Housing Authority
Philadelphia, PA · PA002 · 25,063 HCV units
- Status unknown
Bucks County Housing Authority
Doylestown, PA · PA051 · 3,711 HCV units
- Status unknown
Montgomery County Housing Authority
Norristown, PA · PA012 · 3,172 HCV units
- Status unknown
Housing Authority County of Delaware
Woodlyn, PA · PA023 · 2,983 HCV units
- Status unknown
Housing Authority of the County of Chester
West Chester, PA · PA046 · 2,445 HCV units
- Status unknown
Wilmington Housing Authority
Wilmington, DE · DE001 · 2,342 HCV units
- Status unknown
Housing Authority of the City of Camden
Camden, NJ · NJ010 · 2,306 HCV units
- Status unknown
Gloucester County Housing Authority
Deptford, NJ · NJ204 · 2,105 HCV units
- Status unknown
New Castle County Housing Authority
New Castle, DE · DE005 · 1,951 HCV units
- Status unknown
Chester Housing Authority
Chester, PA · PA007 · 1,628 HCV units
- Status unknown
Cecil County Housing Agency
Elkton, MD · MD029 · 678 HCV units
- Status unknown
Glassboro Housing Authority
Glassboro, NJ · NJ051 · 364 HCV units
- Status unknown
Newark Housing Authority
Newark, DE · DE003 · 216 HCV units
- Status unknown
Borough of Clementon Housing Authority
Clementon, NJ · NJ073 · 72 HCV units
- Status unknown
Penns Grove Housing Authority
Penns Grove, NJ · NJ074 · 38 HCV units
Source-of-income law in PA
A local ordinance in this jurisdiction protects voucher holders from source-of-income discrimination, even though PA has no statewide protection.
Phila. Fair Practices Ordinance · view statute →
Informational only, not legal advice. Laws change; verify current status before making a leasing decision.
Analyze a specific Philadelphia, PA 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.