Section 8 in Waco, TX: FMR & Landlord Guide

Waco, TX metro area (CBSA 47380). 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)
$973
HUD
Active vouchers
3,073
80% utilized
Housing authorities
7
serving this metro
Source-of-income law
State preempts
Tex. Local Gov. Code §250.007

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)$671$604 – $738
1-bedroom$742$668 – $816
2-bedroom$973$876 – $1,070
3-bedroom$1,353$1,218 – $1,488
4-bedroom$1,632$1,469 – $1,795

Example: at 100% of FMR, a 2-bedroom voucher in Waco, TX covers up to $973 in gross rent (before the tenant’s utility allowance). Between the low and high end of the range: $876$1,070.

Voucher demand in this metro

Active vouchers
3,073
Occupied
2,459
Utilization
80%

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 Waco, TX

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

  • Housing Authority of the City of Waco

    Waco, TX · TX010 · 3,073 HCV units

    Status unknown
  • Housing Authority of Lott

    Lott, TX · TX252 · 0 HCV units

    Status unknown
  • Housing Authority of Marlin

    Marlin, TX · TX246 · 0 HCV units

    Status unknown
  • Housing Authority of Meridian

    Meridian, TX · TX276 · 0 HCV units

    Status unknown
  • Housing Authority of Clifton

    Clifton, TX · TX339 · 0 HCV units

    Status unknown
  • Housing Authority of McGregor

    McGregor, TX · TX102 · 0 HCV units

    Status unknown
  • Housing Authority of Rosebud

    Rosebud, TX · TX255 · 0 HCV units

    Status unknown

Source-of-income law in TX

TX state law explicitly preempts local ordinances requiring voucher acceptance. Landlords may legally decline Section 8 tenants.

Tex. Local Gov. Code §250.007 · view statute →

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

Analyze a specific Waco, TX 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.