Section 8 · Mercer County
Data from November 2026
How much does Section 8 pay in Mercer County, New Jersey?
HUD sets the 2-bedroom fair market rent in Mercer County at $2,242 a month (Fiscal year 2027). From that figure, your housing agency sets its payment standard, which as a rule runs from $2,018 to $2,466. The voucher pays up to that standard, minus your share: generally 30% of your adjusted monthly income.
Four numbers to start with
- Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
- $2,242
- a month, HUD, Fiscal year 2027
- 1% less than in New Jersey
- Possible payment standard, 2 BR
- $2,018 – $2,466
- 90% to 110% of the fair market rent
- By ZIP code, 2 BR
- $1,760 – $3,360
- across 22 ZIP codes
- Section 8 vouchers
- 25,563
- at 2 agencies based here
Only here
Section 8 in Mercer County: what sets it apart
What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.
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Housing agencies based in Mercer County hold 25,563 housing vouchers. None of the 18 counties in New Jersey with vouchers has more.
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Housing agencies based in Mercer County hold 25,563 vouchers: 46.9 for every 100 renter households. None of the 18 counties in New Jersey with vouchers has more per household.
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Across the 22 ZIP codes in Mercer County, the 2-bedroom ZIP code fair market rent runs from $1,760 in 08608 to $3,360 in 08550: 91% more.
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Next door, in Burlington County, HUD sets the 2-bedroom fair market rent at $1,860: 17% less than in Mercer County ($2,242).
Sources: HUD (Retrieved November 6, 2026); U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024); HUD (Fiscal year 2027); HUD (Fiscal year 2027).
Fair market rent and payment standard
What the voucher can pay, by size
Each year HUD publishes a fair market rent (FMR) for each home size in Mercer County. Your housing agency uses it to set its payment standard: the most the voucher can pay toward rent and utilities.
- The fair market rent covers rent plus basic utilities, except the phone. HUD generally sets it at the 40th percentile: 4 in 10 standard-quality homes rented recently cost less. Source: 24 CFR §888.113
- Each agency sets a payment standard for each size. Without asking HUD, it can go from 90% to 110% of the fair market rent. Source: 24 CFR §982.503(b), (c)
- Above 110% is an exception payment standard. Up to 120%, the agency only has to notify HUD that it meets certain criteria. Source: 24 CFR §982.503(d)
| Size | Fair rent per month | Possible payment standard |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,561 | $1,405 – $1,717 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,764 | $1,588 – $1,940 |
| 2 bedrooms | $2,242 | $2,018 – $2,466 |
| 3 bedrooms | $2,741 | $2,467 – $3,015 |
| 4 bedrooms | $3,081 | $2,773 – $3,389 |
HUD area: Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027
By ZIP code
The fair market rent of each ZIP code
HUD also publishes fair market rents by ZIP code (Small Area FMRs) for 22 ZIP codes in Mercer County (Fiscal year 2027). Where they are used, they are the basis of your home’s payment standard.
For 2 bedrooms they run from $1,760 in 08608 to $3,360 in 08550. With the 90% to 110% rule, the payment standard could run from $1,584 to $1,936 in 08608 and from $3,024 to $3,696 in 08550.
Where HUD designates these areas, or where the housing agency chooses to use them, the voucher is figured on the ZIP code's rent instead of the county's. Ask your agency which one it uses. 24 CFR §982.503(a)(1)
Lowest and highest, by size
- Studio $1,210 – $2,340
- 1 bedroom $1,400 – $2,640
- 2 bedrooms $1,760 – $3,360
- 3 bedrooms $2,110 – $4,110
- 4 bedrooms $2,410 – $4,620
| ZIP code | Studio | 1 bd | 2 bd | 3 bd | 4 bd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 08520 | $1,560 | $1,760 | $2,240 | $2,740 | $3,080 |
| 08525 | $1,720 | $1,930 | $2,450 | $2,980 | $3,350 |
| 08534 | $1,940 | $2,200 | $2,790 | $3,410 | $3,830 |
| 08540 | $2,050 | $2,280 | $2,890 | $3,500 | $3,940 |
| 08542 | $2,340 | $2,640 | $3,360 | $4,110 | $4,620 |
| 08544 | $2,120 | $2,370 | $3,000 | $3,640 | $4,100 |
| 08550 | $2,340 | $2,640 | $3,360 | $4,110 | $4,620 |
| 08560 | $1,850 | $2,090 | $2,640 | $3,160 | $3,610 |
| 08561 | $1,750 | $1,980 | $2,510 | $3,070 | $3,450 |
| 08608 | $1,210 | $1,400 | $1,760 | $2,110 | $2,410 |
| 08609 | $1,270 | $1,440 | $1,830 | $2,240 | $2,510 |
| 08610 | $1,460 | $1,640 | $2,090 | $2,550 | $2,870 |
| 08611 | $1,410 | $1,600 | $2,030 | $2,480 | $2,790 |
| 08618 | $1,220 | $1,400 | $1,760 | $2,140 | $2,410 |
| 08619 | $1,650 | $1,860 | $2,370 | $2,900 | $3,260 |
| 08620 | $1,470 | $1,650 | $2,070 | $2,520 | $2,830 |
| 08628 | $1,610 | $1,820 | $2,310 | $2,820 | $3,170 |
| 08629 | $1,270 | $1,430 | $1,820 | $2,230 | $2,500 |
| 08638 | $1,570 | $1,770 | $2,250 | $2,750 | $3,090 |
| 08648 | $1,940 | $2,200 | $2,790 | $3,410 | $3,830 |
| 08690 | $1,660 | $1,870 | $2,380 | $2,910 | $3,270 |
| 08691 | $1,960 | $2,220 | $2,820 | $3,450 | $3,870 |
Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (external site)
How it is figured
What the voucher pays and what you pay
The housing agency pays the owner directly. This is how it is figured, under HUD’s rules:
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The payment standard is the most the voucher pays. The agency pays the lower of the payment standard minus your share, or the rent with utilities minus your share. Source: 24 CFR §982.505(a), (b)
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Your share (the total tenant payment) is the highest of 30% of your adjusted monthly income, 10% of your monthly income, the part of public assistance set aside for housing, or the minimum rent. Source: 24 CFR §5.628(a)
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If the rent is below the payment standard, the family generally pays 30% of its adjusted monthly income. If it is above, the family pays more. Source: 24 CFR §982.1(a)(3)
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When you move in, if the rent is above the payment standard, your share cannot go over 40% of your adjusted monthly income. Source: 24 CFR §982.305(a)(5), §982.508
A family of 4 earning HUD’s extremely low income limit in Mercer County has $41,850 a year, about $3,488 a month. 30% of that income is $1,046. Since adjusted income is the same or lower, the family’s share would generally not be more than that. If the agency sets the payment standard equal to the fair market rent ($2,242) and the 2-bedroom home rents for that, the voucher would pay about $1,196 or more.
- Rent, equal to the fair market rent
- $2,242
- Family share, at most
- $1,046
- Voucher payment, at least
- $1,196
This is only an example. Your agency figures your adjusted income, the home size you get and its own payment standard. Sources: HUD fair market rent (Fiscal year 2027) and HUD income limits (Fiscal year 2026).
How to apply
Where and how to ask for a voucher in Mercer County
5 housing agencies are based in Mercer County. This is how you apply:
- You apply at the public housing agency. If you qualify, your name usually goes on a waiting list. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or noncitizens with eligible status as HUD defines it. Source: HUD
- Because demand is high, you may need to sign up on several waiting lists. You do not need to live where you apply. Source: HUD
- Generally, your family must have very low income: no more than 50% of the area median income. In Mercer County, for a family of 4 that limit is $69,750 a year (Fiscal year 2026). Source: 24 CFR §5.603, §982.201(b)
How much can you earn? Check your case Section 8 and mixed-status families: how it worksRental help and public charge: what the rules sayHow to avoid rental scams: the signs and what to do
Housing agencies that serve this place
- State of NJ Dept. of Comm. Affairs Section 8 vouchers · 25,336 vouchers (609) 633-6204 State of NJ Dept. of Comm. Affairs: nieisha.law@dca.nj.gov
- Trenton Housing Authority Public housing · 1,624 public housing units (609) 278-5042
- Hamilton Township HA Section 8 vouchers · 227 vouchers (609) 890-3677
- Hightstown Housing Authority Public housing · 100 public housing units (609) 448-2268
- Princeton Housing Authority Public housing (609) 924-3448
Housing agencies in New Jersey HUD list of housing agencies Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026
Frequently asked questions
How much does Section 8 pay for 2 bedrooms in Mercer County?
It depends on your agency’s payment standard and your income. HUD sets the 2-bedroom fair market rent at $2,242 (Fiscal year 2027), and the basic payment standard can run from $2,018 to $2,466. The voucher pays up to that standard minus your share.
How much do I pay with a voucher?
If the rent is below the payment standard, the family generally pays 30% of its adjusted monthly income. If it is above, the family pays more. When you move in, if the rent is above the payment standard, your share cannot go over 40% of your adjusted monthly income.
Does the payment standard change by ZIP code in Mercer County?
For 2 bedrooms they run from $1,760 in 08608 to $3,360 in 08550. With the 90% to 110% rule, the payment standard could run from $1,584 to $1,936 in 08608 and from $3,024 to $3,696 in 08550. Where HUD designates these areas, or where the housing agency chooses to use them, the voucher is figured on the ZIP code's rent instead of the county's. Ask your agency which one it uses.
Where do I apply for Section 8 in Mercer County?
At a public housing agency. 5 are based in Mercer County, such as State of NJ Dept. of Comm. Affairs and Trenton Housing Authority. If you qualify, your name usually goes on a waiting list. You can sign up on several: you do not need to live where you apply.
Who qualifies for Section 8 in Mercer County?
Generally, your family must have very low income: no more than 50% of the area median income. In Mercer County, for a family of 4 that limit is $69,750 a year (Fiscal year 2026).