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Renting · Section 8

Data from November 2026

Renting in Bradford County, Pennsylvania

Bradford County has a HUD fair market rent of $1,100 a month for 2 bedrooms (Fiscal year 2027). Renter households here pay a typical rent of $901 a month (Average 2020–2024). Paying the fair market rent without going over 30% of income takes $21.15 an hour, full time.

Figure your move-in cash Section 8 here
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Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,100
a month, HUD, Fiscal year 2027
28% less than in Pennsylvania
Typical rent
$901
a month, Census, Average 2020–2024
25% less than in Pennsylvania
Wage needed
$21.15
an hour, 2 bedrooms
Or $44,000 a year, to spend no more than 30% of income on rent.
Rent-burdened households
39%
spend 30% or more of income on rent
20% less than in Pennsylvania

Source: Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates Average 2020–2024 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates

Fair market rent

What HUD sets for each size

Every year HUD (the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development) publishes a Fair Market Rent (FMR) for each home size in Bradford County. It is used to work out how much a Section 8 voucher covers. The table shows what you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income.

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. 24 CFR §888.113(a)

According to Zillow (ZORI), the typical asking rent in Bradford County was $1,058 a month in September 2026. It is an index of market listings, not a HUD limit. Zillow data

Fair market rent and wage needed To pay the fair market rent without spending more than 30% of income, working full time (40 hours a week).
Size Fair rent per month Hourly wage Income needed per year
Studio $843 $16.21 $33,720
1 bedroom $849 $16.33 $33,960
2 bedrooms $1,100 $21.15 $44,000
3 bedrooms $1,356 $26.08 $54,240
4 bedrooms $1,531 $29.44 $61,240

HUD area: Bradford County, PA. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

The fair market rent for your ZIP code

HUD also publishes fair market rents by ZIP code (Small Area FMRs) for 33 ZIP codes in Bradford County (Fiscal year 2027). Type yours to see it.

For 2 bedrooms they run from $1,010 in 16947 to $1,300 in 18837. 20 ZIP codes are above the county's fair market rent ($1,100).

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)

Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD)

Rent burden

How many households spend too much

HUD counts rent as a burden when it reaches 30% of income or more. In Bradford County, 39% of renter households are in that position; in Pennsylvania, 48%, and nationwide, 51% (Average 2020–2024, Census).

Paying too much rent leaves little for food, transportation and savings. If that is you, the agencies below can guide you for free.

39%

of renter households spend 30% or more of their income on rent.

6,851 households rent in Bradford County

  • Spend half or more of their income 16%
  • Spend 30% or more, but less than half 22%
  • Spend less than 30% 61%

Compared with the state and the country

  • Bradford 39%
  • Pennsylvania 48%
  • United States 51%

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Bradford County

HUD lists 16 properties with homes for low-income households in Bradford County: tax-credit apartments (LIHTC), HUD-assisted buildings and public housing. They run from the most low-income homes to the fewest.

with tax credits (LIHTC)
11
HUD-assisted
4
public housing
3

928 homes in all; 860 of them low-income, according to HUD.

  • Keystone Manor Public housing 502 Church St, Athens 18810 200 low-income homes · Run by Bradford County Housing Authority · Average payment: $371 a month · Average wait: 6 months · (570) 638-2151
  • Colonial Towers Public housing Towanda 18848 130 low-income homes · Run by Bradford County Housing Authority · Average payment: $370 a month · Average wait: 5 months · (570) 638-2151
  • Chemung View Apts Tax credit (LIHTC) · HUD-assisted 222 Chestnut St, Athens 18810 100 low-income homes · 1 bd: 100 · In service since 2015 · For older adults, people with disabilities · (570) 888-5922
  • Twin Rivers Apartments HUD-assisted 100 Short St, Athens 18810 86 low-income homes · For families
  • Mccallum Manor Public housing 32 S Minnequa Ave, Canton 17724 70 low-income homes · Run by Bradford County Housing Authority · Average payment: $362 a month · Average wait: 7 months · (570) 638-2151
  • Wyalusing Meadows Tax credit (LIHTC) 187 E 3rd ST, Wyalusing 18853 51 low-income homes · 1 bd: 10 · 2 bd: 26 · 3 bd: 14 · In service since 2017 · For people with disabilities, families
  • Gateway Commons Tax credit (LIHTC) · HUD-assisted 21 Buffalo Ln, Athens 18810 40 low-income homes · 1 bd: 2 · 2 bd: 26 · 3 bd: 12 · In service since 2017 · For people with disabilities, families · (570) 265-6133
  • Hillcrest Apts for Elderly HUD-assisted 261 Reddington Ave, Troy 16947 40 low-income homes · For older adults · (570) 297-3773
  • Oak Ridge Townhouses Tax credit (LIHTC) 147 Oak Ridge Dr, Towanda 18848 40 low-income homes · 2 bd: 28 · 3 bd: 12 · In service since 2009 · For families
  • Towanda Terrace Tax credit (LIHTC) 410 Main St, Towanda 18848 38 low-income homes · 1 bd: 38 · In service since 2015 · For older adults
  • Wilbur Tax credit (LIHTC) 148 Desmond St, Sayre 18840 30 low-income homes · Studio: 1 · 1 bd: 21 · 2 bd: 8 · In service since 2002 · For families
  • Hopkins Commons Phase II Tax credit (LIHTC) 426 N Keystone Ave, Sayre 18840 15 low-income homes · 1 bd: 11 · 2 bd: 4 · In service since 1999 · For older adults
  • Hopkins Commons Tax credit (LIHTC) 428 N Keystone Ave, Sayre 18840 11 low-income homes · 1 bd: 11 · In service since 1996 · For older adults
  • Lockhart Elderly Tax credit (LIHTC) 104 W Lockhart St, Sayre 18840 9 low-income homes · 1 bd: 7 · 2 bd: 2 · In service since 2006 · For older adults
  • 400 Main Tax credit (LIHTC) 400 Main St, Towanda 18848 38 homes
  • North Towanda Senior Citizens Tax credit (LIHTC) Colonial DR, Towanda 18848 30 homes

2 properties have two programs at the same address and appear once. Search HUD's map

Source: HUD, retrieved November 6, 2026. LIHTC database, updated May 14, 2025; Assisted multifamily properties, updated October 23, 2026; Public housing developments, updated October 23, 2026.

Section 8

The Section 8 voucher in Bradford County

The Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) pays part of your rent on a home you choose. A public housing agency runs it. HUD lists none with an office in Bradford County; the state's agencies can help you. Here is what the rules say:

The rules, with their source

  1. 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. HUD

  2. Generally, your family must have very low income: no more than 50% of the area median income, by family size (the middle column of the table). 24 CFR §5.603, §982.201(b)

  3. Each year, at least 75% of the families an agency admits from its list must have extremely low income (the 30% column). 24 CFR §982.201(b)(2)

  4. 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. 24 CFR §982.1(a)(3)

  5. When you move in, if the rent is above the payment standard, your share cannot go over 40% of your adjusted monthly income. 24 CFR §982.508

  6. Each agency sets a payment standard for each size. Without asking HUD, it can go from 90% to 110% of the fair market rent. 24 CFR §982.503(b), (c)

Mixed-status families: how assistance is figured
HUD income limits Yearly income of the whole family, before taxes.
People Extremely low (30%) Very low (50%) Low
$18,350 $30,600 $48,950
$21,640 $35,000 $55,950
$27,320 $39,350 $62,950
$33,000 $43,700 $69,900
$38,680 $47,200 $75,500
$44,360 $50,700 $81,100
$50,040 $54,200 $86,700
$55,720 $57,700 $92,300

Area median income: $87,400. HUD income limits by family size, Fiscal year 2026. Area: Bradford County, PA. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2026

How much can you earn? Check your case

Possible payment standard

  • Studio $759 – $927
  • 1 bedroom $764 – $934
  • 2 bedrooms $990 – $1,210
  • 3 bedrooms $1,220 – $1,492
  • 4 bedrooms $1,378 – $1,684

The range the rule allows: 90% to 110% of the county's fair market rent. Your agency publishes its own.

Housing agencies that serve this place

HUD lists no housing agency with an office in Bradford County. You can apply at another agency in your state: you do not have to live where you apply. HUD

Housing agencies in Pennsylvania HUD list of housing agencies

Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Your rights as a tenant in Pennsylvania

What Pennsylvania law says about deposits, notices and eviction, with the citation for each rule.

See your rights, rule by rule

Compare these rules with other states →

A summary of state law, not legal advice. Cities may have additional rules.

How much can they charge for a deposit?
Up to 2 months of rent
68 P.S. §250.511a(a)-(b)
When must they return my deposit?
30 days
68 P.S. §250.512(a)
If I fall behind on rent, what notice must I get?
10 days
68 P.S. §250.501(b)
How much notice ends a month-to-month rental?
15 days
68 P.S. §250.501(b)
  • Only a court order can remove you68 P.S. §250.501 et seq.; 68 P.S. §399.1 et seq.

Help

Where to get help with rent in Bradford County

These are the nearest HUD-approved agencies. They counsel for free or at low cost.

  • Trehab

    36 Public Ave, Montrose · 32 miles away

    • Pre-purchase counseling
    (570) 265-2072

  • Neighborworks Northeastern Pa/NHS of Lackawanna County

    815 Smith St, Scranton · 50 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 6 more
    (570) 558-2490

Rental assistance programs

The ones that serve in Bradford County or the whole state, with what each page says about being open.

  • Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program

    Run by Pennsylvania Department of Revenue

    Pennsylvania yearly rebate for owners and renters 65 or older, widows and widowers 50 or older, and people with disabilities 18 or older, based on income

    Open, per the source

    Up to $1,000

    See details
See every agency in Pennsylvania Find legal aid (lsc.gov)

Tool

How much cash do you need to move in?

It starts with the 2-bedroom fair market rent in Bradford County. Change the rent, the deposit and the fees to yours: the numbers stay in your browser.

Count power on top of the rent: in Pennsylvania, the average home bill was $145 a month in 2024 (EIA). See electricity and gas costs

Open the full tool

Your move

We use the place's fair market rent and the state's deposit rule.

Adjust advanced details
Deposit and rent in advance
The deposit, in

Let's do the math

Cash to move in

$2,200

What you need before you get the keys.

What adds up

First month
$1,100
Security deposit
$1,100
Total
$2,200

The deposit cap

Pick your state to see whether its law caps the deposit.

Compare each state's rules →

When you'll have it

Enter what you can set aside each month to see how long it takes.

What helps

  • Ask for a receipt for every payment and keep a copy of the lease.
  • On move-in day, walk through the home and take dated photos.
  • Never send money for a home you haven't seen or a lease you haven't read.
Guide: the security depositGuide: avoiding rental scamsFamily budgetHow much rent can I afford?

This is a planning estimate, not a price. What you are asked for depends on the landlord, your lease and your state's and city's rules. It is not legal advice.

Guides

Before you sign

Frequently asked questions

What is the fair market rent in Bradford County?

According to HUD (Fiscal year 2027): Studio: $843; 1 bedroom: $849; 2 bedrooms: $1,100; 3 bedrooms: $1,356; 4 bedrooms: $1,531. It covers rent plus basic utilities, except the phone.

How much do you need to earn to rent in Bradford County?

Paying the 2-bedroom fair market rent ($1,100) without spending more than 30% of income takes $21.15 an hour full time, or $44,000 a year.

Who qualifies for Section 8 in Bradford County?

Generally, families with very low income: no more than 50% of the area median income. For 4 people, HUD's limit here is $43,700 a year (Fiscal year 2026). The family usually pays 30% of its adjusted monthly income. You apply at the housing agency.

How much does Section 8 pay in Bradford County?

The voucher pays up to your housing agency's payment standard, minus your share. The rule lets the agency set it between 90% and 110% of the fair market rent: for 2 bedrooms here, between $990 and $1,210 a month. Your agency publishes its figure.

Does the fair market rent change by ZIP code in Bradford County?

For 2 bedrooms they run from $1,010 in 16947 to $1,300 in 18837. 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.

How many low-income apartments are there in Bradford County?

HUD lists 16 properties with homes for low-income households in Bradford County: tax-credit apartments (LIHTC), HUD-assisted buildings and public housing. They run from the most low-income homes to the fewest. For tax-credit apartments and HUD-assisted buildings, you apply directly at the building's management office. They tell you whether units are open and how to apply; HUD does not have that information.

How many households spend too much on rent in Bradford County?

HUD counts rent as a burden when it reaches 30% of income or more. In Bradford County, 39% of renter households are in that position; in Pennsylvania, 48%, and nationwide, 51% (Average 2020–2024, Census).