HUD PIH · FY2025 public data
Will your Section 8 voucher cover the rent?
The plain-English guide to the Housing Choice Voucher program — every Public Housing Authority, every payment standard, every income limit, plus a cross-database read on where the voucher covers market rent and where it falls short.
Find local Section 8 PHA, check waitlists/payment standards/income limits by ZIP, and see voucher-to-market rent gaps vs. 2K fragmented sources.
What you can do here
Find your PHA
Browse 3,780 Public Housing Authorities by state. Contact info, unit counts, and applying guidance for each.
Payment standards
Look up HUD's Fair Market Rent for your metro — how much voucher rent HUD thinks is reasonable.
Voucher-vs-market gap
Where does the voucher cover market rent, and where does it fall short? Cross-DB analysis of HUD FMR vs. advertised rents.
The biggest voucher programs in the country
Authorized Housing Choice Vouchers administered by a single Public Housing Authority
- New York City HA
New York City Housing Authority (NY)
122,210 vouchers
- Chicago HA
Chicago Housing Authority (IL)
54,082 vouchers
- HA Los Angeles
Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (CA)
53,428 vouchers
- NYS Housing Trust Fund Corporation
NYS Housing Trust Fund Corporation (NY)
52,084 vouchers
- NYC Dept of Housing Preservation and Dev 42,258
NYC Dept of Housing Preservation and Dev (NY)
42,258 vouchers
- Michigan State Housing Development Authority 32,308
Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MI)
32,308 vouchers
- Los Angeles County Development Authority 27,058
Los Angeles County Development Authority (CA)
27,058 vouchers
- STATE OF NJ DEPT. OF COMM. AFFAIRS 25,164
STATE OF NJ DEPT. OF COMM. AFFAIRS (NJ)
25,164 vouchers
- Philadelphia HA 25,063
Philadelphia Housing Authority (PA)
25,063 vouchers
- Exec. Office Housing & Livable Communities 23,073
Exec. Office Housing & Livable Communities (MA)
23,073 vouchers
What this shows A handful of big-city authorities run an outsized share of the nation's Section 8 vouchers — New York City alone administers more than most states. Most of the 3,780 PHAs are far smaller, county- or town-level offices.
Where vouchers fall shortest
In these metros, the HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom unit is furthest below PlainRent's advertised 2-bedroom median — meaning voucher holders often struggle to find units at the payment standard. This is a derived PlainVoucher metric, not a HUD publication.
| Metro | HUD 2-BR FMR | Market 2-BR | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anson County, NC HUD Metro FMR Area | $1,824 | $1,138 | 60.3% |
| Baker County, FL HUD Metro FMR Area | $1,730 | $1,103 | 56.8% |
| Bosque County, TX HUD Metro FMR Area | $1,377 | $973 | 41.5% |
| Austin County, TX HUD Metro FMR Area | $1,529 | $1,095 | 39.6% |
| Atascosa County, TX HUD Metro FMR Area | $1,501 | $1,098 | 36.7% |
| Lyon County, NV HUD Metro FMR Area | $1,722 | $1,272 | 35.4% |
| Bond County, IL HUD Metro FMR Area | $1,215 | $916 | 32.6% |
| Camden County, NC HUD Metro FMR Area | $1,696 | $1,287 | 31.8% |
| Little River County, AR HUD Metro FMR Area | $1,071 | $880 | 21.7% |
| Davidson County, NC HUD Metro FMR Area | $1,163 | $960 | 21.1% |
Plain-English guides
Walkthroughs of the Section 8 / HCV program — how to apply, income limits, payment standards, waitlists, portability, inspections, landlord duties, and appeal rights. Every guide cites HUD regulations and is reviewed by our editorial team.
How to Apply for Section 8: A Step-by-Step Guide
Walk-through of the HCV application process, from finding a PHA to joining a waitlist.
Income Limits Explained — Are You Eligible?
How HUD sets voucher income limits and what counts toward eligibility.
Payment Standards vs. Fair Market Rent
How PHAs set payment standards from HUD FMR — and what that means for tenants.
Waitlist Strategy — Multiple PHAs
Why applying to multiple PHAs cuts wait time, and how to manage overlapping waitlists.
Moving With Your Voucher — Portability
Rules and procedures for porting a Housing Choice Voucher to a new jurisdiction.
What to Expect in a Section 8 Inspection
HQS inspection steps, common fail items, and how landlords prepare.
Landlords: Should You Accept Section 8?
Pros, cons, and practicalities for landlords considering HCV tenants.
Appeals and Grievances
Your rights when a PHA denies, terminates, or reduces your voucher.
How PlainVoucher works
PlainVoucher is an independent publication. All data is sourced directly from HUD open-data endpoints — the PIH Public Housing Authority directory, HUDUSER Fair Market Rent and Income Limits, and HUD's HCV tract-density ArcGIS feed. Every page cites its source by agency name and vintage year. See methodology for the full pipeline and about for our publisher information.
We are not affiliated with HUD or any local Public Housing Authority. We do not process applications, manage waitlists, or determine eligibility. Everything here is informational.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is PlainVoucher?
PlainVoucher is a plain-English data site for the Section 8 / Housing Choice Voucher program, built from HUD public data. We cover PHAs, payment standards, income limits, and cross-DB voucher-vs-market rent analysis.
Are you part of HUD or an official PHA?
No. PlainVoucher is an independent publication. We are not affiliated with HUD or any local Public Housing Authority. We do not process applications, waitlists, or eligibility determinations.
Where does the data come from?
HUD PIH Open Data (PHA directory), HUDUSER (Fair Market Rent and Income Limits), HUD ArcGIS FeatureServer (HCV tract concentration), and PlainRent (advertised-rent medians, for the gap analysis). See methodology.
Is this free to use?
Yes. All data and tools are free. No login, no paywall. The site is supported by display advertising.