High-rent metro gap - Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA MSA
Displayed gap in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA MSA: +51.2% (HUD $3,124 vs ACS $2,066) · counties in FMR rows: Santa Barbara County .
FMR gap dispatch plate
CBSA 42200 · Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA -51.2% shortfall
GAP-GENEROUS · FMR-TOP · SPREAD-PLUS · NEAR-PEER · COUNTY-SPARSE · BOOK-FULL
- GAP-GENEROUS 51.2% surplus
- FMR-TOP #395/396 · P100
- SPREAD-PLUS +$1,058
- NEAR-PEER Lewiston-Auburn
- COUNTY-SPARSE 1 county
- BOOK-FULL HUD+ACS pair
Nearest shortfall peer: Lewiston-Auburn, ME Metro Area (-1.6pp)
HUD's reference overshoots the ACS median by $1,058/mo. Lease-up odds are usually better than in shortfall markets, though still compare Lewiston-Auburn, ME Metro Area before assuming portability helps.
Instrument codes from this metro’s HUD FMR vs ACS shortfall band, national FMR quartile, dollar spread, gap peer, county footprint, and book completeness, not a moving recommendation.
Shortfall neighbourhood around Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
Metros nearest this CBSA on voucher-vs-market shortfall (HUD FMR vs ACS 2-BR median). Full ladder: /gap/.
- Pittsfield -44.4
Pittsfield: -44.4% shortfall
-44.4 % shortfall
- Springfield -44.62
Springfield: -44.6% shortfall
-44.62 % shortfall
- Bozeman -46.33
Bozeman: -46.3% shortfall
-46.33 % shortfall
- Santa Maria-Sa · this metro -51.21
Santa Maria-Sa · this metro: -51.2% shortfall
-51.21 % shortfall
- Lewiston-Auburn -52.79
Lewiston-Auburn: -52.8% shortfall
-52.79 % shortfall
How does Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA compare with nearby FMR areas?
These are the twelve metros closest to Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA on the displayed voucher-vs-market margin. Their county lists are HUD FMR-area coverage, not a claim that the markets are interchangeable.
- Lewiston-Auburn, ME Metro Area
-52.8% shortfall · HUD $1,586 vs ACS $1,038 · $+$548/mo
HUD FMR-area counties: Androscoggin County, Androscoggin County, Androscoggin County, Androscoggin County, Androscoggin County, Androscoggin County.
- Bozeman, MT Metro Area
-46.3% shortfall · HUD $2,154 vs ACS $1,472 · $+$682/mo
HUD FMR-area counties: Gallatin County.
- Springfield, MA Metro Area
-44.6% shortfall · HUD $1,734 vs ACS $1,199 · $+$535/mo
HUD FMR-area counties: Hampden County, Hampden County, Hampden County, Hampden County, Hampden County, Hampden County.
- Pittsfield, MA Metro Area
-44.4% shortfall · HUD $1,626 vs ACS $1,126 · $+$500/mo
HUD FMR-area counties: Berkshire County, Berkshire County, Berkshire County, Berkshire County, Berkshire County, Berkshire County.
- Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ Metro Area
-43.8% shortfall · HUD $1,257 vs ACS $874 · $+$383/mo
HUD FMR-area counties: Cochise County.
- Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH Metro Area
-41.6% shortfall · HUD $2,941 vs ACS $2,077 · $+$864/mo
HUD FMR-area counties: Essex County, Essex County, Essex County, Essex County, Essex County, Essex County.
- Barnstable Town, MA Metro Area
-41.5% shortfall · HUD $2,422 vs ACS $1,711 · $+$711/mo
HUD FMR-area counties: Barnstable County, Barnstable County, Barnstable County, Barnstable County, Barnstable County, Barnstable County.
- Jackson, TN Metro Area
-40.9% shortfall · HUD $1,260 vs ACS $894 · $+$366/mo
HUD FMR-area counties: Chester County, Madison County.
- Yuma, AZ Metro Area
-40.0% shortfall · HUD $1,382 vs ACS $987 · $+$395/mo
HUD FMR-area counties: Yuma County.
- Amherst Town-Northampton, MA Metro Area
-39.4% shortfall · HUD $2,004 vs ACS $1,438 · $+$566/mo
HUD FMR-area counties: Hampshire County, Hampshire County, Hampshire County, Hampshire County, Hampshire County, Hampshire County.
- Rocky Mount, NC Metro Area
-39.2% shortfall · HUD $1,143 vs ACS $821 · $+$322/mo
HUD FMR-area counties: Edgecombe County, Nash County.
- Great Falls, MT Metro Area
-39.0% shortfall · HUD $1,284 vs ACS $924 · $+$360/mo
HUD FMR-area counties: Cascade County.
Source: HUD USER FY2026 Fair Market Rent area records and Census ACS 2019–2023 median gross rent.
CA FMR scale context
These are the closest FY2026 2-BR FMR values in CA; they help place this HUD reference on its state scale, but do not substitute for each metro’s ACS rent comparison.
- San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA MSA $3,001 (−$123)
- Oakland-Fremont, CA HUD Metro FMR Area $2,912 (−$212)
- San Benito County, CA HUD Metro FMR Area $2,902 (−$222)
- Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA MSA $2,827 (−$297)
- Napa, CA MSA $2,773 (−$351)
- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA MSA $2,693 (−$431)
- Salinas, CA MSA $2,684 (−$440)
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA HUD Metro FMR Area $2,601 (−$523)
- San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA MSA $2,512 (−$612)
- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area $2,255 (−$869)
Low-FMR contrast (scale only)
San Juan-Bayamón-Caguas, PR Metro Area ($663 2-BR); Erie County, OH HUD Metro FMR Area ($1,106 2-BR); Atascosa County, TX HUD Metro FMR Area ($1,098 2-BR); Sheboygan, WI MSA ($1,116 2-BR) . Opposite-quartile FMR metros for scale, not gap substitutes for Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA MSA.
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA MSA gap inputs
- HUD 2-BR FMR (FY2026): $3,124/mo
- ACS 2019–2023 2-BR median: $2,066/mo
- Displayed gap: +51.2%
- National FMR percentile: 100 (#395/396)
displayed % = (HUD 2-BR − ACS 2-BR median) / ACS median × 100
CA HCV agencies (scale-keyed)
Full payment standards for Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA MSA · Payment standards vs FMR
Source: HUD USER Fair Market Rent FY2026, Census ACS median gross rent. Gap is PlainVoucher-derived. Methodology.
Disclaimer. For informational purposes only, not a substitute for PHA counseling or legal advice. Median gross rent reflects rents paid by current tenants; asking rents for available units typically run higher. Actual PHA payment standards can differ from HUD FMR by ±10%. Always confirm the current payment standard with your PHA. PlainVoucher is not affiliated with HUD or any PHA.