Voucher-vs-Market Gap: Vallejo, CA MSA
Open-data reference.
In Vallejo, CA MSA, the HUD 2-BR FMR ($2,420) compared to PlainRent's 2-BR advertised-rent median ($2,178) produces a 11.1% gap. Vouchers fall short of market rent here — voucher holders often pay out of pocket or seek cheaper units.
- 95th percentile by gap severity (of 371 metros)
- HUD FMR × PlainRent 2-BR median
- Classification: short
What the Voucher-vs-Market Gap in Vallejo, CA MSA Tells You
In Vallejo, CA MSA (CBSA 46700), the HUD FY2025 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $$2,420/month is cross-joined with PlainRent's advertised 2-bedroom market median of $$2,178/month. The derived gap is +11.1%, which PlainVoucher classifies as "short". Positive percentages mean the HUD voucher reference falls short of advertised rent; negative percentages mean the voucher overshoots the open market.
Ranked against 371 metros we track, Vallejo, CA MSA sits at the 95th percentile by gap severity — meaning 95% of metros show an equal or smaller gap. A gap of this magnitude typically means voucher holders will struggle to find units at the published payment standard and may need to negotiate below-market rents, lean on Small Area FMRs in higher-rent ZIPs, or pursue voucher portability to a metro with stronger coverage. Landlords, on their side, may be less willing to accept voucher-standard rents when advertised listings consistently clear higher.
The gap metric is a PlainVoucher-derived figure, not a HUD-published statistic: we compute it as (HUD 2-BR FMR − PlainRent 2-BR median) ÷ PlainRent 2-BR median × 100, refreshed whenever either upstream dataset changes. Because PlainRent's median is based on advertised listings rather than leased rents, it trends slightly above actual paid rents in most metros — treat the gap as a directional signal, not a dollar-perfect forecast. Use it to compare Vallejo, CA MSA against peer metros in our gap directory, to flag portability candidates via the portability guide, or as a negotiation anchor with landlords at lease-up.
The numbers
- HUD 2-BR FMR (FY2025): $$2,420/mo
- PlainRent 2-BR market median: $$2,178/mo
- Gap: +11.1%
- Classification: short
What this means
A positive gap means the HUD FMR reference falls short of advertised market rent. Voucher holders searching in Vallejo, CA MSA will often find that units at the local PHA's payment standard are hard to come by, and that they will either have to pay the difference out of pocket (up to the 40%-of-income cap at initial lease-up) or find units below the median. Options to consider: ask the PHA whether Small Area FMRs apply (they often raise the payment standard in higher-rent ZIPs), whether exception payment standards are available, or whether voucher portability to a neighboring metro with a smaller gap might help.
How we compute this
Every month, PlainRent's advertised-rent index is cross-joined with HUD's latest published Fair Market Rent for the metro. The formula:
gap % = (HUD 2-BR FMR − PlainRent 2-BR median) / PlainRent 2-BR median × 100
Positive gap = voucher falls short. Negative gap = voucher covers market. See methodology for the full cross-DB join.
Related
- Full payment standards for Vallejo, CA MSA
- Payment Standards vs. FMR (guide)
- Voucher Portability — moving to a metro with better coverage
Nearby metro gaps
Compare the voucher-vs-market gap in metros near Vallejo, CA MSA:
- Bakersfield-Delano, CA MSA · CBSA 12540
- Chico, CA MSA · CBSA 17020
- El Centro, CA MSA · CBSA 20940
- Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area · CBSA 23420
- Hanford-Corcoran, CA MSA · CBSA 25260
Source: HUD USER Fair Market Rent FY2025, PlainRent advertised-rent index. Cross-DB join computed at runtime. Gap percent is a derived metric unique to PlainVoucher — not a HUD-published figure. See our methodology for the full calculation.
⚠ Disclaimer. Market-rent medians reflect advertised listings and may not match what actual voucher holders pay. Actual PHA payment standards can differ from HUD FMR by ±10%. Always confirm the current payment standard and market conditions with your PHA and a local housing counselor. PlainVoucher is not affiliated with HUD or any PHA.