# HUD API > HUD returns fair market rent data by location and fiscal year, available as a workflow and API. HUD, also called HUD USER, returns fair market rents by county, HUD metro area, or ZIP code. Get fair market rent returns monthly rents by bedroom count and applicable ZIP-level rents; provide a location and optionally a fiscal year. - Page: https://fous.com/tools/hud - Handle: `@hud` - Category: [Real estate](https://fous.com/tools/category/real-estate) - Source website: https://huduser.gov - Last verified: Sep 29, 2026 ## Methods ### Get fair market rent Operation `get_fair_market_rent`, version 1. 1 credit per completed call. Failed calls without a completed billing receipt are free; completed work can remain charged if delivery is interrupted. Get HUD Fair Market Rents for a county, metro area, or ZIP code and fiscal year. ZIP rents are included only where HUD says Small Area FMRs apply. **Input** | Field | Type | Required | Example | Description | |---|---|---|---|---| | `year` | integer | no | `2026` | Fiscal year, such as 2026. Defaults to the current fiscal year. | | `location` | string | yes | `"Travis County, TX"` | County and state, HUD metro area, or five-digit ZIP code, such as Travis County, TX or 78701. | **Input schema** ```json { "type": "object", "required": [ "location" ], "properties": { "year": { "type": "integer", "description": "Fiscal year, such as 2026. Defaults to the current fiscal year.", "examples": [ 2026, 2027 ] }, "location": { "type": "string", "description": "County and state, HUD metro area, or five-digit ZIP code, such as Travis County, TX or 78701.", "examples": [ "Travis County, TX", "78701", "30303" ] } }, "additionalProperties": false, "examples": [ { "location": "Travis County, TX" }, { "location": "78701" }, { "year": 2026, "location": "30303" } ] } ``` **Output** | Field | Type | Example | Description | |---|---|---|---| | `state` | string or null | `"TX"` | State abbreviation or abbreviations for the HUD rent area. | | `currency` | string | `"USD"` | USD | | `fiscal_year` | integer | `2026` | | | `studio_rent` | integer | `1474` | Monthly rent in USD. | | `hud_area_name` | string | `"Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX MSA"` | HUD rent area name. | | `zip_studio_rent` | integer or null | `1760` | Monthly ZIP-level rent in USD when Small Area FMRs apply to the given ZIP. | | `one_bedroom_rent` | integer | `1562` | Monthly rent in USD. | | `two_bedroom_rent` | integer | `1852` | Monthly rent in USD. | | `four_bedroom_rent` | integer | `2760` | Monthly rent in USD. | | `three_bedroom_rent` | integer | `2347` | Monthly rent in USD. | | `zip_one_bedroom_rent` | integer or null | `1840` | Monthly ZIP-level rent in USD when Small Area FMRs apply to the given ZIP. | | `zip_two_bedroom_rent` | integer or null | `2020` | Monthly ZIP-level rent in USD when Small Area FMRs apply to the given ZIP. | | `small_area_fmrs_apply` | boolean | `false` | Whether HUD says this rent area uses Small Area FMRs for housing vouchers. | | `zip_four_bedroom_rent` | integer or null | `2890` | Monthly ZIP-level rent in USD when Small Area FMRs apply to the given ZIP. | | `zip_three_bedroom_rent` | integer or null | `2420` | Monthly ZIP-level rent in USD when Small Area FMRs apply to the given ZIP. | | `documentation_page_link` | string | `"https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/fmr/fmrs/FY2026_code/2026summary.odn?year=2026&fmrtype=Final&selection_type=cou` | HUD documentation for the rent area. | **Example input** ```json { "location": "Travis County, TX" } ``` **Example output** ```json { "state": "TX", "currency": "USD", "fiscal_year": 2026, "studio_rent": 1474, "hud_area_name": "Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX MSA", "zip_studio_rent": null, "one_bedroom_rent": 1562, "two_bedroom_rent": 1852, "four_bedroom_rent": 2760, "three_bedroom_rent": 2347, "zip_one_bedroom_rent": null, "zip_two_bedroom_rent": null, "small_area_fmrs_apply": false, "zip_four_bedroom_rent": null, "zip_three_bedroom_rent": null, "documentation_page_link": "https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/fmr/fmrs/FY2026_code/2026summary.odn?year=2026&fmrtype=Final&selection_type=county&fips=4845399999" } ``` ## Quick start Replace `YOUR_API_KEY` with a Fous API key. To create one, open Developers at the bottom of Fous Studio, turn on Developer mode, then go to API keys (https://app.fous.com/keys). Change the values in `input` to run the same tool on new data. ```bash curl 'https://api.fous.com/v1/query' \ --fail-with-body --silent --show-error --max-time 180 \ -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \ -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \ --data-raw '{ "api": "@hud", "visibility": "public", "operation": "get_fair_market_rent", "version": 1, "input": { "location": "Travis County, TX" }, "response": { "format": "json" } }' ``` ```python # Save as fous.py and run with python3 fous.py. No packages needed. import json import urllib.error import urllib.request api_key = "YOUR_API_KEY" body = json.loads("{\n \"api\": \"@hud\",\n \"visibility\": \"public\",\n \"operation\": \"get_fair_market_rent\",\n \"version\": 1,\n \"input\": {\n \"location\": \"Travis County, TX\"\n },\n \"response\": {\n \"format\": \"json\"\n }\n}") request = urllib.request.Request( "https://api.fous.com/v1/query", data=json.dumps(body).encode("utf-8"), headers={ "Authorization": f"Bearer {api_key}", "Content-Type": "application/json", }, method="POST", ) try: with urllib.request.urlopen(request, timeout=180) as response: result = json.load(response) except urllib.error.HTTPError as error: raise RuntimeError(f"HTTP {error.code}: {error.read().decode('utf-8', errors='replace')}") from error if result.get("success") is False: raise RuntimeError(result.get("error", {}).get("message", "Request failed")) print(json.dumps(result["data"]["output"], indent=2)) ``` ```typescript // Save as fous.mts and run with npx tsx fous.mts. const apiKey = "YOUR_API_KEY"; const response = await fetch("https://api.fous.com/v1/query", { method: "POST", headers: { "Authorization": `Bearer ${apiKey}`, "Content-Type": "application/json", }, signal: AbortSignal.timeout(180_000), body: JSON.stringify({ "api": "@hud", "visibility": "public", "operation": "get_fair_market_rent", "version": 1, "input": { "location": "Travis County, TX" }, "response": { "format": "json" } }), }); type ApiResult = { success: boolean; data?: { output: unknown }; error?: { message: string } }; const result: ApiResult = await response.json(); if (!response.ok || result.success === false) { throw new Error(result.error?.message ?? `HTTP ${response.status}`); } if (!result.data) throw new Error("Missing API response data"); console.log(result.data.output); ``` ## Use from an AI assistant Connect this tool to Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code, Codex and any MCP client as its own MCP server. Each method is a typed tool whose arguments are the method’s input. - Server URL: `https://api.fous.com/mcp/tools/hud` - Authorization: `Authorization: Bearer ` **Tools** - `get_fair_market_rent`: Get fair market rent. 1 credit per completed call. Failed calls without a completed billing receipt are free; completed work can remain charged if delivery is interrupted. - `fous_get_run`: the result of a run that was still going, by its `request_id`. Free. Claude Code: ```bash claude mcp add --scope user --transport http fous-hud https://api.fous.com/mcp/tools/hud --header "Authorization: Bearer ${FOUS_API_KEY:?Set FOUS_API_KEY to your Fous API key}" ``` To give the assistant every tool, connect `https://api.fous.com/mcp`: it finds one with `fous_search_tools` and runs it with `fous_run_tool`. Setup for other clients: https://fous.com/llms-full.txt. ## Use cases - Compare fair market rents across locations - Review monthly rents by bedroom count - Check ZIP-level rents where Small Area FMRs apply - Support housing voucher rent research ## FAQ ### Can I run it with my own inputs? Yes. Change the inputs in Studio and press Run, or send new inputs from your code, or ask a connected AI assistant. ### Can I call this HUD tool as an API? Yes. Send a POST request to /v1/query with your Fous API key and the inputs, and get JSON back. ### How much does it cost? Each completed run costs 1 credit. Failed runs without a completed receipt are free; completed work can remain charged if delivery is interrupted. With pay as you go, a credit costs 1¢. Monthly plans cost less per credit. ### Do I need a HUD account? No. You only need a Fous account. ### How current is the data? Fous gets the data from huduser.gov when you run it. Some results are reused for up to 24 hours, and results that use your account or key are never reused. It was last verified on Sep 29, 2026. ### What are the fair market rents for a location? Get fair market rent returns monthly rents by bedroom count for a county, metro area, or ZIP code and fiscal year. ### Does a ZIP code use Small Area FMRs? Get fair market rent indicates whether Small Area FMRs apply and returns ZIP-level rents where applicable. ## Related - [Zumper API](https://fous.com/tools/zumper.md): Zumper searches rental homes and apartments with filters and reports rolling 30-day city median rents, changes, and rankings where available. - [Redfin API](https://fous.com/tools/redfin.md): Redfin provides publicly listed homes, details, estimates, and latest area market figures with up to 12 months of sale prices; some data may be unavailable. - [Zillow API](https://fous.com/tools/zillow.md): Zillow provides homes for sale, rental listings, home details, estimates, and housing market figures; rental details, history, schools, estimates, and market figures may be missing or reflect different reporting dates. - [Apartments.com API](https://fous.com/tools/apartments-com.md): Apartments.com returns U.S. apartments and homes matching location and optional filters, plus community details; rent and availability may be missing or change. - [Realtor.com API](https://fous.com/tools/realtor-com.md): Realtor.com returns home listings for sale, rent, or recently sold, property details and estimates, and local agent profiles; some fields or sold prices may be missing. - [Homes.com API](https://fous.com/tools/homes-com.md): Search homes for sale in the United States. - [FEMA API](https://fous.com/tools/fema.md): FEMA provides public U.S. flood maps and disaster information, including approximate address-based flood risk details and federal disaster declarations by state or county. - [US Census Bureau API](https://fous.com/tools/us-census-bureau.md): US Census Bureau returns statistics from varying Census years, population estimates through July 1, and address geographies using Census vintages that may differ from representation. - [All Real estate tools](https://fous.com/tools/category/real-estate)