The 2 bedroom fair market rent in Nelson (Douglas County) is $1,080 for FY2026. Rents here moved -10.0 percent year over year. ZIP 56355 sits in the Douglas County, MN area.
See how this ZIP compares for Section 8 vouchers, fair market rent against market asking rent for every tracked Minnesota ZIP.
| Unit size | FY2026 FMR | Vs FY2025 | ACS median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $810 | -10.0% | |
| 1 bedroom | $870 | -9.4% | |
| 2 bedroom | $1,080 | -10.0% | |
| 3 bedroom | $1,490 | -5.7% | |
| 4 bedroom | $1,560 | -1.9% |
FMR is the HUD Fair Market Rent for this ZIP, the 40th percentile of gross rents. It anchors Section 8 payment standards and runs below top of market. ACS median is the Census survey estimate where available.
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Among the 10 Douglas County ZIP codes with a HUD rent estimate, 56355 ranks the highest on 2 bedroom fair market rent. That is $85 above the county median of $995. Statewide the median 2 bedroom fair market rent is $1,090, which puts Nelson 1 percent below the Minnesota median. Zillow does not publish a rent index for 56355, so the fair market rent is the only published rent benchmark here. The landlord voucher check compares an asking rent against it. Voucher competitiveness for every Douglas County ZIP code with both signals is on the Douglas County Section 8 page.
Of the 6 nearest ZIP codes with an estimate, Garfield 56332 carries the highest 2 bedroom fair market rent at $1,070 and Miltona 56354 the lowest at $970, against $1,080 here.
The HUD fair market rent for a 2 bedroom in ZIP 56355 is $1,080 for FY2026. Actual rents vary by unit size, condition, and location within the ZIP.
The 2 bedroom fair market rent fell 10.0 percent from FY2025 to FY2026, moving from $1,200 to $1,080.
Fair Market Rent is HUD's estimate of the 40th percentile gross rent for a ZIP. It sets Section 8 payment standards, so it is the rent a voucher will support here. Investors use it as a conservative floor when underwriting rental income.
Rent level is only one input. Run the numbers: at $1,080 for a 2 bedroom, a deal in Nelson pencils or it does not based on price, taxes, insurance, and financing. Pencilwrite computes cap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCR, and true ROE from a few inputs.
Pencilwrite turns an address, a price, and these rents into a full underwrite, cap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCR, true ROE, taxes, and an offer you can send. Limited beta access spots open. Sign up for the beta, opening in the next two months. Free.
