Guide · Payment standards
2026 Section 8 payment standards: Newark & Essex County.
The payment standard is the ceiling the housing authority uses when it calculates its share of the rent. Here are the current numbers, the source, and how to use them.
Newark Housing Authority
NHA payment standards.
| Unit size | Payment standard |
|---|---|
| Studio / efficiency | $1,612 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,822 |
| 2 bedrooms | $2,205 |
| 3 bedrooms | $2,761 |
| 4 bedrooms | $3,137 |
| 5 bedrooms | $3,607 |
Source: Newark Housing Authority, Housing Choice Voucher program payment standards - newarkha.org, checked September 28, 2026. Standards change; confirm current figures with NHA before signing.
For renters
Your voucher has a bedroom size. Units at or under that size’s payment standard are the smoothest approvals - above it, more of the rent can land on you. Your exact share is roughly 30% of your adjusted income, set by the authority - not by us.
For landlords
Price at or under the standard for the unit size and your unit is voucher-ready on the numbers. The authority pays its share directly; the tenant pays the rest.
County context: Essex County sits inside the Newark, NJ HUD metro area, where the FY2026 fair market rent for a 2-bedroom is $2,205 - the same figure NHA uses. Other Essex authorities set their own schedules near it.
Straight answers
Is the payment standard the most a voucher can pay?+
It is the ceiling for the authority’s calculation, not a guaranteed rent. The final split depends on the tenant’s income, the unit’s rent reasonableness, and utility allowances. Treat the table as the map, not the exact fare.
What if the rent is above the standard?+
The tenant can sometimes pay the difference - but their total share generally cannot exceed 40% of their adjusted monthly income at move-in. Above-standard units are approvable less often; at or under standard is the clean path.
Do payment standards change?+
Yes - typically once a year, after HUD publishes new fair market rents. We re-check the NHA schedule regularly and update this page when it moves.
Get started
Have a voucher? Have a unit?
Renters: text us your voucher size and we will send what fits. Landlords: hand off the unit and we will fill it.