County FMR · HUD FY2026

Buckingham County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Buckingham County, VA - 9% below the US average.

$875
1-bedroom FMR
$959
2-bedroom FMR
+4.9%
YoY change
-9%
vs US avg

The verdict

Buckingham is the 31st cheapest of 133 counties in Virginia by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #882 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties.

#882
most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#31
cheapest of 133 in Virginia (2BR)
-26%
vs the state average
$35,000
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (7.8%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (36.1%).

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Buckingham County, VA. Verify with HUD →

The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Buckingham County, Virginia is $875 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $959/mo and a studio is $830/mo. This is 9% lower than the national average of $959 and 26% below the Virginia average of $1,182.

Rent increased4.9% from FY 2025 ($834), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $35,000/year for a 1-bedroom.

Observed renter burden: 34.4% of the 1,429 renter households counted by ACS paid at least 30% of income in gross rent. This ACS 2023 household measure is distinct from HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent benchmark above.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Virginia. Population: 16,869. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-0.5%, Census ACS). That's slower than Virginia's statewide growth of +2.9% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area BUCKINGHAM·COUNTY·VA·VA

Buckingham County, VA: $875/mo 1BR · #882 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA VA
  • 1BR-FMR $875
  • 2BR-FMR $959
  • RANK-MID #882
  • YOY-UP +4.9%
  • VSUS-BELOW -9%
  • VS-ST-LOW -26% VA
  • INC-ROOM 18%
  • POP-SMALL 17K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Fairfax County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $788–$963
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Fairfax ($1,140 1BR gap)

Read with: How Fair Market Rent works

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $1,137 · US avg: $893
$830/mo
↑ 2.6% YoY -27% vs state -7% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $1,182 · US avg: $959
$875/mo
↑ 4.9% YoY -26% vs state -9% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,369 · US avg: $1,175
$959/mo
↑ 2.6% YoY -30% vs state -18% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,789 · US avg: $1,525
$1,266/mo
↑ 7.3% YoY -29% vs state -17% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $2,128 · US avg: $1,756
$1,419/mo
↑ 5.7% YoY -33% vs state -19% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $809
$830
+$21 (+2.6%)
1 Bedroom $834
$875
+$41 (+4.9%)
2 Bedroom $935
$959
+$24 (+2.6%)
3 Bedroom $1,180
$1,266
+$86 (+7.3%)
4 Bedroom $1,342
$1,419
+$77 (+5.7%)

Rent Burden Analysis

How much of household income goes to rent in Buckingham County. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.

Studio
16.8%
Affordable
Need $33,200/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
17.7%
Affordable
Need $35,000/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
19.4%
Affordable
Need $38,360/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
25.7%
Affordable
Need $50,640/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
28.8%
Affordable
Need $56,760/yr for 30% rule
How we calculate this

Rent burden = (FMR × 12) ÷ county median household income. Required income = (FMR × 12) ÷ 0.3, the federal 30%-of-gross-income rule HUD uses to define cost burden. Median household income is from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey; FMR is from HUD's FY2026 release. See methodology.

0%100%National avg22%19.4%
Buckingham County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $59,199 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Virginia rent burden →

Where Buckingham sits among every US county

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties

$959 higher than 28% of 3,145 counties

$600–$800: 23 counties (1%). Below this entry. $800–$1,000: 1,406 counties (45%). This entry sits in this band. $1,000–$1,200: 723 counties (23%). Above this entry. $1,200–$1,400: 417 counties (13%). Above this entry. $1,400–$1,600: 181 counties (6%). Above this entry. $1,600–$1,800: 172 counties (5%). Above this entry. $1,800–$2,000: 108 counties (3%). Above this entry. $2,000–$2,200: 29 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,200–$2,400: 40 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,400–$2,600: 13 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,600–$2,800: 9 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,800–$3,000: 15 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,000–$3,200: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,200–$3,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,400–$3,600: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,600–$3,800: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,800–$4,000: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,000–$4,200: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,200–$4,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. This county $600 $4,400 every US county, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $0.2K-wide band; taller bars hold more counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents · FY2026

How Buckingham compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Virginia counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Buckingham is highlighted. Nearby Virginia counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Fairfax County ($2,015), Prince William County ($2,015), Loudoun County ($2,015), Virginia Beach city ($1,512), Chesterfield County ($1,507), Henrico County ($1,507), Buckingham County (this county) ($875).

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) As of FY2026

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

How a 1-bedroom at $875/mo compares to Virginia salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).

Occupation VA Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $134,470 7.8% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $121,530 8.6% Affordable
Registered Nurses $88,820 11.8% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $84,190 12.5% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $65,110 16.1% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $62,270 16.9% Affordable
Electricians $61,610 17% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $61,200 17.2% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $54,500 19.3% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $42,490 24.7% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $39,210 26.8% Affordable
Teaching Assistants $36,650 28.6% Affordable
Janitors & Cleaners $33,970 30.9% Stretched
Retail Salespersons $32,760 32.1% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $29,060 36.1% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (Virginia) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

7-year Fair Market Rent history for Buckingham County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Buckingham (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 33.0% overall, from $658 to $875. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 17.6% (FY 2023), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.

$600$700$800$900 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $875
Buckingham County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑4.9% $830 $875 $959
FY 2025 ↓2.6% $809 $834 $935
FY 2024 ↑15.4% $825 $856 $1,010
FY 2023 ↑17.6% $630 $742 $849
FY 2022 ↓3.2% $508 $631 $719
FY 2021 ↓0.9% $564 $652 $743
FY 2020 $513 $658 $749
Total change (6yr): +33.0%
Annualized: +4.9%/yr
1 BR: $658 → $875

Where Buckingham County Ranks in Virginia

Buckingham County is not part of any federally-designated metropolitan or micropolitan statistical area -- an independent rental market not administratively tied to a larger urban core. By 2-bedroom FMR, it ranks #31 of 133 counties in Virginia. Nearest by rank: Tazewell County ($914), Wise County ($914), Wythe County ($914), Pulaski County ($921), Page County ($924), Franklin County ($944), Northampton County ($949), Mecklenburg County ($950), Buckingham County (this county) ($959), Nottoway County ($975), Bath County ($977), Giles County ($984), Cumberland County ($997), Emporia city ($1,001), Greensville County ($1,001), Buena Vista city ($1,005), Lexington city ($1,005).

Tazewell County
2 BR: $914/mo
Wise County
2 BR: $914/mo
Wythe County
2 BR: $914/mo
Pulaski County
2 BR: $921/mo
Page County
2 BR: $924/mo
Franklin County
2 BR: $944/mo
Northampton County
2 BR: $949/mo
Mecklenburg County
2 BR: $950/mo
Buckingham County (this county)
2 BR: $959/mo
Nottoway County
2 BR: $975/mo
Bath County
2 BR: $977/mo
Giles County
2 BR: $984/mo
Cumberland County
2 BR: $997/mo
Emporia city
2 BR: $1,001/mo
Greensville County
2 BR: $1,001/mo
Buena Vista city
2 BR: $1,005/mo
Lexington city
2 BR: $1,005/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Buckingham County, both outside Virginia so the link neighborhoods are not the same-state geography lattice above. Axes stay disjoint: burden peers exclude the FMR peer set.

Similar 2-bedroom FMR

Nearest HUD 2BR Fair Market Rents outside VA (FY2026).

Coffee County
TN · 2 BR $959/mo
Marshall County
IA · 2 BR $959/mo
Perry County
KY · 2 BR $959/mo
Davidson County
NC · 2 BR $960/mo

Similar rent burden

Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside VA).

Hill County
TX · 19.4% of income · 2 BR $1,023/mo
Clearfield County
PA · 19.4% of income · 2 BR $975/mo
St. Charles Parish
LA · 19.4% of income · 2 BR $1,331/mo
Scotts Bluff County
NE · 19.4% of income · 2 BR $987/mo

Nearby Counties in Virginia

Largest counties by population in Virginia

Showing the 8 largest of 132 other counties in Virginia.

Fairfax County
1 BR: $2,015/mo Pop: 1,145,354
Prince William County
1 BR: $2,015/mo Pop: 481,114
Virginia Beach city
1 BR: $1,512/mo Pop: 457,900
Loudoun County
1 BR: $2,015/mo Pop: 420,773
Chesterfield County
1 BR: $1,507/mo Pop: 366,019
Henrico County
1 BR: $1,507/mo Pop: 333,120
Chesapeake city
1 BR: $1,512/mo Pop: 249,377
Norfolk city
1 BR: $1,512/mo Pop: 236,973
View all counties in Virginia →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Buckingham County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Buckingham County is $875 per month. A 2-bedroom is $959 and a studio is $830.
How does Buckingham County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Buckingham County is 9% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $875 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Buckingham County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Buckingham County's 2-bedroom FMR of $959 ranks #882 most affordable among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the middle half of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Buckingham County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $35,000 ($2,917/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Buckingham County.
Is rent going up or down in Buckingham County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Buckingham County increased by 4.9% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $834 to $875.
Which jobs can afford rent in Buckingham County? ▼
Based on Virginia BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $875/mo. 12 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Buckingham County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Buckingham County went from $658 in FY 2020 to $875 in FY 2026, a total change of +33.0% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Buckingham County? ▼
In Buckingham County, the FY 2026 FMR of $875/mo for a 1-bedroom sets the baseline that local housing authorities use for Section 8 payment standards.
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Buckingham County? ▼
For Buckingham County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($875/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and HUD Fair Market Rents. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.

All federal data sources used on this page
  • HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) - county-level fair-market rent estimates by bedroom count. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
  • HUD Income Limits - area median income for affordability calculations. huduser.gov/datasets/il
  • HUD Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) - rent burden and housing-cost distribution. huduser.gov/datasets/cp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - county and metro housing characteristics + median rent. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • BLS Consumer Price Index, Rent of Primary Residence - rent inflation by metro. bls.gov/cpi
  • IRS Migration Data (SOI) - interstate migration aggregates affecting county demand. irs.gov/statistics/migration
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics - state-level median wages by occupation, used for job affordability analysis. bls.gov/oes

Every figure on PlainRent is rendered directly from HUD's published Fair Market Rent records, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of FY 2026.