County FMR · HUD FY2026

Falls Church city Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Falls Church city, VA - 110% above the US average.

$2,015
1-bedroom FMR
$2,246
2-bedroom FMR
-2.0%
YoY change
+110%
vs US avg

The verdict

Falls Church city is the 9th most expensive of 133 counties in Virginia by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #94 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties.

#94
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#9
most expensive of 133 in Virginia (2BR)
+70%
vs the state average
$80,600
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (18%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (83.2%); only 4 of 15 common occupations here can afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding the 30% threshold.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Falls Church city, VA. Verify with HUD →

Falls Church city, Virginia carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $2,015 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $2,246/mo and a studio is $1,953/mo. That's 110% above the national benchmark of $959 and 70% above the Virginia average of $1,182.

Rent decreased2.0% from FY 2025 ($2,056), declining against the trend. Clearing the 30% rule here takes $80,600/year, a high bar relative to most US counties.

Observed renter burden: 38.9% of the 3,014 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: 14,576. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+3.7%, Census ACS). That's in line with Virginia's statewide growth of +2.9% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area FALLS·CHURCH·CITY·VA·VA

Falls Church city, VA: $2,015/mo 1BR · #94 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA VA
  • 1BR-FMR $2,015
  • 2BR-FMR $2,246
  • RANK-UPPER #94
  • YOY-FLAT -2.0%
  • VSUS-HIGH +110%
  • VS-ST-HIGH +70% VA
  • INC-ROOM 16%
  • POP-SMALL 15K
  • PHOTO-FINISH Fairfax County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $1,814–$2,217
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Fairfax ($0 1BR gap)

Read with: Understanding rent burden

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $1,137 · US avg: $893
$1,953/mo
↓ 2.9% YoY +72% vs state +119% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $1,182 · US avg: $959
$2,015/mo
↓ 2.0% YoY +70% vs state +110% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,369 · US avg: $1,175
$2,246/mo
↓ 2.9% YoY +64% vs state +91% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,789 · US avg: $1,525
$2,835/mo
↓ 2.0% YoY +58% vs state +86% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $2,128 · US avg: $1,756
$3,332/mo
↓ 2.4% YoY +57% vs state +90% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $2,012
$1,953
$-59 (-2.9%)
1 Bedroom $2,056
$2,015
$-41 (-2.0%)
2 Bedroom $2,314
$2,246
$-68 (-2.9%)
3 Bedroom $2,893
$2,835
$-58 (-2.0%)
4 Bedroom $3,413
$3,332
$-81 (-2.4%)

Rent Burden Analysis

How much of household income goes to rent in Falls Church city. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.

Studio
15.1%
Affordable
Need $78,120/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
15.6%
Affordable
Need $80,600/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
17.4%
Affordable
Need $89,840/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
22%
Affordable
Need $113,400/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
25.8%
Affordable
Need $133,280/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%17.4%
Falls Church city 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $154,734 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Virginia rent burden →

Where Falls Church city sits among every US county

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

$2,246 Top 3% higher than 97% of 3,145 counties

$600–$800: 23 counties (1%). Below this entry. $800–$1,000: 1,406 counties (45%). Below this entry. $1,000–$1,200: 723 counties (23%). Below this entry. $1,200–$1,400: 417 counties (13%). Below this entry. $1,400–$1,600: 181 counties (6%). Below this entry. $1,600–$1,800: 172 counties (5%). Below this entry. $1,800–$2,000: 108 counties (3%). Below this entry. $2,000–$2,200: 29 counties (1%). Below this entry. $2,200–$2,400: 40 counties (1%). This entry sits in this band. $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 Falls Church city compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Virginia counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Falls Church city is highlighted. Nearby Virginia counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Falls Church city (this county) ($2,015), 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).

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

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

Against a high local FMR of $2,015/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using Virginia BLS wages?

Occupation VA Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $134,470 18% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $121,530 19.9% Affordable
Registered Nurses $88,820 27.2% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $84,190 28.7% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $65,110 37.1% Stretched
Elementary School Teachers $62,270 38.8% Stretched
Electricians $61,610 39.2% Stretched
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $61,200 39.5% Stretched
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $54,500 44.4% Stretched
Pharmacy Technicians $42,490 56.9% Unaffordable
Customer Service Representatives $39,210 61.7% Unaffordable
Teaching Assistants $36,650 66% Unaffordable
Janitors & Cleaners $33,970 71.2% Unaffordable
Retail Salespersons $32,760 73.8% Unaffordable
Fast Food & Counter Workers $29,060 83.2% Unaffordable
Salaries: BLS OES (Virginia) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

7-year Fair Market Rent history for Falls Church city. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Falls Church city (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 34.3% overall, from $1,500 to $2,015. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +14.0% in FY 2025, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.

$1,400$1,600$1,800$2,000$2,200 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $2,015
Falls Church city 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↓2.0% $1,953 $2,015 $2,246
FY 2025 ↑14.0% $2,012 $2,056 $2,314
FY 2024 ↑11.6% $1,772 $1,803 $2,045
FY 2023 ↑3.1% $1,589 $1,615 $1,838
FY 2022 ↑1.2% $1,539 $1,567 $1,785
FY 2021 ↑3.2% $1,513 $1,548 $1,765
FY 2020 $1,457 $1,500 $1,707
Total change (6yr): +34.3%
Annualized: +5.0%/yr
1 BR: $1,500 → $2,015

Part of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metro Area

Falls Church city is a central county of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metropolitan statistical area, alongside 22 other metro-area counties.

Falls Church city ranks #19 of 23 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Fairfax County ($2,015), Montgomery County ($2,015), Prince George's County ($2,015), District of Columbia ($2,015), Prince William County ($2,015), Loudoun County ($2,015), Frederick County ($2,015), Arlington County ($2,015), Charles County ($2,015), Stafford County ($2,015), Alexandria city ($2,015), Spotsylvania County ($2,015), Fauquier County ($2,015), Manassas city ($2,015), Fredericksburg city ($2,015), Fairfax city ($2,015), Manassas Park city ($2,015), Clarke County ($2,015), Falls Church city (this county) ($2,015), Rappahannock County ($1,254), Culpeper County ($1,170), Warren County ($1,002), Jefferson County ($953).

Fairfax County
1 BR: $2,015/mo
Montgomery County
1 BR: $2,015/mo
Prince George's County
1 BR: $2,015/mo
District of Columbia
1 BR: $2,015/mo
Prince William County
1 BR: $2,015/mo
Loudoun County
1 BR: $2,015/mo
Frederick County
1 BR: $2,015/mo
Arlington County
1 BR: $2,015/mo
Charles County
1 BR: $2,015/mo
Stafford County
1 BR: $2,015/mo
Alexandria city
1 BR: $2,015/mo
Spotsylvania County
1 BR: $2,015/mo
Falls Church city (this county)
1 BR: $2,015/mo
Show all 23 counties in this metro area
Fauquier County
1 BR: $2,015/mo
Manassas city
1 BR: $2,015/mo
Fredericksburg city
1 BR: $2,015/mo
Fairfax city
1 BR: $2,015/mo
Manassas Park city
1 BR: $2,015/mo
Clarke County
1 BR: $2,015/mo
Rappahannock County
1 BR: $1,254/mo
Culpeper County
1 BR: $1,170/mo
Warren County
1 BR: $1,002/mo
Jefferson County
1 BR: $953/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Falls Church city, 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).

Montgomery County
MD · 2 BR $2,246/mo
Prince George's County
MD · 2 BR $2,246/mo
District of Columbia
DC · 2 BR $2,246/mo
Frederick County
MD · 2 BR $2,246/mo

Similar rent burden

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

Shawano County
WI · 17.4% of income · 2 BR $973/mo
Redwood County
MN · 17.4% of income · 2 BR $973/mo
Montgomery County
IN · 17.4% of income · 2 BR $966/mo
Stutsman County
ND · 17.4% of income · 2 BR $873/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 Falls Church city? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Falls Church city is $2,015 per month. A 2-bedroom is $2,246 and a studio is $1,953.
How does Falls Church city rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Falls Church city is 110% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $2,015 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Falls Church city rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Falls Church city's 2-bedroom FMR of $2,246 ranks #94 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the highest-rent tenth of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Falls Church city? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $80,600 ($6,717/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Falls Church city.
Is rent going up or down in Falls Church city? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Falls Church city decreased by 2.0% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $2,056 to $2,015.
Which jobs can afford rent in Falls Church city? ▼
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 $2,015/mo. 4 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Falls Church city over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Falls Church city went from $1,500 in FY 2020 to $2,015 in FY 2026, a total change of +34.3% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Falls Church city? ▼
In Falls Church city, the FY 2026 FMR of $2,015/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 Falls Church city? ▼
For Falls Church city, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($2,015/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.