County FMR · HUD FY2026
Giles County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Giles County, VA - 6% below the US average.
- $898
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $984
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +5.0%
- YoY change
- -6%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Giles is the 34th cheapest of 133 counties in Virginia by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,353 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 5.0% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.
- #1,353
- most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #34
- cheapest of 133 in Virginia (2BR)
- -24%
- vs the state average
- $35,920
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (8%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (37.1%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Giles County, VA. Verify with HUD →
HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Giles County, Virginia at $898 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $984/mo and a studio is $746/mo. This is 6% lower than the national average of $959 and 24% below the Virginia average of $1,182.
Rent increased5.0% from FY 2025 ($855), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $35,920/year for a 1-bedroom.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Virginia. Population: 16,711. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-1.2%, Census ACS). That's slower than Virginia's statewide growth of +2.9% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Giles County
HUD publishes one FMR schedule per FMR area (often the county). Local housing authorities use it as the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher payment-standard baseline. See how FMR is calculated.
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Giles County's 2-bedroom of $984 ranks #1,353 most affordable of 3,145 US counties, in the middle half of HUD counties.
Giles County's 1-bedroom FMR tracks close to the national mid-point (6% below the US average of $959), while sitting 24% below the Virginia average of $1,182. Over the past year, 1-bedroom rent here shifted from$855 in FY 2025 to $898 in FY 2026, a change of +5.0%, which outpaces typical consumer inflation.
At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $898, the 30% rule points to $35,920/year (about $2,993/month) versus this county's median household income of $64,819. A 2-bedroom at $984 pushes the threshold higher.
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $750 | $746 | $-4 (-0.5%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $855 | $898 | +$43 (+5.0%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $947 | $984 | +$37 (+3.9%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,180 | $1,180 | $0 (0.0%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,504 | $1,651 | +$147 (+9.8%) |
Affordability Snapshot
Based on the standard that rent should not exceed 30% of gross income:
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Giles County. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.
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.
Where Giles sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$984 higher than 43% of 3,145 counties
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 Giles compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Virginia counties
- Fairfax
Fairfax County
$2,015 1BR FMR / mo
- Prince William
Prince William County
$2,015 1BR FMR / mo
- Loudoun
Loudoun County
$2,015 1BR FMR / mo
- Virginia Beach city
Virginia Beach city
$1,512 1BR FMR / mo
- Chesterfield
Chesterfield County
$1,507 1BR FMR / mo
- Henrico
Henrico County
$1,507 1BR FMR / mo
- Giles
Giles County
$898 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Giles 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), Giles County (this county) ($898).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $898/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 | 8% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $121,530 | 8.9% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $88,820 | 12.1% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $84,190 | 12.8% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $65,110 | 16.6% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $62,270 | 17.3% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $61,610 | 17.5% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $61,200 | 17.6% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $54,500 | 19.8% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $42,490 | 25.4% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $39,210 | 27.5% | Affordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $36,650 | 29.4% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $33,970 | 31.7% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $32,760 | 32.9% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $29,060 | 37.1% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Giles County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Giles (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 51.7% overall, from $592 to $898. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +14.8% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑5.0% | $746 | $898 | $984 |
| FY 2025 ↑6.1% | $750 | $855 | $947 |
| FY 2024 ↑14.8% | $742 | $806 | $905 |
| FY 2023 ↑14.0% | $665 | $702 | $793 |
| FY 2022 ↓6.0% | $494 | $616 | $702 |
| FY 2021 ↑10.6% | $504 | $655 | $747 |
| FY 2020 | $495 | $592 | $733 |
Part of the Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA Metro Area
Giles County is a outlying county of the Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA metropolitan statistical area, alongside 4 other metro-area counties.
Giles County ranks #3 of 5 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Montgomery County ($993), Radford city ($993), Giles County (this county) ($898), Pulaski County ($840), Floyd County ($834).
Nearby Counties in Virginia
Largest counties by population in Virginia
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Giles County? ▼
How does Giles County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Where does Giles County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Giles County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Giles County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Giles County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Giles County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Giles County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Giles County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Giles's FY2026 Fair Market Rent as HUD's affordability benchmark, not a market quote.
- Budget to roughly 30% of income: the FY2026 1-bedroom FMR of $898 implies about $35,920/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Compare this county against nearby metros and states before signing a lease. Compare areas
- See where it sits on the national rent map. View rankings
Fair Market Rent is HUD's 40th-percentile policy benchmark used to set Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. Actual asking rents in Giles can run higher or lower, and HUD updates FMRs once a year. This page is informational and not financial or relocation advice.
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.
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.