County FMR · HUD FY2026
Lexington city Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Lexington city, VA - 4% below the US average.
- $917
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,005
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +12.9%
- YoY change
- -4%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Lexington city is the 39th cheapest of 133 counties in Virginia by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,448 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 12.9% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.
- #1,448
- most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #39
- cheapest of 133 in Virginia (2BR)
- -22%
- vs the state average
- $36,680
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (8.2%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (37.9%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Lexington city, VA. Verify with HUD →
The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Lexington city, Virginia is $917 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $1,005/mo and a studio is $870/mo. This is 4% lower than the national average of $959 and 22% below the Virginia average of $1,182.
Rent increased12.9% from FY 2025 ($812), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $36,680/year for a 1-bedroom.
Observed renter burden: 43.7% of the 996 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.
Market slack: The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 14.1%, a loose rental market that typically gives renters more negotiating leverage than the FMR schedule alone implies.
Local labor market: The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 5.5% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Virginia. Population: 7,346. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+4.4%, Census ACS). That's faster than Virginia's statewide growth of +2.9% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area LEXINGTON·CITY·VA·VA
Lexington city, VA: $917/mo 1BR · #1448 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA VA
- 1BR-FMR $917
- 2BR-FMR $1,005
- RANK-MID #1,448
- YOY-SURGE +12.9%
- VSUS-NEAR -4%
- VS-ST-LOW -22% VA
- INC-ROOM 12%
- POP-SMALL 7K
- PHOTO-NEAR Fairfax County
- VOUCH-90-110 $825–$1,009
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Fairfax ($1,098 1BR gap)
Read with: How Fair Market Rent works
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $777 | $870 | +$93 (+12.0%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $812 | $917 | +$105 (+12.9%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $899 | $1,005 | +$106 (+11.8%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,260 | $1,398 | +$138 (+11.0%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,510 | $1,686 | +$176 (+11.7%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Lexington city. 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 Lexington city sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,005 higher than 46% 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 Lexington city 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
- Lexington city
Lexington city
$917 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Lexington city 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), Lexington city (this county) ($917).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $917/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 | 8.2% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $121,530 | 9.1% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $88,820 | 12.4% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $84,190 | 13.1% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $65,110 | 16.9% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $62,270 | 17.7% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $61,610 | 17.9% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $61,200 | 18% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $54,500 | 20.2% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $42,490 | 25.9% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $39,210 | 28.1% | Affordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $36,650 | 30% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $33,970 | 32.4% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $32,760 | 33.6% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $29,060 | 37.9% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Lexington city. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Lexington city (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 37.9% overall, from $665 to $917. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 14.6% (FY 2024), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑12.9% | $870 | $917 | $1,005 |
| FY 2025 ↓3.6% | $777 | $812 | $899 |
| FY 2024 ↑14.6% | $772 | $842 | $945 |
| FY 2023 ↑11.4% | $615 | $735 | $830 |
| FY 2022 ↑6.5% | $520 | $660 | $762 |
| FY 2021 ↓6.8% | $508 | $620 | $770 |
| FY 2020 | $519 | $665 | $797 |
Where Lexington city Ranks in Virginia
Lexington city 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 #39 of 133 counties in Virginia. Nearest by rank: Buckingham 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 (this county) ($1,005), Rockbridge County ($1,005), Surry County ($1,039), Bristol city ($1,044), Scott County ($1,044), Washington County ($1,044), Franklin city ($1,051), Southampton County ($1,051), Lancaster County ($1,052).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Lexington 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).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside VA).
Nearby Counties in Virginia
Largest counties by population in Virginia
Showing the 8 largest of 132 other counties in Virginia.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Lexington city?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Lexington city is $917 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,005 and a studio is $870.
How does Lexington city rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Lexington city is 4% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $917 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Lexington city rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Lexington city's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,005 ranks #1,448 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 Lexington city?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $36,680 ($3,057/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Lexington city.
Is rent going up or down in Lexington city?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Lexington city increased by 12.9% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $812 to $917.
Which jobs can afford rent in Lexington 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 $917/mo. 12 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Lexington city over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Lexington city went from $665 in FY 2020 to $917 in FY 2026, a total change of +37.9% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Lexington city?
In Lexington city, the FY 2026 FMR of $917/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 Lexington city?
For Lexington city, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($917/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Lexington city?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 14.1%, a loose rental market that typically gives renters more negotiating leverage than the FMR schedule alone implies.
What is the unemployment rate in Lexington city?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 5.5% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Lexington city's FY2026 Fair Market Rent as HUD's affordability benchmark, not a single market quote.
- Budget to roughly 30% of income: the FY2026 1-bedroom FMR of $917 implies about $36,680/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Virginia counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Fairfax
- See where Lexington city ranks nationally on rent. National rankings
Fair Market Rent is HUD's 40th-percentile policy benchmark used to set Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. Actual asking rents can run higher or lower, and HUD updates FMRs once a year. This site is informational and not financial or relocation advice.
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.