County FMR · HUD FY2026
Madison County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Madison County, VA - 1% above the US average.
- $971
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,066
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +6.4%
- YoY change
- +1%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Madison is the 49th cheapest of 133 counties in Virginia by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,415 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 6.4% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.
- #1,415
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #49
- cheapest of 133 in Virginia (2BR)
- -18%
- vs the state average
- $38,840
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (8.7%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (40.1%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Madison County, VA. Verify with HUD →
Madison County, Virginia carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $971 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,066/mo and a studio is $923/mo. That's 1% above the national benchmark of $959 and 18% below the Virginia average of $1,182.
Rent increased6.4% from FY 2025 ($913), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $38,840/year for a 1-bedroom.
Observed renter burden: 28.3% of the 1,102 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 0.0%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
Local labor market: The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 3.2% over the past 12 months, a tight labor market that typically supports steadier rent demand.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Virginia. Population: 13,828. Population grew 6.0% over the past five years (Census ACS) - among the faster-growing counties nationally, a trend that typically adds upward pressure on rents. That's faster than Virginia's statewide growth of +2.9% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area MADISON·COUNTY·VA·VA
Madison County, VA: $971/mo 1BR · #1415 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA VA
- 1BR-FMR $971
- 2BR-FMR $1,066
- RANK-MID #1,415
- YOY-SURGE +6.4%
- VSUS-NEAR +1%
- VS-ST-LOW -18% VA
- INC-ROOM 14%
- POP-SMALL 14K
- PHOTO-NEAR Fairfax County
- VOUCH-90-110 $874–$1,068
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Fairfax ($1,044 1BR gap)
Read with: How Fair Market Rent works
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $907 | $923 | +$16 (+1.8%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $913 | $971 | +$58 (+6.4%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,096 | $1,066 | $-30 (-2.7%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,361 | $1,483 | +$122 (+9.0%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,609 | $1,667 | +$58 (+3.6%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Madison 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 Madison sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,066 higher than 55% 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 Madison 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
- Madison
Madison County
$971 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Madison 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), Madison County (this county) ($971).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $971/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 | 8.7% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $121,530 | 9.6% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $88,820 | 13.1% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $84,190 | 13.8% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $65,110 | 17.9% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $62,270 | 18.7% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $61,610 | 18.9% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $61,200 | 19% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $54,500 | 21.4% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $42,490 | 27.4% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $39,210 | 29.7% | Affordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $36,650 | 31.8% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $33,970 | 34.3% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $32,760 | 35.6% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $29,060 | 40.1% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Madison County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Madison (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 33.4% overall, from $728 to $971. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +15.3% in FY 2025, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑6.4% | $923 | $971 | $1,066 |
| FY 2025 ↑15.3% | $907 | $913 | $1,096 |
| FY 2024 ↑5.9% | $786 | $792 | $1,040 |
| FY 2023 ↑2.9% | $743 | $748 | $984 |
| FY 2022 ↑3.9% | $723 | $727 | $957 |
| FY 2021 ↓3.8% | $621 | $700 | $922 |
| FY 2020 | $647 | $728 | $959 |
Where Madison County Ranks in Virginia
Madison 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 #49 of 133 counties in Virginia. Nearest by rank: 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), Accomack County ($1,054), Madison County (this county) ($1,066), Shenandoah County ($1,091), Floyd County ($1,094), Prince Edward County ($1,094), Essex County ($1,113), Richmond County ($1,157), Amherst County ($1,187), Appomattox County ($1,187), Bedford County ($1,187).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Madison 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).
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 Madison County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Madison County is $971 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,066 and a studio is $923.
How does Madison County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Madison County is 1% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $971 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Madison County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Madison County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,066 ranks #1,415 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the middle half of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Madison County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $38,840 ($3,237/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Madison County.
Is rent going up or down in Madison County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Madison County increased by 6.4% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $913 to $971.
Which jobs can afford rent in Madison 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 $971/mo. 11 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Madison County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Madison County went from $728 in FY 2020 to $971 in FY 2026, a total change of +33.4% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Madison County?
In Madison County, the FY 2026 FMR of $971/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 Madison County?
For Madison County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($971/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Madison County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 0.0%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
What is the unemployment rate in Madison County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 3.2% over the past 12 months, a tight labor market that typically supports steadier rent demand.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Madison'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 $971 implies about $38,840/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 Madison 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.