County FMR · HUD FY2026
Portsmouth city Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Portsmouth city, VA - 58% above the US average.
- $1,512
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,713
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +2.0%
- YoY change
- +58%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Portsmouth city is the 24th most expensive of 133 counties in Virginia by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #283 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties.
- #283
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #24
- most expensive of 133 in Virginia (2BR)
- +28%
- vs the state average
- $60,480
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (13.5%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (62.4%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Portsmouth city, VA. Verify with HUD →
Portsmouth city, Virginia carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,512 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,713/mo and a studio is $1,492/mo. That's 58% above the national benchmark of $959 and 28% above the Virginia average of $1,182.
Rent increased2.0% from FY 2025 ($1,483), roughly tracking inflation. Clearing the 30% rule here takes $60,480/year, a high bar relative to most US counties.
Observed renter burden: 53.3% of the 17,121 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 3.7%, 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 4.6% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Virginia. Population: 97,384. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+2.1%, Census ACS). That's in line with Virginia's statewide growth of +2.9% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area PORTSMOUTH·CITY·VA·VA
Portsmouth city, VA: $1,512/mo 1BR · #283 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA VA
- 1BR-FMR $1,512
- 2BR-FMR $1,713
- RANK-UPPER #283
- YOY-FLAT +2.0%
- VSUS-HIGH +58%
- VS-ST-HIGH +28% VA
- INC-EDGE 31%
- POP-MID 97K
- PHOTO-NEAR Fairfax County
- VOUCH-90-110 $1,361–$1,663
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Fairfax ($503 1BR gap)
Read with: Understanding rent burden
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,475 | $1,492 | +$17 (+1.2%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $1,483 | $1,512 | +$29 (+2.0%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,696 | $1,713 | +$17 (+1.0%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $2,361 | $2,376 | +$15 (+0.6%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $2,809 | $2,797 | $-12 (-0.4%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Portsmouth 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 Portsmouth city sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,713 Top 9% higher than 91% 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 Portsmouth 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
- Portsmouth city
Portsmouth city
$1,512 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
What this shows Portsmouth 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), Portsmouth city (this county) ($1,512), Virginia Beach city ($1,512), Chesterfield County ($1,507), Henrico County ($1,507).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
Against a high local FMR of $1,512/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 | 13.5% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $121,530 | 14.9% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $88,820 | 20.4% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $84,190 | 21.6% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $65,110 | 27.9% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $62,270 | 29.1% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $61,610 | 29.4% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $61,200 | 29.6% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $54,500 | 33.3% | Stretched |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $42,490 | 42.7% | Stretched |
| Customer Service Representatives | $39,210 | 46.3% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $36,650 | 49.5% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $33,970 | 53.4% | Unaffordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $32,760 | 55.4% | Unaffordable |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $29,060 | 62.4% | Unaffordable |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Portsmouth city. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Portsmouth city (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 57.8% overall, from $958 to $1,512. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +15.2% in FY 2025, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑2.0% | $1,492 | $1,512 | $1,713 |
| FY 2025 ↑15.2% | $1,475 | $1,483 | $1,696 |
| FY 2024 ↑13.2% | $1,279 | $1,287 | $1,493 |
| FY 2023 ↑12.0% | $1,116 | $1,137 | $1,329 |
| FY 2022 ↑4.4% | $993 | $1,015 | $1,193 |
| FY 2021 ↑1.5% | $960 | $972 | $1,147 |
| FY 2020 | $952 | $958 | $1,136 |
Part of the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC Metro Area
Portsmouth city is a central county of the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metropolitan statistical area, alongside 17 other metro-area counties.
Portsmouth city ranks #16 of 18 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Gates County ($1,513), Virginia Beach city ($1,512), Chesapeake city ($1,512), Norfolk city ($1,512), Newport News city ($1,512), Hampton city ($1,512), Suffolk city ($1,512), James City County ($1,512), York County ($1,512), Isle of Wight County ($1,512), Gloucester County ($1,512), Currituck County ($1,512), Williamsburg city ($1,512), Poquoson city ($1,512), Mathews County ($1,512), Portsmouth city (this county) ($1,512), Camden County ($1,139), Surry County ($920).
Show all 18 counties in this metro area
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Portsmouth 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 Portsmouth city?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Portsmouth city is $1,512 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,713 and a studio is $1,492.
How does Portsmouth city rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Portsmouth city is 58% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,512 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Portsmouth city rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Portsmouth city's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,713 ranks #283 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 Portsmouth city?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $60,480 ($5,040/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Portsmouth city.
Is rent going up or down in Portsmouth city?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Portsmouth city increased by 2.0% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,483 to $1,512.
Which jobs can afford rent in Portsmouth 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 $1,512/mo. 8 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Portsmouth city over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Portsmouth city went from $958 in FY 2020 to $1,512 in FY 2026, a total change of +57.8% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Portsmouth city?
In Portsmouth city, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,512/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 Portsmouth city?
For Portsmouth city, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,512/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Portsmouth city?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 3.7%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
What is the unemployment rate in Portsmouth city?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 4.6% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Portsmouth 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 $1,512 implies about $60,480/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 Portsmouth 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.