County FMR · HUD FY2026
Salem city Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Salem city, VA - 10% above the US average.
- $1,053
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,254
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +11.1%
- YoY change
- +10%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Salem city is the 65th most expensive of 133 counties in Virginia by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #881 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 11.1% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.
- #881
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #65
- most expensive of 133 in Virginia (2BR)
- -11%
- vs the state average
- $42,120
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (9.4%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (43.5%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Salem city, VA. Verify with HUD →
HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Salem city, Virginia at $1,053 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,254/mo and a studio is $1,004/mo. This is 10% higher than the national average of $959 and 11% below the Virginia average of $1,182.
Rent increased11.1% from FY 2025 ($948), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $42,120/year for a 1-bedroom.
Observed renter burden: 45.7% of the 3,699 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: 25,372. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-0.2%, Census ACS). That's slower than Virginia's statewide growth of +2.9% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area SALEM·CITY·VA·VA
Salem city, VA: $1,053/mo 1BR · #881 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA VA
- 1BR-FMR $1,053
- 2BR-FMR $1,254
- RANK-MID #881
- YOY-SURGE +11.1%
- VSUS-ABOVE +10%
- VS-ST-LOW -11% VA
- INC-ROOM 19%
- POP-SMALL 25K
- PHOTO-NEAR Fairfax County
- VOUCH-90-110 $948–$1,158
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Fairfax ($962 1BR gap)
Read with: How Fair Market Rent works
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $892 | $1,004 | +$112 (+12.6%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $948 | $1,053 | +$105 (+11.1%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,141 | $1,254 | +$113 (+9.9%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,597 | $1,743 | +$146 (+9.1%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,885 | $2,104 | +$219 (+11.6%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Salem 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 Salem city sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,254 Top 28% higher than 72% 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 Salem 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
- Salem city
Salem city
$1,053 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Salem 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), Salem city (this county) ($1,053).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $1,053/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 | 9.4% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $121,530 | 10.4% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $88,820 | 14.2% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $84,190 | 15% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $65,110 | 19.4% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $62,270 | 20.3% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $61,610 | 20.5% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $61,200 | 20.6% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $54,500 | 23.2% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $42,490 | 29.7% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $39,210 | 32.2% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $36,650 | 34.5% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $33,970 | 37.2% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $32,760 | 38.6% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $29,060 | 43.5% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Salem city. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Salem city (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 57.6% overall, from $668 to $1,053. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +14.7% in FY 2023, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑11.1% | $1,004 | $1,053 | $1,254 |
| FY 2025 ↑6.0% | $892 | $948 | $1,141 |
| FY 2024 ↑11.3% | $811 | $894 | $1,088 |
| FY 2023 ↑14.7% | $723 | $803 | $990 |
| FY 2022 ↓5.8% | $617 | $700 | $879 |
| FY 2021 ↑11.2% | $641 | $743 | $941 |
| FY 2020 | $555 | $668 | $844 |
Part of the Roanoke, VA Metro Area
Salem city is a central county of the Roanoke, VA metropolitan statistical area, alongside 5 other metro-area counties.
Salem city ranks #5 of 6 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Roanoke city ($1,053), Roanoke County ($1,053), Botetourt County ($1,053), Craig County ($1,053), Salem city (this county) ($1,053), Franklin County ($861).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Salem 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 Salem city? ▼
How does Salem city rent compare to the national average? ▼
Where does Salem city rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Salem city? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Salem city? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Salem city? ▼
How much has rent changed in Salem city over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Salem city? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Salem city? ▼
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.