State FMR profile · HUD FY2026

Fair Market Rents in Virginia

The average 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent across Virginia is $1,182/mo - 23% above the US average.

Compiled by PlainRent · August 5, 2026

$1,182
Avg 1BR FMR: 133
Counties: 8
Metro areas

The verdict

Virginia's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent averages $1,369 - 17% above the US average, the 21st highest of 51 states.

Virginia's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom averages $1,369, 17% above the US average - the 21st highest of 51 states. A household needs about $54,760 in annual income to afford it under HUD's 30% affordability rule, and rents vary 189% between the state's cheapest and priciest counties.

#21
most expensive of 51 states (2BR): +17%
vs the US 2-bedroom average: $54,760
income to afford it (30% rule): 189%
gap, cheapest→priciest county

Virginia ranks 21st priciest but 38th of 51 by rent GROWTH (+1.8% YoY) - a pricey state whose growth has actually cooled relative to the rest of the country.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents for 133 counties and 8 metro areas in VA. Verify with HUD →

What these rents mean for Virginia

Across Virginia's 133 counties and 8 metro areas, HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent averages $1,182/mo for a 1-bedroom (studio through 4-bedroom averages are broken out below). FMR is set at the county or metro FMR area level, not statewide, so that figure is the arithmetic average of every FMR area inside VA, weighted equally. Local housing authorities use each county's or metro's FMR (not the state average) to calibrate Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher payment standards, typically ranging from 90% to 110% of FMR.

Benchmarked against the rest of the country, Virginia's average 1-bedroom FMR of $1,182 is 23% above the US average of $959. Inside the state, rents are not uniform - the cheapest 1-bedroom FMR is in Charlotte County at $697, while the most expensive is in Stafford County at $2,015, a spread of roughly 189% between the lowest- and highest-cost counties. That intra-state dispersion is why urban voucher recipients, families relocating for jobs, and landlords setting Section 8 rents all need to check the specific FMR area rather than rely on a statewide figure.

For affordability, the 30% rule implies a household income of $47,280 per year (about $3,940/month) to afford Virginia's average 1-bedroom at $1,182. With a state population of 8,657,499 and median household income of $90,974, a significant share of Virginia renters fall above the 30% cost-burden threshold in higher-FMR counties. Pair these rent figures with Virginia's rent burden rankings and year-over-year rent growth pages to see which counties are tightening fastest and which remain comparatively affordable.

Where Virginia sits among all 50 states + DC

Average 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. every US state

$1,369 higher than 59% of 51 states

Each bar is a $0.1K-wide band; taller bars hold more states. 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

State Average vs National Average

Studio

$1,137

+27% vs US avg

1 BR

$1,182

+23% vs US avg

2 BR

$1,369

+17% vs US avg

3 BR

$1,789

+17% vs US avg

4 BR

$2,128

+21% vs US avg

Stafford County

$2,015
Spotsylvania County

$2,015
Prince William County

$2,015
Manassas city

$2,015
Manassas Park city

$2,015
Loudoun County

$2,015
Fredericksburg city

$2,015
Fauquier County

$2,015
Falls Church city

$2,015
Fairfax city

$2,015

What this shows Inside VA, 1-bedroom FMR runs from $697 in Charlotte County to $2,015 in Stafford County.

Cheapest Counties

Lowest FMR rental costs →

Most Expensive Counties

Highest FMR rental costs →

Rent Burden

% of income spent on rent →

Rent Growth

YoY rent trends by county →

Metro areas in Virginia

Each metro FMR area applies one rent schedule across all its counties, ranked here by 1-bedroom FMR.

#	Metro area	Studio	1 BR	2 BR	3 BR	4 BR
1	Charlottesville, VA MSA	$1,421	$1,602	$1,824	$2,218	$2,731
2	Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area	$1,442	$1,507	$1,655	$2,072	$2,553
3	Winchester, VA-WV MSA	$1,133	$1,255	$1,573	$1,965	$2,639
4	Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA MSA	$1,088	$1,095	$1,261	$1,734	$1,941
5	Harrisonburg, VA MSA	$1,050	$1,057	$1,322	$1,801	$2,125
6	Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area	$1,004	$1,053	$1,254	$1,743	$2,104
7	Lynchburg, VA MSA	$1,027	$1,033	$1,187	$1,635	$1,750
8	Floyd County, VA HUD Metro FMR Area	$830	$834	$1,094	$1,312	$1,448

Counties in Virginia, ranked by rent (133)

All 133 counties with a published FY2026 Fair Market Rent, highest 1-bedroom first.

133 of 133

#	County	Studio	1 BR	2 BR	3 BR	4 BR
1	Alexandria city	$1,953	$2,015	$2,246	$2,835	$3,332
2	Arlington County	$1,953	$2,015	$2,246	$2,835	$3,332
3	Clarke County	$1,953	$2,015	$2,246	$2,835	$3,332
4	Fairfax County	$1,953	$2,015	$2,246	$2,835	$3,332
5	Fairfax city	$1,953	$2,015	$2,246	$2,835	$3,332
6	Falls Church city	$1,953	$2,015	$2,246	$2,835	$3,332
7	Fauquier County	$1,953	$2,015	$2,246	$2,835	$3,332
8	Fredericksburg city	$1,953	$2,015	$2,246	$2,835	$3,332
9	Loudoun County	$1,953	$2,015	$2,246	$2,835	$3,332
10	Manassas Park city	$1,953	$2,015	$2,246	$2,835	$3,332
11	Manassas city	$1,953	$2,015	$2,246	$2,835	$3,332
12	Prince William County	$1,953	$2,015	$2,246	$2,835	$3,332
13	Spotsylvania County	$1,953	$2,015	$2,246	$2,835	$3,332
14	Stafford County	$1,953	$2,015	$2,246	$2,835	$3,332
15	Albemarle County	$1,421	$1,602	$1,824	$2,218	$2,731
16	Charlottesville city	$1,421	$1,602	$1,824	$2,218	$2,731
17	Fluvanna County	$1,421	$1,602	$1,824	$2,218	$2,731
18	Greene County	$1,421	$1,602	$1,824	$2,218	$2,731
19	Nelson County	$1,421	$1,602	$1,824	$2,218	$2,731
20	Chesapeake city	$1,492	$1,512	$1,713	$2,376	$2,797
21	Gloucester County	$1,492	$1,512	$1,713	$2,376	$2,797
22	Hampton city	$1,492	$1,512	$1,713	$2,376	$2,797
23	Isle of Wight County	$1,492	$1,512	$1,713	$2,376	$2,797
24	James City County	$1,492	$1,512	$1,713	$2,376	$2,797
25	Mathews County	$1,492	$1,512	$1,713	$2,376	$2,797
26	Newport News city	$1,492	$1,512	$1,713	$2,376	$2,797
27	Norfolk city	$1,492	$1,512	$1,713	$2,376	$2,797
28	Poquoson city	$1,492	$1,512	$1,713	$2,376	$2,797
29	Portsmouth city	$1,492	$1,512	$1,713	$2,376	$2,797
30	Suffolk city	$1,492	$1,512	$1,713	$2,376	$2,797
31	Virginia Beach city	$1,492	$1,512	$1,713	$2,376	$2,797
32	Williamsburg city	$1,492	$1,512	$1,713	$2,376	$2,797
33	York County	$1,492	$1,512	$1,713	$2,376	$2,797
34	Amelia County	$1,442	$1,507	$1,655	$2,072	$2,553
35	Charles City County	$1,442	$1,507	$1,655	$2,072	$2,553
36	Chesterfield County	$1,442	$1,507	$1,655	$2,072	$2,553
37	Colonial Heights city	$1,442	$1,507	$1,655	$2,072	$2,553
38	Dinwiddie County	$1,442	$1,507	$1,655	$2,072	$2,553
39	Goochland County	$1,442	$1,507	$1,655	$2,072	$2,553
40	Hanover County	$1,442	$1,507	$1,655	$2,072	$2,553
41	Henrico County	$1,442	$1,507	$1,655	$2,072	$2,553
42	Hopewell city	$1,442	$1,507	$1,655	$2,072	$2,553
43	King William County	$1,442	$1,507	$1,655	$2,072	$2,553
44	New Kent County	$1,442	$1,507	$1,655	$2,072	$2,553
45	Petersburg city	$1,442	$1,507	$1,655	$2,072	$2,553
46	Powhatan County	$1,442	$1,507	$1,655	$2,072	$2,553
47	Prince George County	$1,442	$1,507	$1,655	$2,072	$2,553
48	Richmond city	$1,442	$1,507	$1,655	$2,072	$2,553
49	Sussex County	$1,442	$1,507	$1,655	$2,072	$2,553
50	Frederick County	$1,133	$1,255	$1,573	$1,965	$2,639
51	Winchester city	$1,133	$1,255	$1,573	$1,965	$2,639
52	Rappahannock County	$1,198	$1,254	$1,375	$1,649	$2,307
53	King George County	$1,182	$1,211	$1,469	$2,043	$2,464
54	Culpeper County	$1,149	$1,170	$1,423	$1,978	$2,007
55	King and Queen County	$1,089	$1,139	$1,250	$1,536	$1,929
56	Louisa County	$1,080	$1,138	$1,247	$1,734	$1,950
57	Augusta County	$1,088	$1,095	$1,261	$1,734	$1,941
58	Staunton city	$1,088	$1,095	$1,261	$1,734	$1,941
59	Waynesboro city	$1,088	$1,095	$1,261	$1,734	$1,941
60	Northumberland County	$1,066	$1,073	$1,309	$1,569	$2,047
61	Middlesex County	$1,052	$1,058	$1,291	$1,548	$2,018
62	Harrisonburg city	$1,050	$1,057	$1,322	$1,801	$2,125
63	Rockingham County	$1,050	$1,057	$1,322	$1,801	$2,125
64	Botetourt County	$1,004	$1,053	$1,254	$1,743	$2,104
65	Craig County	$1,004	$1,053	$1,254	$1,743	$2,104
66	Roanoke County	$1,004	$1,053	$1,254	$1,743	$2,104
67	Roanoke city	$1,004	$1,053	$1,254	$1,743	$2,104
68	Salem city	$1,004	$1,053	$1,254	$1,743	$2,104
69	Amherst County	$1,027	$1,033	$1,187	$1,635	$1,750
70	Appomattox County	$1,027	$1,033	$1,187	$1,635	$1,750
71	Bedford County	$1,027	$1,033	$1,187	$1,635	$1,750
72	Campbell County	$1,027	$1,033	$1,187	$1,635	$1,750
73	Lynchburg city	$1,027	$1,033	$1,187	$1,635	$1,750
74	Caroline County	$859	$1,021	$1,246	$1,733	$2,090
75	Orange County	$1,005	$1,012	$1,234	$1,716	$1,929
76	Warren County	$953	$1,002	$1,315	$1,754	$2,206
77	Montgomery County	$910	$993	$1,271	$1,706	$2,132
78	Radford city	$910	$993	$1,271	$1,706	$2,132
79	Westmoreland County	$973	$979	$1,194	$1,658	$1,810
80	Madison County	$923	$971	$1,066	$1,483	$1,667
81	Prince Edward County	$916	$922	$1,094	$1,312	$1,448
82	Surry County	$905	$920	$1,039	$1,445	$1,743
83	Buena Vista city	$870	$917	$1,005	$1,398	$1,686
84	Lexington city	$870	$917	$1,005	$1,398	$1,686
85	Rockbridge County	$870	$917	$1,005	$1,398	$1,686
86	Essex County	$907	$912	$1,113	$1,341	$1,556
87	Giles County	$746	$898	$984	$1,180	$1,651
88	Richmond County	$876	$882	$1,157	$1,464	$1,825
89	Buckingham County	$830	$875	$959	$1,266	$1,419
90	Lancaster County	$857	$862	$1,052	$1,463	$1,765
91	Franklin County	$771	$861	$944	$1,313	$1,584
92	Accomack County	$740	$856	$1,054	$1,367	$1,549
93	Shenandoah County	$849	$855	$1,091	$1,394	$1,523
94	Pulaski County	$699	$840	$921	$1,252	$1,545
95	Buchanan County	$792	$834	$914	$1,271	$1,494
96	Floyd County	$830	$834	$1,094	$1,312	$1,448
97	Grayson County	$792	$834	$914	$1,241	$1,252
98	Halifax County	$792	$827	$914	$1,167	$1,340
99	Bristol city	$720	$818	$1,044	$1,338	$1,464
100	Scott County	$720	$818	$1,044	$1,338	$1,464
101	Washington County	$720	$818	$1,044	$1,338	$1,464
102	Cumberland County	$812	$817	$997	$1,195	$1,673
103	Franklin city	$811	$817	$1,051	$1,346	$1,764
104	Southampton County	$811	$817	$1,051	$1,346	$1,764
105	Page County	$800	$811	$924	$1,157	$1,550
106	Bath County	$796	$801	$977	$1,171	$1,528
107	Alleghany County	$773	$778	$914	$1,259	$1,358
108	Covington city	$773	$778	$914	$1,259	$1,358
109	Carroll County	$765	$770	$914	$1,271	$1,481
110	Galax city	$765	$770	$914	$1,271	$1,481
111	Emporia city	$764	$769	$1,001	$1,392	$1,679
112	Greensville County	$764	$769	$1,001	$1,392	$1,679
113	Patrick County	$758	$763	$914	$1,146	$1,429
114	Wythe County	$758	$762	$914	$1,212	$1,533
115	Henry County	$749	$753	$914	$1,096	$1,282
116	Martinsville city	$749	$753	$914	$1,096	$1,282
117	Smyth County	$642	$753	$914	$1,191	$1,429
118	Bland County	$745	$749	$914	$1,271	$1,429
119	Brunswick County	$745	$749	$914	$1,271	$1,389
120	Dickenson County	$745	$749	$914	$1,096	$1,346
121	Highland County	$745	$749	$914	$1,233	$1,429
122	Russell County	$744	$748	$914	$1,156	$1,377
123	Nottoway County	$738	$743	$975	$1,356	$1,587
124	Danville city	$630	$738	$914	$1,263	$1,415
125	Pittsylvania County	$630	$738	$914	$1,263	$1,415
126	Tazewell County	$727	$732	$914	$1,096	$1,252
127	Mecklenburg County	$719	$724	$950	$1,224	$1,258
128	Northampton County	$719	$723	$949	$1,320	$1,592
129	Charlotte County	$692	$697	$914	$1,146	$1,533
130	Lee County	$693	$697	$914	$1,226	$1,429
131	Lunenburg County	$692	$697	$914	$1,127	$1,254
132	Norton city	$692	$697	$914	$1,205	$1,429
133	Wise County	$692	$697	$914	$1,205	$1,429

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Virginia? ▼

The average FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Virginia is $1,182 per month. A 2-bedroom averages $1,369.

How does Virginia rent compare to the national average? ▼

Virginia rents are 23% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here averages $1,182 vs $959 nationally.

Where is the cheapest rent in Virginia? ▼

The most affordable county is Charlotte County with a 1-bedroom FMR of $697. The most expensive is Stafford County at $2,015.

What income do I need to afford rent in Virginia? ▼

Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need at least $47,280/year ($3,940/month) to afford the average 1-bedroom FMR in Virginia.

Explore Virginia rent data

Rent burden → Rent growth → Cheapest counties → Most expensive counties → National rent-burden rankings → Affordability calculator →

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

What this means for renters

Treat Virginia's FY2026 average Fair Market Rent as HUD's affordability benchmark, not a single market quote.

Budget to roughly 30% of income: the FY2026 average 1-bedroom FMR of $1,182 implies about $47,280/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
Virginia's counties vary widely around this average -- compare specific counties before assuming this figure applies to yours. View county rankings
See where Virginia ranks nationally on rent. National rankings

Fair Market Rent is HUD's 40th-percentile policy benchmark used to set Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. This is a state-level average across 133 counties; actual asking rents in any specific county can run higher or lower, and HUD updates FMRs once a year. This site is informational and not financial or relocation advice.

Browse all counties → | Rankings →

Data sourced from HUD Fair Market Rents and U.S. Census Bureau ACS data. See our methodology for details. Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rent data (huduser.gov). Median household income and homeownership rate: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (census.gov/programs-surveys/acs).

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.