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Lynchburg, VA

The Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Lynchburg, VA is $1,187 per month, ranking #398 out of 693 areas nationwide. The area median household income is $67,782, meaning a household spending Fair Market Rent on a 2-bedroom would pay 21% of income on housing. Rent in Lynchburg has increased 8.6% year over year. The area has a population of 263K, with 28.6% of households renting.

21%
Moderately Affordable
of income → rent
$1,187
2BR Fair Market Rent
vs $1,250 national median
$67,782
Median Income
vs $71,049 national
$967
Actual Median Rent
Census ACS estimate
+8.6%
Year-over-Year
2BR FMR change
263K
Population
Census ACS
28.6%
Renters
of occupied housing
$224,600
Median Home Value
13.3%
Vacancy Rate
of housing units
11.7%
Poverty Rate
below poverty line

Fair Market Rent by Bedroom Size

$1,027
Studio
$1,033
1 Bedroom
$1,187
2 Bedroom
$1,635
3 Bedroom
$1,750
4 Bedroom

Fair Market Rents (FMRs) are set annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality units in an area. FMRs are used to determine payment standards for the Housing Choice Voucher program and other federal housing assistance.

Housing Affordability

In Lynchburg, VA, a household earning the area median income of $67,782 would spend 21% of their gross income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This falls below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, meaning housing is relatively affordable for median-income households in this area.

Income Needed for 2BR
$47,480
annual (30% threshold)
Hourly Wage Needed
$23
full-time (2,080 hrs/yr)
Actual Median Rent
$967
$220 below FMR

5-Year Rent Trend

+51.4% since 2021
$7842021$8632022$9302023$1,0932024$1,2002025$1,1872026

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent by fiscal year. Source: HUD FMR API.

Minimum Wage Affordability

The minimum wage in Virginia is $12.41/hr. A minimum-wage worker would need to work 73.6 hours per week to afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding 30% of income on housing. This means a single minimum-wage earner cannot afford a 2-bedroom working a standard 40-hour week. The poverty rate in Lynchburg is 11.7%, below the national average of approximately 12.4%.

State Min Wage
$12.41/hr
Hours/Week Needed
73.6 hrs
Poverty Rate
11.7%

Housing Market Context

The median home value in Lynchburg is $224,600. At a median income of $67,782, this represents a price-to-income ratio of 3.3x. 13.3% of housing units in the area are vacant, which is above the national average and may indicate softer demand or seasonal housing.

Rent vs. Buy
$1,572 est. mortgage
vs $1,187 FMR rent
Vacancy Rate
13.3%
of housing units

Other Areas in Virginia

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
$2,246/mo
2BR FMR · 21.8% burden
Charlottesville
$1,824/mo
2BR FMR · 24.2% burden
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News
$1,713/mo
2BR FMR · 25.5% burden
Richmond
$1,655/mo
2BR FMR · 23.5% burden
Winchester
$1,573/mo
2BR FMR · 22.9% burden

Compare Lynchburg

vs Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, VAvs Charlottesville, VAvs Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA

Areas With Similar Rent to Lynchburg

Frequently Asked Questions

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Lynchburg, VA is $1,187 per month. A studio is $1,027/mo, a 1-bedroom is $1,033/mo, and a 3-bedroom is $1,635/mo. The actual median gross rent from Census data is $967/mo.

Lynchburg has a rent burden of 21%, meaning a household earning the median income of $67,782 would spend 21% of income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This is below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, indicating relatively affordable housing. To afford a 2-bedroom without being cost-burdened, a household would need an annual income of at least $47,480.

Lynchburg's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,187/mo is $63 below the national median of $1,250/mo. Lynchburg ranks #398 out of 693 areas for highest rent in the United States.

To afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Lynchburg without spending more than 30% of income on housing, you would need an annual household income of at least $47,480, or a full-time hourly wage of $23/hour. The area median income is $67,782.

The 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Lynchburg increased by 8.6% compared to the prior year. This is a significant increase, suggesting growing demand in the local housing market.

Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality rental units. Rent burden is calculated as annual 2BR FMR divided by area median household income. Census data (income, home value, population, vacancy) is from the ACS 5-Year estimates. Unemployment rates are from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.