Skip to main content
RentIndex
Home / Virginia / Pulaski County

Pulaski County, VA

The Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Pulaski County, VA is $921 per month, ranking #667 out of 693 areas nationwide. The area median household income is $60,767, meaning a household spending Fair Market Rent on a 2-bedroom would pay 18.2% of income on housing. Rent in Pulaski County has increased 1.8% year over year. The area has a population of 34K, with 27.8% of households renting.

18.2%
Affordable
of income → rent
$921
2BR Fair Market Rent
vs $1,250 national median
$60,767
Median Income
vs $71,049 national
$815
Actual Median Rent
Census ACS estimate
+1.8%
Year-over-Year
2BR FMR change
34K
Population
Census ACS
27.8%
Renters
of occupied housing
$182,500
Median Home Value
3.6%
Unemployment
BLS LAUS
15.6%
Vacancy Rate
of housing units
14.6%
Poverty Rate
below poverty line

Fair Market Rent by Bedroom Size

$699
Studio
$840
1 Bedroom
$921
2 Bedroom
$1,252
3 Bedroom
$1,545
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 Pulaski County, VA, a household earning the area median income of $60,767 would spend 18.2% 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
$36,840
annual (30% threshold)
Hourly Wage Needed
$18
full-time (2,080 hrs/yr)
Actual Median Rent
$815
$106 below FMR

5-Year Rent Trend

+27.7% since 2021
$7212021$7022022$7932023$9052024$9162025$9212026

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 57.1 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 Pulaski County is 14.6%, near the national average of approximately 12.4%.

State Min Wage
$12.41/hr
Hours/Week Needed
57.1 hrs
Poverty Rate
14.6%

Housing Market Context

The median home value in Pulaski County is $182,500. At a median income of $60,767, this represents a price-to-income ratio of 3.0x. 15.6% of housing units in the area are vacant, which is above the national average and may indicate softer demand or seasonal housing. The local unemployment rate is 3.6%, below the national average, indicating a relatively strong local labor market.

Rent vs. Buy
$1,278 est. mortgage
vs $921 FMR rent
Vacancy Rate
15.6%
of housing units
Unemployment
3.6%
BLS, latest available

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 Pulaski County

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

Areas With Similar Rent to Pulaski County

Frequently Asked Questions

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Pulaski County, VA is $921 per month. A studio is $699/mo, a 1-bedroom is $840/mo, and a 3-bedroom is $1,252/mo. The actual median gross rent from Census data is $815/mo.

Pulaski County has a rent burden of 18.2%, meaning a household earning the median income of $60,767 would spend 18.2% 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 $36,840.

Pulaski County's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $921/mo is $329 below the national median of $1,250/mo. Pulaski County ranks #667 out of 693 areas for highest rent in the United States.

To afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Pulaski County without spending more than 30% of income on housing, you would need an annual household income of at least $36,840, or a full-time hourly wage of $18/hour. The area median income is $60,767.

The 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Pulaski County increased by 1.8% compared to the prior year. This is a modest increase, roughly in line with typical housing cost trends.

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.