Counties with the most renters in Virginia

All cities are made up of a mix of homeowners and renters, with 58.6% of Americans owning their own homes and 30.4% rending in the fourth quarter of 2020, according to the American Census Bureau. In cities, there tend to be higher rates of renters due to high property values and influxes of young people who flock to urban areas after college to enter the workforce.

Stacker compiled a list of the counties with most renters in Virginia using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by percent of housing units occupied by renters as of 2019 5-year estimates. Keep reading to see if your county made the list.

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#30. Colonial Heights city

- Housing units occupied by renters: 37.1%
- 2019 median gross rent: $1,038 (+10.4% change in rent since 2015)
--- #44 highest rent among counties in Virginia, #351 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 48.6%
--- #12 most common among counties in Virginia, #155 among all counties nationwide

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#29. Henrico County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 37.3%
- 2019 median gross rent: $1,170 (+13.0% change in rent since 2015)
--- #26 highest rent among counties in Virginia, #196 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 39.0%
--- #54 most common among counties in Virginia, #980 among all counties nationwide

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#28. Bristol city

- Housing units occupied by renters: 39.6%
- 2019 median gross rent: $687 (+5.9% change in rent since 2015)
--- #105 highest rent among counties in Virginia, #1,833 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 38.3%
--- #59 most common among counties in Virginia, #1,079 among all counties nationwide

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#27. Falls Church city

- Housing units occupied by renters: 41.7%
- 2019 median gross rent: $1,867 (+23.1% change in rent since 2015)
--- #4 highest rent among counties in Virginia, #8 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 32.0%
--- #109 most common among counties in Virginia, #2,071 among all counties nationwide

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#26. Waynesboro city

- Housing units occupied by renters: 42.3%
- 2019 median gross rent: $821 (+3.4% change in rent since 2015)
--- #78 highest rent among counties in Virginia, #898 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 40.0%
--- #49 most common among counties in Virginia, #849 among all counties nationwide

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#25. Staunton city

- Housing units occupied by renters: 42.7%
- 2019 median gross rent: $861 (+8.3% change in rent since 2015)
--- #67 highest rent among counties in Virginia, #732 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 36.1%
--- #84 most common among counties in Virginia, #1,461 among all counties nationwide

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#24. Martinsville city

- Housing units occupied by renters: 44.1%
- 2019 median gross rent: $656 (+11.4% change in rent since 2015)
--- #112 highest rent among counties in Virginia, #2,133 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 38.4%
--- #58 most common among counties in Virginia, #1,069 among all counties nationwide

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#23. Hampton city

- Housing units occupied by renters: 44.3%
- 2019 median gross rent: $1,118 (+10.8% change in rent since 2015)
--- #34 highest rent among counties in Virginia, #253 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 41.0%
--- #40 most common among counties in Virginia, #711 among all counties nationwide

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#22. Montgomery County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 44.6%
- 2019 median gross rent: $992 (+15.2% change in rent since 2015)
--- #49 highest rent among counties in Virginia, #418 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 42.1%
--- #30 most common among counties in Virginia, #589 among all counties nationwide

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#21. Portsmouth city

- Housing units occupied by renters: 45.0%
- 2019 median gross rent: $1,048 (+8.7% change in rent since 2015)
--- #42 highest rent among counties in Virginia, #336 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 46.8%
--- #16 most common among counties in Virginia, #239 among all counties nationwide

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#20. Lexington city

- Housing units occupied by renters: 47.6%
- 2019 median gross rent: $788 (+5.9% change in rent since 2015)
--- #86 highest rent among counties in Virginia, #1,058 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 41.0%
--- #40 most common among counties in Virginia, #711 among all counties nationwide

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#19. Franklin city

- Housing units occupied by renters: 48.4%
- 2019 median gross rent: $860 (+10.1% change in rent since 2015)
--- #68 highest rent among counties in Virginia, #738 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 46.7%
--- #17 most common among counties in Virginia, #244 among all counties nationwide

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#18. Danville city

- Housing units occupied by renters: 48.5%
- 2019 median gross rent: $682 (+13.5% change in rent since 2015)
--- #108 highest rent among counties in Virginia, #1,871 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 41.0%
--- #40 most common among counties in Virginia, #711 among all counties nationwide

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#17. Roanoke city

- Housing units occupied by renters: 48.5%
- 2019 median gross rent: $814 (+11.8% change in rent since 2015)
--- #79 highest rent among counties in Virginia, #935 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 42.6%
--- #29 most common among counties in Virginia, #535 among all counties nationwide

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#16. Norton city

- Housing units occupied by renters: 49.9%
- 2019 median gross rent: $618 (+11.0% change in rent since 2015)
--- #118 highest rent among counties in Virginia, #2,500 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 48.1%
--- #14 most common among counties in Virginia, #168 among all counties nationwide

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#15. Williamsburg city

- Housing units occupied by renters: 50.7%
- 2019 median gross rent: $1,193 (+9.1% change in rent since 2015)
--- #25 highest rent among counties in Virginia, #181 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 48.5%
--- #13 most common among counties in Virginia, #156 among all counties nationwide

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#14. Newport News city

- Housing units occupied by renters: 51.1%
- 2019 median gross rent: $1,057 (+9.6% change in rent since 2015)
--- #39 highest rent among counties in Virginia, #325 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 43.5%
--- #26 most common among counties in Virginia, #457 among all counties nationwide

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#13. Lynchburg city

- Housing units occupied by renters: 51.3%
- 2019 median gross rent: $857 (+10.2% change in rent since 2015)
--- #70 highest rent among counties in Virginia, #747 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 40.7%
--- #44 most common among counties in Virginia, #751 among all counties nationwide

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#12. Hopewell city

- Housing units occupied by renters: 53.3%
- 2019 median gross rent: $886 (+6.1% change in rent since 2015)
--- #64 highest rent among counties in Virginia, #657 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 40.7%
--- #44 most common among counties in Virginia, #751 among all counties nationwide

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#11. Radford city

- Housing units occupied by renters: 53.4%
- 2019 median gross rent: $728 (+3.3% change in rent since 2015)
--- #95 highest rent among counties in Virginia, #1,452 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 50.9%
--- #4 most common among counties in Virginia, #94 among all counties nationwide

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#10. Winchester city

- Housing units occupied by renters: 55.7%
- 2019 median gross rent: $1,054 (+12.6% change in rent since 2015)
--- #41 highest rent among counties in Virginia, #331 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 36.8%
--- #74 most common among counties in Virginia, #1,340 among all counties nationwide

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#9. Norfolk city

- Housing units occupied by renters: 56.6%
- 2019 median gross rent: $1,059 (+9.2% change in rent since 2015)
--- #38 highest rent among counties in Virginia, #323 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 43.9%
--- #24 most common among counties in Virginia, #420 among all counties nationwide

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#8. Alexandria city

- Housing units occupied by renters: 56.7%
- 2019 median gross rent: $1,747 (+12.3% change in rent since 2015)
--- #6 highest rent among counties in Virginia, #17 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 32.6%
--- #103 most common among counties in Virginia, #1,993 among all counties nationwide

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#7. Charlottesville city

- Housing units occupied by renters: 57.2%
- 2019 median gross rent: $1,142 (+14.4% change in rent since 2015)
--- #32 highest rent among counties in Virginia, #227 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 43.2%
--- #27 most common among counties in Virginia, #483 among all counties nationwide

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#6. Arlington County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 57.3%
- 2019 median gross rent: $1,970 (+7.8% change in rent since 2015)
--- #1 highest rent among counties in Virginia, #4 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 29.0%
--- #121 most common among counties in Virginia, #2,410 among all counties nationwide

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#5. Richmond city

- Housing units occupied by renters: 57.4%
- 2019 median gross rent: $1,025 (+14.4% change in rent since 2015)
--- #45 highest rent among counties in Virginia, #367 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 46.0%
--- #20 most common among counties in Virginia, #272 among all counties nationwide

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#4. Emporia city

- Housing units occupied by renters: 59.9%
- 2019 median gross rent: $694 (+2.1% change in rent since 2015)
--- #103 highest rent among counties in Virginia, #1,772 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 49.8%
--- #8 most common among counties in Virginia, #122 among all counties nationwide

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#3. Harrisonburg city

- Housing units occupied by renters: 60.4%
- 2019 median gross rent: $883 (+5.5% change in rent since 2015)
--- #66 highest rent among counties in Virginia, #667 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 41.6%
--- #37 most common among counties in Virginia, #647 among all counties nationwide

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#2. Petersburg city

- Housing units occupied by renters: 61.2%
- 2019 median gross rent: $947 (+12.5% change in rent since 2015)
--- #55 highest rent among counties in Virginia, #508 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 47.1%
--- #15 most common among counties in Virginia, #216 among all counties nationwide

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#1. Fredericksburg city

- Housing units occupied by renters: 64.5%
- 2019 median gross rent: $1,258 (+18.9% change in rent since 2015)
--- #19 highest rent among counties in Virginia, #141 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 39.7%
--- #52 most common among counties in Virginia, #895 among all counties nationwide

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