Rents are right about where Arlington's 10-year trend predicts.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $2,680 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
January. Asking rents in Arlington usually run 1.5% below trend in January and 1.3% above it in August, about $75 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Arlington is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Arlington changed +1.8% over the year to September 2026. Across the 66 Virginia cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.5%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Arlington rose 18% while median household income rose 18.4% ($120,071 to $142,114). Income kept ahead of rent.
Rent in Arlington is 19.9% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 6 months in a row, and rose in 8 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($142,114) is $3,553 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 3-bedroom ($3,501); a 4-bedroom is $4,124.
The priciest of 9 ZIP codes in Arlington, 22205 ($3,742/mo), costs 1.7 times the cheapest, 22204 ($2,195/mo).
Alexandria, 5 miles away, rents for 15% less ($2,275/mo), about $4,900 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Arlington. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Arlington, VA is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income above the national average, 77.1% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Arlington, VA has changed in 5 years
The median rent in Arlington, VA stood at $2,074 in 2021 and currently runs about $2,680, reflecting a 29.2% increase over the period. Household income in the area moved from $128,145 to $142,114 across the same window, up 10.9% versus 2021. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in Arlington, VA look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.
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At $2,680/mo, how Arlington rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Arlington rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Arlington. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Arlington
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Arlington is $2,680/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $2,433/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,798/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,486/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $3,501/mo.
At 23% of local median household income ($142,114/yr), Arlington ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 1.8% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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At $2,680/mo, rent takes ~23% of Arlington's median household income ($142,114/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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