Rents are right about where Blacksburg'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 $1,910 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
Rent in Blacksburg is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in October 2022.
Rent in Blacksburg changed +3.7% over the year to September 2026. Across the 66 Virginia cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.5%.
Rent has risen 6 months in a row, and rose in 9 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($50,182) is $1,255 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($1,040); a 2-bedroom is $1,320.
Christiansburg, 9 miles away, rents for 19% less ($1,553/mo), about $4,300 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Blacksburg. 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
Blacksburg, VA is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 69.2% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Blacksburg, VA has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in Blacksburg, VA has shifted from $1,613 to $1,910, up 18.4% since 2023. Median household income climbed from $43,804 to $50,182 between 2021 and 2024, a 14.6% shift. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show Blacksburg, VA adding about 1,061 residents over the five-year window, up 2.4% on net. The renter share has eased from 66.4% to 64.2%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. Taken together, the five-year picture in Blacksburg, VA reflects how housing costs and the people paying them have evolved through a stretch that included a pandemic, a hot rental market, and a recent cooling phase.
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Can you afford rent in Blacksburg on your salary?
At $1,910/mo, how Blacksburg rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Blacksburg rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Blacksburg. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Blacksburg
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Blacksburg is $1,910/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $990/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,320/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,040/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,770/mo.
At 46% of local median household income ($50,182/yr), Blacksburg ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 3.7% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Blacksburg?
Is rent going up or down in Blacksburg?
How does Blacksburg rent compare to other cities in Virginia?
At $1,910/mo, rent takes ~46% of Blacksburg's median household income ($50,182/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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