1-Bedroom Rent · October 2026

1-Bedroom Apartment Rent in Charlottesville, VA

$1,573/mo

Median asking rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Charlottesville, Virginia as of October 2026. That's +22% lower than the citywide median of $2,029 and +13% above the national 1-bedroom median of $1,395.

1-Bedroom median
$1,573
October 2026
vs city overall
-22%
$2,029 city median
vs national
+13%
$1,395 US median
Virginia rank
#31
of 78 cities

Income needed for a 1-bedroom in Charlottesville

Using the standard 30% rent-to-income guideline (the threshold above which households are considered rent-burdened), here's what you need to earn to comfortably afford a 1-bedroom at the current median rent.

Annual income
$62,920
Monthly gross
$5,243
Hourly (full-time)
$30.25

Rent by apartment size in Charlottesville

Compare Charlottesville's median rent across every apartment size.

Studio
$1,488
1-Bedroom (current)
$1,573
2-Bedroom
$1,830
3-Bedroom
$2,283
4+ Bedroom
$2,775

Cheapest cities for a 1-bedroom in Virginia

#City1-Bedroom rent
1Martinsville$700
2Danville$740
3Bellwood$809
4Bristol$870
5Madison Heights$890
6Radford$900
7Christiansburg$920
8Roanoke$940
9Front Royal$980
10Salem$1,020
11Blacksburg$1,040
12Waynesboro$1,070
13Montrose$1,075
14Lynchburg$1,120
15Culpeper$1,130

Most expensive cities for a 1-bedroom in Virginia

#City1-Bedroom rent
1Great Falls$3,080
2Aldie$2,780
3Gainesville$2,730
4Burke$2,610
5Vienna$2,600
6Springfield$2,547
7Chantilly$2,490
8Arlington$2,486
9Lorton$2,480
10Fairfax$2,403
11Oakton$2,400
12Ashburn$2,395
13Sterling$2,307
14Alexandria$2,297
15McLean$2,256

Nearby cities — 1-bedroom rent

Considering nearby alternatives? 5 of these cities have cheaper 1-bedroom rents than Charlottesville.

CityDistance1-Bedroom rentvs Charlottesville
Waynesboro, VA25.4 mi$1,070$-503 (-32%)
Fishersville, VA31.8 mi$1,670+$97 (+6%)
Harrisonburg, VA37.9 mi$1,130$-443 (-28%)
Staunton, VA39.7 mi$1,130$-443 (-28%)
Culpeper, VA46 mi$1,130$-443 (-28%)
Madison Heights, VA55.4 mi$890$-683 (-43%)
Lynchburg, VA62.7 mi$1,120$-453 (-29%)
Warrenton, VA65.4 mi$1,630+$57 (+4%)
Front Royal, VA66.8 mi$980$-593 (-38%)
Midlothian, VA69.7 mi$1,850+$277 (+18%)
Glen Allen, VA70.7 mi$1,905+$332 (+21%)
Fredericksburg, VA71.7 mi$1,753+$180 (+11%)

1-Bedroom rent in Charlottesville — common questions

How much is a 1-bedroom apartment in Charlottesville?

As of October 2026, the median 1-bedroom apartment rent in Charlottesville, Virginia is $1,573 per month. This is +22% below the citywide median of $2,029.

What income do you need to afford a 1-bedroom in Charlottesville?

Using the standard 30% rent-to-income rule, you would need an annual income of about $62,920 ($5,243/month gross), which works out to roughly $30.25/hour at a full-time job.

Is Charlottesville expensive for a 1-bedroom compared to the rest of the US?

Charlottesville's 1-bedroom median of $1,573 is +13% above the national 1-bedroom median of $1,395. It ranks in the 62th percentile of US cities tracked.

How does Charlottesville rank for 1-bedroom rent in Virginia?

Among the 78 cities in Virginia with 1-bedroom data, Charlottesville ranks #31 from cheapest to most expensive.

Are there cheaper 1-bedroom options near Charlottesville?

Yes — nearby cities with cheaper 1-bedroom rents include Waynesboro ($1,070), Harrisonburg ($1,130), Staunton ($1,130).

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Methodology: Bedroom-level rent medians come from HUD Fair Market Rent data calibrated to the Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) for Charlottesville, which serves as the citywide anchor. When the HUD bedroom values exceed the ZORI city median (a common quirk in luxury markets and small samples), bedroom values are proportionally scaled down to align. Income required uses the standard 30% rent-to-income guideline. Comparison rankings use the same data month across all cities (October 2026) and exclude cities with median rent below $400 or above $20,000.