Rents are 4% below what Harrisonburg's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
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 $1,720 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
November. Asking rents in Harrisonburg usually run 1.6% below trend in November and 1% above it in May, about $45 a month apart at today's median. Based on 6 years of data.
Rent in Harrisonburg is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in September 2020.
Rent in Harrisonburg changed +7.6% over the year to September 2026. Across the 66 Virginia cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.5%.
Rent has risen 7 months in a row, and rose in 9 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($62,254) is $1,556 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,445); a 3-bedroom is $1,955.
Waynesboro, 24 miles away, rents for 19% less ($1,398/mo), about $3,900 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Harrisonburg. 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
Harrisonburg, VA is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 37.5% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Harrisonburg, VA has changed in 5 years
The median rent in Harrisonburg, VA stood at $1,096 in 2021 and currently runs about $1,720, reflecting a 56.9% increase over the period. Median household income rose from $51,055 to $62,254 between 2021 and 2024, a 21.9% shift. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has contracted by 1.3% since 2021, moving from about 52,062 residents to roughly 51,392. College-educated residents now make up 37.5% of adults here, versus 34.5% in 2021. Taken together, the five-year picture in Harrisonburg, 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 Harrisonburg on your salary?
At $1,720/mo, how Harrisonburg rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Harrisonburg rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Harrisonburg. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Harrisonburg
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Harrisonburg is $1,720/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,120/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,445/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,130/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,955/mo.
At 33% of local median household income ($62,254/yr), Harrisonburg ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 7.6% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Harrisonburg?
At $1,720/mo, rent takes ~33% of Harrisonburg's median household income ($62,254/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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