Rents are right about where Herndon'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 $2,382 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
December. Asking rents in Herndon usually run 1% below trend in December and 1.4% above it in July, about $57 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Herndon is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Herndon changed +1.1% 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 Herndon rose 27.1% while median household income rose 32.9% ($111,371 to $148,000). Income kept ahead of rent.
Rent in Herndon is 31.8% 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 ($148,000) is $3,700 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 4-bedroom ($3,660).
Manassas Park, 13 miles away, rents for 11% less ($2,115/mo), about $3,200 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Herndon. 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
Herndon, VA is majority owner-occupied, has a median income above the national average, 53.2% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Herndon, VA has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in Herndon, VA has shifted from $1,779 to $2,382, up 33.9% since 2021. Census figures show median household income at $148,000 today, compared with $117,741 five years earlier. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 49.6% to 53.2% across the same window. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.
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At $2,382/mo, how Herndon rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Herndon rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Herndon. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Herndon
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Herndon is $2,382/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $2,155/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,480/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,205/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $3,100/mo.
At 19% of local median household income ($148,000/yr), Herndon ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 1.1% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Herndon rent compare to other cities in Virginia?
At $2,382/mo, rent takes ~19% of Herndon's median household income ($148,000/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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