Rents are right about where Lorton'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 $2,562 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 Lorton usually run 1.7% below trend in January and 1.1% above it in August, about $72 a month apart at today's median. Based on 10 years of data.
Rent in Lorton is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2016.
Rent in Lorton changed +1.3% 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 Lorton rose 32.6% while median household income rose 29.8% ($106,847 to $138,685). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Lorton is 36.1% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 3 months in a row, and rose in 8 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($138,685) is $3,467 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($2,790); a 3-bedroom is $3,490.
Fort Belvoir, 3 miles away, rents for 18% less ($2,092/mo), about $5,600 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Lorton. 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
Lorton, VA is majority owner-occupied, has a large share of families with children, has a median income above the national average, 60.6% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Lorton, VA has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in Lorton, VA has shifted from $1,901 to $2,562, up 34.8% since 2021. Census figures show median household income at $138,685 today, compared with $120,000 five years earlier. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show Lorton, VA losing about 403 residents over the five-year window, down 1.9% on net. The renter share has eased from 37.3% to 35.6%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 51% to 60.6% 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 $2,562/mo, how Lorton rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Lorton rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Lorton. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Lorton
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Lorton is $2,562/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $2,430/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,790/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,480/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $3,490/mo.
At 22% of local median household income ($138,685/yr), Lorton ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 1.3% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Lorton?
At $2,562/mo, rent takes ~22% of Lorton's median household income ($138,685/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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