Rents are right about where Mclean's 10-year trend predicts.
Rent by unit size
Bedroom figures are derived from HUD Fair Market Rents and scaled to match Mclean's market median, because the published HUD values all ran above it. They are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
December. Asking rents in Mclean usually run 1.3% below trend in December and 0.8% above it in June, about $57 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Mclean is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Mclean changed +3.0% 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 Mclean rose 21.2% while median household income rose 20.7% ($207,184 to $250,001). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Mclean is 27.4% 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 10 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($250,001) is $6,250 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 4-bedroom ($4,785).
Lincolnia, 9 miles away, rents for 18% less ($2,231/mo), about $6,000 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Mclean. 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
Mclean, VA is majority owner-occupied, has a large retiree population, has a median income above the national average, 84.3% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Mclean, VA has changed in 5 years
Rent in Mclean, VA has climbed 28.3% since 2021, going from about $2,130 per month to roughly $2,732 today. On the earnings side, the typical household in Mclean, VA now reports about $250,001, up from $242,610 in 2021. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 25.3 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. About 13.9% of households rent today, against 12.2% in 2021. For context, the 2021 to 2026 window covers an unusually volatile run for US rents nationally, and Mclean, VA reflects that arc in its own way.
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Can you afford rent in Mclean on your salary?
At $2,732/mo, how Mclean rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Mclean rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Mclean. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Mclean
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Mclean is $2,732/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $2,213/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,542/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,256/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $3,180/mo.
At 13% of local median household income ($250,001/yr), Mclean ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 3.0% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Mclean?
At $2,732/mo, rent takes ~13% of Mclean's median household income ($250,001/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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