Rents are right about where Newport News'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 $1,605 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: September 25, 2026
What the numbers show
January. Asking rents in Newport News usually run 0.6% below trend in January and 0.6% above it in May, about $19 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Newport News is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Newport News changed +7.0% over the year to August 2026. Across the 66 Virginia cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.3%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Newport News rose 47.6% while median household income rose 30.9% ($53,215 to $69,634). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Newport News is 60.8% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 36.8% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 9 months in a row, and rose in 11 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($69,634) is $1,741 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,530); a 3-bedroom is $2,128.
The priciest of 6 ZIP codes in Newport News, 23606 ($1,676/mo), costs 14% more than the cheapest, 23601 ($1,472/mo).
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Newport News. 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
Newport News, VA is roughly split between renters and owners, 30.6% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Newport News, VA has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in Newport News, VA has shifted from $1,118 to $1,605, up 43.6% since 2021. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $57,463 in 2021 to $69,634 more recently. 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 28.1% to 30.6% across the same window. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the Newport News, VA market of 2021.
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Can you afford rent in Newport News on your salary?
At $1,605/mo, how Newport News rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Newport News rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Newport News. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Newport News
Last updated: September 25, 2026
The median rent in Newport News is $1,605/mo as of September 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,328/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,530/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,337/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,128/mo.
At 28% of local median household income ($69,634/yr), Newport News ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 7.0% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Newport News rent compare to other cities in Virginia?
At $1,605/mo, rent takes ~28% of Newport News's median household income ($69,634/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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