At $1,253/mo, rent takes about 26% of the local median household income, comfortably within the 30% benchmark.
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 $1,253 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
Rent in Radford changed +1.0% over the year to September 2026. Across the 66 Virginia cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.5%.
Rent rose in 7 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($57,348) is $1,434 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,140); a 3-bedroom is $1,550.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Radford. 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
Radford, VA is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 37.9% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Radford, VA has changed in 5 years
Census figures show median household income at $57,348 today, compared with $44,360 five years earlier. Headcount in the area went from 16,205 to 16,726 between 2021 and 2024, a 3.2% change. About 57.7% of households rent today, against 54.3% in 2021. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher slipped from 40.4% to 37.9%.
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Can you afford rent in Radford on your salary?
At $1,253/mo, how Radford rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Radford rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Radford. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Radford
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Radford is $1,253/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $900/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,140/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $900/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,550/mo.
At 26% of local median household income ($57,348/yr), Radford ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 1.1% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Radford?
Is rent going up or down in Radford?
How does Radford rent compare to other cities in Virginia?
Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Radford?
At $1,253/mo, rent takes ~26% of Radford's median household income ($57,348/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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