How much rent can you afford in Reston, VA?
Run your salary against Reston's current rent, or find the income you'd need for a target rent. Powered by live RentDataNow medians.
The 30% rent rule, in Reston
At a median rent of $2,598/mo, Reston is very affordable when measured against Reston median household income of $148,710/yr. Rent would consume roughly 21% of pre-tax income, and a salary of about $103,920 keeps rent at the recommended 30% threshold.
How Reston compares nearby
Median rent for the closest cities with data.
Frequently asked
How much rent can I afford in Reston?
On a $148,710 salary (the Reston median household income), the recommended ceiling is 30% of pre-tax income, or about $3,718/mo. Reston's median rent is $2,598/mo. Use the calculator on this page to run your own salary.
What salary do I need to live in Reston?
To keep Reston's $2,598/mo median rent under 30% of income, you'd need about $103,920/yr. Lower your target share (e.g. 25%) to need more, or raise it (e.g. 40%) to need less.
Is Reston affordable on the median Virginia income?
Reston is very affordable on a $148,710 income. Rent would take 21% of pre-tax pay, inside the recommended 30% threshold.
What's the 30% rent rule?
The 30% rule is a long-standing budgeting guideline that keeps rent at or below 30% of gross (pre-tax) income. It leaves enough room for utilities, transit, savings, and debt service. In high-cost markets, many renters exceed 30%, and the Census Bureau classifies households paying more than 30% of income on rent as "cost-burdened".