Rents are right about where Williamsburg'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 $2,094 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 Williamsburg usually run 0.7% below trend in January and 0.7% above it in June, about $29 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Williamsburg is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Williamsburg changed +6.4% 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 Williamsburg rose 40.3% while median household income rose 31.6% ($57,463 to $75,604). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Williamsburg is 50.2% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 7 months in a row, and rose in 11 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($75,604) is $1,890 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,760); a 3-bedroom is $2,450.
Newport News, 21 miles away, rents for 24% less ($1,593/mo), about $6,000 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Williamsburg. 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
Williamsburg, VA is roughly split between renters and owners, skews toward younger working-age adults, 45.8% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Williamsburg, VA has changed in 5 years
Rent in Williamsburg, VA has climbed 42.6% since 2021, going from about $1,468 per month to roughly $2,094 today. On the earnings side, the typical household in Williamsburg, VA now reports about $75,604, up from $65,297 in 2021. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 26.8 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. Headcount in the area went from 15,299 to 15,798 between 2021 and 2024, a 3.3% change. About 46.8% of households rent today, against 48.4% in 2021. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher slipped from 50.4% to 45.8%. For context, the 2021 to 2026 window covers an unusually volatile run for US rents nationally, and Williamsburg, VA reflects that arc in its own way.
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At $2,094/mo, how Williamsburg rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Williamsburg rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Williamsburg. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Williamsburg
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Williamsburg is $2,094/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,535/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,760/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,535/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,450/mo.
At 33% of local median household income ($75,604/yr), Williamsburg ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 6.4% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Williamsburg?
At $2,094/mo, rent takes ~33% of Williamsburg's median household income ($75,604/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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