Rents are 7% below what Winchester's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
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 $1,768 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 Winchester is 0% below its high of $1,768 in June 2026, at $1,768 as of September 2026.
Rent in Winchester changed +2.2% over the year to September 2026. Across the 66 Virginia cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.5%.
Rent rose in 8 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($63,974) is $1,599 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($1,325); a 2-bedroom is $1,655.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Winchester. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
Is your rent fair?
Compare your rent to the local median.
Who lives here
Winchester, VA is majority renter-occupied, has a median income below the national average, 31.3% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Winchester, VA has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in Winchester, VA has shifted from $1,231 to $1,768, up 43.6% since 2021. Census figures show median household income at $63,974 today, compared with $61,321 five years earlier. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show Winchester, VA losing about 281 residents over the five-year window, down 1.0% on net. The renter share has risen from 54.7% to 56.4%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 33.7% to 31.3% across the same window. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.
Discussions about Winchester
No discussions yet. Start the conversation.
Can you afford rent in Winchester on your salary?
At $1,768/mo, how Winchester rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Winchester rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Winchester. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Winchester
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Winchester is $1,768/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,155/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,655/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,325/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,055/mo.
At 33% of local median household income ($63,974/yr), Winchester ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.2% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Winchester?
Is rent going up or down in Winchester?
Which Winchester neighborhoods have the lowest rent?
How does Winchester rent compare to other cities in Virginia?
Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Winchester?
At $1,768/mo, rent takes ~33% of Winchester's median household income ($63,974/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
How does this area stack up?
Pick another city or ZIP to compare.
Estimated from ZIP-level data
Be the first to submit your rent for Winchester.
No discussions yet.