Can An Accountant Afford Rent in Portsmouth, VA?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 21% of gross income.

Portsmouth rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Virginia state estimate).

Portsmouth median rent
$1,617/mo
Accountant salary (Virginia)
$92,596/yr
Rent as % of income
21%
Gross monthly income works out to about $7,716, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,315/mo in rent. Portsmouth's median rent of $1,617 leaves roughly $698/mo of headroom under that threshold. An accountant works roughly 36.3 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and an accountant salary

Accountant pay covers comfortable rent in nearly every US city. The cost-of-living premium that high-cost metros add to rent is offset, in most cases, by higher local accountant pay — but not entirely. At the national-average accountant salary, the 30% rule supports about $2,270 a month in rent, which is above the median rent in most metros tracked here. The per-city pages quantify the surplus or pinch in each market.

Cheaper rent nearby

These Virginia cities have lower median rent than Portsmouth, which improves the affordability math on an accountant salary:

Bellwood, VA
$1,615/mo (20.9% of income)
Norfolk, VA
$1,610/mo (20.9% of income)
Norfolk, VA
$1,607/mo (20.8% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Portsmouth

View full rent data for Portsmouth, VA

Frequently asked questions

Can an accountant afford rent in Portsmouth, VA?

Median rent in Portsmouth is $1,617 a month. A typical accountant in Virginia earns about $92,596 a year, which makes that rent 21% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can an accountant afford in Portsmouth?

Using the 30% rule, an accountant salary in Virginia (~$92,596/yr) supports up to $2,315 a month in rent. Portsmouth's current median rent is $1,617/mo, which leaves a $698/mo buffer.

How many hours does an accountant work to cover rent in Portsmouth?

At an hourly equivalent of about $45 an hour, an accountant in Virginia works roughly 36.3 hours a month to cover Portsmouth's median rent of $1,617.

Where is rent cheaper than Portsmouth for an accountant?

Nearby Virginia cities with lower median rent include Bellwood ($1,615/mo), Norfolk ($1,610/mo), Norfolk ($1,607/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on an accountant salary.

Methodology: Salary uses the BLS-derived Virginia state estimate from OEWS May 2024. Rent is the most recent ZORI monthly value for Portsmouth, VA. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.