Rent Affordability for An Auto Mechanic in Virginia

A typical auto mechanic in Virginia earns about $52,295 a year, which supports approximately $1,307 a month in rent under the 30% rule. Below, every tracked Virginia city is ranked by how local rent compares against that affordability ceiling.

As of May 2026. 6 of 89 cities tracked stay within the 30% rule; 83 are rent-burdened on this salary.

City↕Median rent↕% of income↑Affordability
Martinsville, VA$907/mo20.8%affordable
Madison Heights, VA$979/mo22.5%affordable
Danville, VA$1,143/mo26.2%affordable
Radford, VA$1,253/mo28.8%affordable
Lynchburg, VA$1,270/mo29.1%affordable
Farmville, VA$1,298/mo29.8%affordable
Hopewell, VA$1,322/mo30.3%stretched
Roanoke, VA$1,368/mo31.4%stretched
Petersburg, VA$1,373/mo31.5%stretched
Waynesboro, VA$1,398/mo32.1%stretched
Bristol, VA$1,399/mo32.1%stretched
Staunton, VA$1,473/mo33.8%stretched
Christiansburg, VA$1,553/mo35.6%stretched
Salem, VA$1,574/mo36.1%stretched
Forest, VA$1,574/mo36.1%stretched
South Hill, VA$1,575/mo36.1%stretched
Newport News, VA$1,593/mo36.6%stretched
Richmond, VA$1,628/mo37.4%stretched
Montrose, VA$1,629/mo37.4%stretched
Portsmouth, VA$1,642/mo37.7%stretched
Lexington, VA$1,647/mo37.8%stretched
Colonial Heights, VA$1,665/mo38.2%stretched
Highland Springs, VA$1,683/mo38.6%stretched
Hampton, VA$1,690/mo38.8%stretched
Harrisonburg, VA$1,720/mo39.5%stretched
Henrico, VA$1,722/mo39.5%stretched
Bellwood, VA$1,724/mo39.6%stretched
Norfolk, VA$1,749/mo40.1%rent-burdened
East Highland Park, VA$1,760/mo40.4%rent-burdened
Winchester, VA$1,768/mo40.6%rent-burdened
Fishersville, VA$1,810/mo41.5%rent-burdened
Chester, VA$1,829/mo42%rent-burdened
Powhatan, VA$1,835/mo42.1%rent-burdened
Culpeper, VA$1,878/mo43.1%rent-burdened
Blacksburg, VA$1,910/mo43.8%rent-burdened
Spotsylvania, VA$1,919/mo44%rent-burdened
Front Royal, VA$1,944/mo44.6%rent-burdened
Carrollton, VA$1,994/mo45.8%rent-burdened
Palmyra, VA$2,000/mo45.9%rent-burdened
Glen Allen, VA$2,022/mo46.4%rent-burdened
Suffolk, VA$2,028/mo46.5%rent-burdened
Midlothian, VA$2,028/mo46.5%rent-burdened
Charlottesville, VA$2,029/mo46.6%rent-burdened
Yorktown, VA$2,049/mo47%rent-burdened
Chesapeake, VA$2,063/mo47.3%rent-burdened
Fredericksburg, VA$2,061/mo47.3%rent-burdened
Belle Haven, VA$2,074/mo47.6%rent-burdened
Fort Belvoir, VA$2,092/mo48%rent-burdened
Virginia Beach, VA$2,098/mo48.1%rent-burdened
Williamsburg, VA$2,094/mo48.1%rent-burdened
Huntington, VA$2,111/mo48.4%rent-burdened
Manassas Park, VA$2,115/mo48.5%rent-burdened
Stephens City, VA$2,112/mo48.5%rent-burdened
Manassas, VA$2,135/mo49%rent-burdened
Woodbridge, VA$2,174/mo49.9%rent-burdened
Chesterfield, VA$2,178/mo50%rent-burdened
Mechanicsville, VA$2,225/mo51.1%severely rent-burdened
Lincolnia, VA$2,231/mo51.2%severely rent-burdened
Warrenton, VA$2,237/mo51.3%severely rent-burdened
Alexandria, VA$2,275/mo52.2%severely rent-burdened
Lakeside, VA$2,333/mo53.5%severely rent-burdened
Herndon, VA$2,382/mo54.7%severely rent-burdened
Centreville, VA$2,396/mo55%severely rent-burdened
Prince George, VA$2,395/mo55%severely rent-burdened
Mount Vernon, VA$2,402/mo55.1%severely rent-burdened
Leesburg, VA$2,431/mo55.8%severely rent-burdened
Stafford, VA$2,436/mo55.9%severely rent-burdened
Fairfax, VA$2,456/mo56.4%severely rent-burdened
Annandale, VA$2,482/mo57%severely rent-burdened
Falls Church, VA$2,534/mo58.1%severely rent-burdened
Smithfield, VA$2,554/mo58.6%severely rent-burdened
Sterling, VA$2,560/mo58.7%severely rent-burdened
Lorton, VA$2,562/mo58.8%severely rent-burdened
Reston, VA$2,589/mo59.4%severely rent-burdened
Arlington, VA$2,680/mo61.5%severely rent-burdened
McLean, VA$2,732/mo62.7%severely rent-burdened
Dumfries, VA$2,901/mo66.6%severely rent-burdened
Ashburn, VA$2,934/mo67.3%severely rent-burdened
Burke, VA$3,003/mo68.9%severely rent-burdened
Gainesville, VA$3,021/mo69.3%severely rent-burdened
Springfield, VA$3,052/mo70%severely rent-burdened
Purcellville, VA$3,063/mo70.3%severely rent-burdened
Oakton, VA$3,066/mo70.4%severely rent-burdened
Chantilly, VA$3,108/mo71.3%severely rent-burdened
Aldie, VA$3,156/mo72.4%severely rent-burdened
Vienna, VA$3,320/mo76.2%severely rent-burdened
Haymarket, VA$3,554/mo81.6%severely rent-burdened
Fort Hunt, VA$4,274/mo98.1%severely rent-burdened
Great Falls, VA$4,911/mo112.7%severely rent-burdened
Methodology: Salary is the BLS-derived state estimate for Virginia. Rent is the latest ZORI monthly value for each city. Affordability uses the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income).