Rent Affordability for A Lawyer in Virginia

A typical lawyer in Virginia earns about $179,999 a year, which supports approximately $4,500 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. 88 of 89 cities tracked stay within the 30% rule; 1 are rent-burdened on this salary.

City↕Median rent↕% of income↑Affordability
Martinsville, VA$907/mo6%very comfortable
Madison Heights, VA$979/mo6.5%very comfortable
Danville, VA$1,143/mo7.6%very comfortable
Radford, VA$1,253/mo8.4%very comfortable
Lynchburg, VA$1,270/mo8.5%very comfortable
Farmville, VA$1,298/mo8.7%very comfortable
Hopewell, VA$1,322/mo8.8%very comfortable
Roanoke, VA$1,368/mo9.1%very comfortable
Petersburg, VA$1,373/mo9.2%very comfortable
Waynesboro, VA$1,398/mo9.3%very comfortable
Bristol, VA$1,399/mo9.3%very comfortable
Staunton, VA$1,473/mo9.8%very comfortable
Christiansburg, VA$1,553/mo10.4%very comfortable
Salem, VA$1,574/mo10.5%very comfortable
Forest, VA$1,574/mo10.5%very comfortable
South Hill, VA$1,575/mo10.5%very comfortable
Newport News, VA$1,593/mo10.6%very comfortable
Richmond, VA$1,628/mo10.9%very comfortable
Portsmouth, VA$1,642/mo10.9%very comfortable
Montrose, VA$1,629/mo10.9%very comfortable
Lexington, VA$1,647/mo11%very comfortable
Colonial Heights, VA$1,665/mo11.1%very comfortable
Highland Springs, VA$1,683/mo11.2%very comfortable
Hampton, VA$1,690/mo11.3%very comfortable
Harrisonburg, VA$1,720/mo11.5%very comfortable
Bellwood, VA$1,724/mo11.5%very comfortable
Henrico, VA$1,722/mo11.5%very comfortable
Norfolk, VA$1,749/mo11.7%very comfortable
East Highland Park, VA$1,760/mo11.7%very comfortable
Winchester, VA$1,768/mo11.8%very comfortable
Fishersville, VA$1,810/mo12.1%very comfortable
Chester, VA$1,829/mo12.2%very comfortable
Powhatan, VA$1,835/mo12.2%very comfortable
Culpeper, VA$1,878/mo12.5%very comfortable
Blacksburg, VA$1,910/mo12.7%very comfortable
Spotsylvania, VA$1,919/mo12.8%very comfortable
Front Royal, VA$1,944/mo13%very comfortable
Carrollton, VA$1,994/mo13.3%very comfortable
Palmyra, VA$2,000/mo13.3%very comfortable
Suffolk, VA$2,028/mo13.5%very comfortable
Charlottesville, VA$2,029/mo13.5%very comfortable
Midlothian, VA$2,028/mo13.5%very comfortable
Glen Allen, VA$2,022/mo13.5%very comfortable
Fredericksburg, VA$2,061/mo13.7%very comfortable
Yorktown, VA$2,049/mo13.7%very comfortable
Chesapeake, VA$2,063/mo13.8%very comfortable
Belle Haven, VA$2,074/mo13.8%very comfortable
Fort Belvoir, VA$2,092/mo13.9%very comfortable
Virginia Beach, VA$2,098/mo14%very comfortable
Williamsburg, VA$2,094/mo14%very comfortable
Manassas Park, VA$2,115/mo14.1%very comfortable
Huntington, VA$2,111/mo14.1%very comfortable
Stephens City, VA$2,112/mo14.1%very comfortable
Manassas, VA$2,135/mo14.2%very comfortable
Woodbridge, VA$2,174/mo14.5%very comfortable
Chesterfield, VA$2,178/mo14.5%very comfortable
Mechanicsville, VA$2,225/mo14.8%very comfortable
Lincolnia, VA$2,231/mo14.9%very comfortable
Warrenton, VA$2,237/mo14.9%very comfortable
Alexandria, VA$2,275/mo15.2%very comfortable
Lakeside, VA$2,333/mo15.6%very comfortable
Herndon, VA$2,382/mo15.9%very comfortable
Centreville, VA$2,396/mo16%very comfortable
Mount Vernon, VA$2,402/mo16%very comfortable
Prince George, VA$2,395/mo16%very comfortable
Leesburg, VA$2,431/mo16.2%very comfortable
Stafford, VA$2,436/mo16.2%very comfortable
Fairfax, VA$2,456/mo16.4%very comfortable
Annandale, VA$2,482/mo16.5%very comfortable
Falls Church, VA$2,534/mo16.9%very comfortable
Smithfield, VA$2,554/mo17%very comfortable
Sterling, VA$2,560/mo17.1%very comfortable
Lorton, VA$2,562/mo17.1%very comfortable
Reston, VA$2,589/mo17.3%very comfortable
Arlington, VA$2,680/mo17.9%very comfortable
McLean, VA$2,732/mo18.2%very comfortable
Dumfries, VA$2,901/mo19.3%very comfortable
Ashburn, VA$2,934/mo19.6%very comfortable
Burke, VA$3,003/mo20%affordable
Gainesville, VA$3,021/mo20.1%affordable
Springfield, VA$3,052/mo20.3%affordable
Oakton, VA$3,066/mo20.4%affordable
Purcellville, VA$3,063/mo20.4%affordable
Chantilly, VA$3,108/mo20.7%affordable
Aldie, VA$3,156/mo21%affordable
Vienna, VA$3,320/mo22.1%affordable
Haymarket, VA$3,554/mo23.7%affordable
Fort Hunt, VA$4,274/mo28.5%affordable
Great Falls, VA$4,911/mo32.7%stretched
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).