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Franklin County, VA

The Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Franklin County, VA is $944 per month, ranking #653 out of 693 areas nationwide. The area median household income is $68,348, meaning a household spending Fair Market Rent on a 2-bedroom would pay 16.6% of income on housing. Rent in Franklin County has increased 4.3% year over year. The area has a population of 55K, with 20.3% of households renting.

16.6%
Affordable
of income → rent
$944
2BR Fair Market Rent
vs $1,250 national median
$68,348
Median Income
vs $71,049 national
$797
Actual Median Rent
Census ACS estimate
+4.3%
Year-over-Year
2BR FMR change
55K
Population
Census ACS
20.3%
Renters
of occupied housing
$222,800
Median Home Value
3.5%
Unemployment
BLS LAUS
20.7%
Vacancy Rate
of housing units
11.5%
Poverty Rate
below poverty line

Fair Market Rent by Bedroom Size

$771
Studio
$861
1 Bedroom
$944
2 Bedroom
$1,313
3 Bedroom
$1,584
4 Bedroom

Fair Market Rents (FMRs) are set annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality units in an area. FMRs are used to determine payment standards for the Housing Choice Voucher program and other federal housing assistance.

Housing Affordability

In Franklin County, VA, a household earning the area median income of $68,348 would spend 16.6% of their gross income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This falls below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, meaning housing is relatively affordable for median-income households in this area.

Income Needed for 2BR
$37,760
annual (30% threshold)
Hourly Wage Needed
$18
full-time (2,080 hrs/yr)
Actual Median Rent
$797
$147 below FMR

5-Year Rent Trend

+15.8% since 2021
$8152021$7922022$9082023$9052024$8712025$9442026

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent by fiscal year. Source: HUD FMR API.

Minimum Wage Affordability

The minimum wage in Virginia is $12.41/hr. A minimum-wage worker would need to work 58.5 hours per week to afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding 30% of income on housing. This means a single minimum-wage earner cannot afford a 2-bedroom working a standard 40-hour week. The poverty rate in Franklin County is 11.5%, below the national average of approximately 12.4%.

State Min Wage
$12.41/hr
Hours/Week Needed
58.5 hrs
Poverty Rate
11.5%

Housing Market Context

The median home value in Franklin County is $222,800. At a median income of $68,348, this represents a price-to-income ratio of 3.3x. 20.7% of housing units in the area are vacant, which is above the national average and may indicate softer demand or seasonal housing. The local unemployment rate is 3.5%, below the national average, indicating a relatively strong local labor market.

Rent vs. Buy
$1,560 est. mortgage
vs $944 FMR rent
Vacancy Rate
20.7%
of housing units
Unemployment
3.5%
BLS, latest available

Other Areas in Virginia

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
$2,246/mo
2BR FMR · 21.8% burden
Charlottesville
$1,824/mo
2BR FMR · 24.2% burden
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News
$1,713/mo
2BR FMR · 25.5% burden
Richmond
$1,655/mo
2BR FMR · 23.5% burden
Winchester
$1,573/mo
2BR FMR · 22.9% burden

Compare Franklin County

vs Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, VAvs Charlottesville, VAvs Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA

Areas With Similar Rent to Franklin County

Frequently Asked Questions

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Franklin County, VA is $944 per month. A studio is $771/mo, a 1-bedroom is $861/mo, and a 3-bedroom is $1,313/mo. The actual median gross rent from Census data is $797/mo.

Franklin County has a rent burden of 16.6%, meaning a household earning the median income of $68,348 would spend 16.6% of income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This is below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, indicating relatively affordable housing. To afford a 2-bedroom without being cost-burdened, a household would need an annual income of at least $37,760.

Franklin County's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $944/mo is $306 below the national median of $1,250/mo. Franklin County ranks #653 out of 693 areas for highest rent in the United States.

To afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Franklin County without spending more than 30% of income on housing, you would need an annual household income of at least $37,760, or a full-time hourly wage of $18/hour. The area median income is $68,348.

The 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Franklin County increased by 4.3% compared to the prior year. This is a modest increase, roughly in line with typical housing cost trends.

Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality rental units. Rent burden is calculated as annual 2BR FMR divided by area median household income. Census data (income, home value, population, vacancy) is from the ACS 5-Year estimates. Unemployment rates are from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.