Data / Rankings / Rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income) / Counties in Virginia

Counties in Virginia by rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income)

Clarke County had the highest rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income) of 133 counties in 2021, at 67.4%. Poquoson city had the lowest, at 24.7%. The median was 45.9% and the figure for Virginia was 47.3%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest67.4Clarke County
Lowest24.7Poquoson city
Median45.9133 counties
Virginia47.3History

Map of counties, 2021

Accomack County: 42.6 %Albemarle County: 47.4 %Alleghany County: 46.2 %Amelia County: 54.6 %Amherst County: 45.9 %Appomattox County: 46.5 %Arlington County: 38.3 %Augusta County: 40.1 %Bath County: 32.6 %Bedford County: 44 %Bland County: 55.1 %Botetourt County: 28.8 %Brunswick County: 47.3 %Buchanan County: 46.3 %Buckingham County: 50.9 %Campbell County: 38 %Caroline County: 52.2 %Carroll County: 44 %Charles City County: 53.3 %Charlotte County: 55 %Chesterfield County: 48.2 %Clarke County: 67.4 %Craig County: 27.5 %Culpeper County: 43.9 %Cumberland County: 28.7 %Dickenson County: 56.9 %Dinwiddie County: 41.3 %Essex County: 59.6 %Fairfax County: 46.1 %Fauquier County: 38.2 %Floyd County: 41.8 %Fluvanna County: 30.2 %Franklin County: 44.6 %Frederick County: 40.3 %Giles County: 36.3 %Gloucester County: 44.1 %Goochland County: 38.2 %Grayson County: 37.3 %Greene County: 31.9 %Greensville County: 46 %Halifax County: 53.2 %Hanover County: 44.3 %Henrico County: 49.3 %Henry County: 44.8 %Highland County: 51 %Isle of Wight County: 42.7 %James City County: 48.9 %King and Queen County: 39.6 %King George County: 50 %King William County: 42.4 %Lancaster County: 43.7 %Lee County: 62.8 %Loudoun County: 43.4 %Louisa County: 55.2 %Lunenburg County: 42.9 %Madison County: 55.4 %Mathews County: 43.9 %Mecklenburg County: 47.2 %Middlesex County: 39.3 %Montgomery County: 52.4 %Nelson County: 41.6 %New Kent County: 61.4 %Northampton County: 34.3 %Northumberland County: 42 %Nottoway County: 33.9 %Orange County: 41.7 %Page County: 45.4 %Patrick County: 41.8 %Pittsylvania County: 47.3 %Powhatan County: 46.5 %Prince Edward County: 48.1 %Prince George County: 44.5 %Prince William County: 48.7 %Pulaski County: 37.9 %Rappahannock County: 33.2 %Richmond County: 39.7 %Roanoke County: 44.5 %Rockbridge County: 37 %Rockingham County: 35.9 %Russell County: 40.8 %Scott County: 41.6 %Shenandoah County: 37.9 %Smyth County: 46.6 %Southampton County: 45.3 %Spotsylvania County: 48.6 %Stafford County: 45.5 %Surry County: 39.9 %Sussex County: 49.7 %Tazewell County: 40.8 %Warren County: 40.9 %Washington County: 33.7 %Westmoreland County: 52.1 %Wise County: 47.8 %Wythe County: 38.5 %York County: 47.3 %Alexandria city: 43.9 %Bristol city: 44.9 %Buena Vista city: 61.2 %Charlottesville city: 55 %Chesapeake city: 54.6 %Colonial Heights city: 63.5 %Covington city: 35.6 %Danville city: 45.7 %Emporia city: 44.7 %Fairfax city: 54.4 %Falls Church city: 35.3 %Franklin city: 50.6 %Fredericksburg city: 46.3 %Galax city: 44.6 %Hampton city: 55.1 %Harrisonburg city: 46.4 %Hopewell city: 47.9 %Lexington city: 50.7 %Lynchburg city: 47.1 %Manassas city: 53.2 %Manassas Park city: 59.7 %Martinsville city: 43.8 %Newport News city: 50.9 %Norfolk city: 51.7 %Norton city: 48 %Petersburg city: 47.3 %Poquoson city: 24.7 %Portsmouth city: 55.8 %Radford city: 53.5 %Richmond city: 52.4 %Roanoke city: 46.9 %Salem city: 40.8 %Staunton city: 47.7 %Suffolk city: 56.1 %Virginia Beach city: 49.2 %Waynesboro city: 51.4 %Williamsburg city: 49 %Winchester city: 46.1 %
  • Under 38
  • 38 to 43
  • 43 to 46
  • 46 to 48
  • 48 to 53
  • 53 and over
%, 2021. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2021

Clarke County: 67.4 %Clarke County67.4Colonial Heights city: 63.5 %Colonial Heights city63.5Lee County: 62.8 %Lee County62.8New Kent County: 61.4 %New Kent County61.4Buena Vista city: 61.2 %Buena Vista city61.2Manassas Park city: 59.7 %Manassas Park city59.7Essex County: 59.6 %Essex County59.6Dickenson County: 56.9 %Dickenson County56.9Suffolk city: 56.1 %Suffolk city56.1Portsmouth city: 55.8 %Portsmouth city55.8Madison County: 55.4 %Madison County55.4Louisa County: 55.2 %Louisa County55.2Bland County: 55.1 %Bland County55.1Hampton city: 55.1 %Hampton city55.1Charlotte County: 55 %Charlotte County55Charlottesville city: 55 %Charlottesville city55Amelia County: 54.6 %Amelia County54.6Chesapeake city: 54.6 %Chesapeake city54.6Fairfax city: 54.4 %Fairfax city54.4Radford city: 53.5 %Radford city53.5Charles City County: 53.3 %Charles City County53.3Manassas city: 53.2 %Manassas city53.2Halifax County: 53.2 %Halifax County53.2Montgomery County: 52.4 %Montgomery County52.4Richmond city: 52.4 %Richmond city52.4Caroline County: 52.2 %Caroline County52.2Westmoreland County: 52.1 %Westmoreland County52.1Norfolk city: 51.7 %Norfolk city51.7Waynesboro city: 51.4 %Waynesboro city51.4Highland County: 51 %Highland County51Buckingham County: 50.9 %Buckingham County50.9Newport News city: 50.9 %Newport News city50.9Lexington city: 50.7 %Lexington city50.7Franklin city: 50.6 %Franklin city50.6King George County: 50 %King George County50Sussex County: 49.7 %Sussex County49.7Henrico County: 49.3 %Henrico County49.3Virginia Beach city: 49.2 %Virginia Beach city49.2Williamsburg city: 49 %Williamsburg city49James City County: 48.9 %James City County48.9Clarke County: 67.4 %Clarke County67.4Colonial Heights city: 63.5 %Colonial Heights city63.5Lee County: 62.8 %Lee County62.8New Kent County: 61.4 %New Kent County61.4Buena Vista city: 61.2 %Buena Vista city61.2Manassas Park city: 59.7 %Manassas Park city59.7Essex County: 59.6 %Essex County59.6Dickenson County: 56.9 %Dickenson County56.9Suffolk city: 56.1 %Suffolk city56.1Portsmouth city: 55.8 %Portsmouth city55.8Madison County: 55.4 %Madison County55.4Louisa County: 55.2 %Louisa County55.2Bland County: 55.1 %Bland County55.1Hampton city: 55.1 %Hampton city55.1Charlotte County: 55 %Charlotte County55Charlottesville city: 55 %Charlottesville city55Amelia County: 54.6 %Amelia County54.6Chesapeake city: 54.6 %Chesapeake city54.6Fairfax city: 54.4 %Fairfax city54.4Radford city: 53.5 %Radford city53.5Charles City County: 53.3 %Charles City County53.3Manassas city: 53.2 %Manassas city53.2Halifax County: 53.2 %Halifax County53.2Montgomery County: 52.4 %Montgomery County52.4Richmond city: 52.4 %Richmond city52.4Caroline County: 52.2 %Caroline County52.2Westmoreland County: 52.1 %Westmoreland County52.1Norfolk city: 51.7 %Norfolk city51.7Waynesboro city: 51.4 %Waynesboro city51.4Highland County: 51 %Highland County51Buckingham County: 50.9 %Buckingham County50.9Newport News city: 50.9 %Newport News city50.9Lexington city: 50.7 %Lexington city50.7Franklin city: 50.6 %Franklin city50.6King George County: 50 %King George County50Sussex County: 49.7 %Sussex County49.7Henrico County: 49.3 %Henrico County49.3Virginia Beach city: 49.2 %Virginia Beach city49.2Williamsburg city: 49 %Williamsburg city49James City County: 48.9 %James City County48.9
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021 (%)
1Clarke County67.4
2Colonial Heights city63.5
3Lee County62.8
4New Kent County61.4
5Buena Vista city61.2
6Manassas Park city59.7
7Essex County59.6
8Dickenson County56.9
9Suffolk city56.1
10Portsmouth city55.8
11Madison County55.4
12Louisa County55.2
13Bland County55.1
14Hampton city55.1
15Charlotte County55
15Charlottesville city55
17Amelia County54.6
18Chesapeake city54.6
19Fairfax city54.4
20Radford city53.5
21Charles City County53.3
22Manassas city53.2
23Halifax County53.2
24Montgomery County52.4
25Richmond city52.4
26Caroline County52.2
27Westmoreland County52.1
28Norfolk city51.7
29Waynesboro city51.4
30Highland County51
31Buckingham County50.9
32Newport News city50.9
33Lexington city50.7
34Franklin city50.6
35King George County50
36Sussex County49.7
37Henrico County49.3
38Virginia Beach city49.2
39Williamsburg city49
40James City County48.9
41Prince William County48.7
42Spotsylvania County48.6
43Chesterfield County48.2
44Prince Edward County48.1
45Norton city48
46Hopewell city47.9
47Wise County47.8
48Staunton city47.7
49Albemarle County47.4
50Brunswick County47.3
51Pittsylvania County47.3
52York County47.3
53Petersburg city47.3
54Mecklenburg County47.2
55Lynchburg city47.1
56Roanoke city46.9
57Smyth County46.6
58Powhatan County46.5
59Appomattox County46.5
60Harrisonburg city46.4
61Buchanan County46.3
62Fredericksburg city46.3
63Alleghany County46.2
64Winchester city46.1
65Fairfax County46.1
66Greensville County46
67Amherst County45.9
68Danville city45.7
69Stafford County45.5
70Page County45.4
71Southampton County45.3
72Bristol city44.9
73Henry County44.8
74Emporia city44.7
75Franklin County44.6
76Galax city44.6
77Roanoke County44.5
78Prince George County44.5
79Hanover County44.3
80Gloucester County44.1
81Bedford County44
81Carroll County44
83Mathews County43.9
84Alexandria city43.9
84Culpeper County43.9
86Martinsville city43.8
87Lancaster County43.7
88Loudoun County43.4
89Lunenburg County42.9
90Isle of Wight County42.7
91Accomack County42.6
92King William County42.4
93Northumberland County42
94Patrick County41.8
95Floyd County41.8
96Orange County41.7
97Scott County41.6
98Nelson County41.6
99Dinwiddie County41.3
100Warren County40.9
101Tazewell County40.8
102Russell County40.8
103Salem city40.8
104Frederick County40.3
105Augusta County40.1
106Surry County39.9
107Richmond County39.7
108King and Queen County39.6
109Middlesex County39.3
110Wythe County38.5
111Arlington County38.3
112Fauquier County38.2
113Goochland County38.2
114Campbell County38
115Shenandoah County37.9
116Pulaski County37.9
117Grayson County37.3
118Rockbridge County37
119Giles County36.3
120Rockingham County35.9
121Covington city35.6
122Falls Church city35.3
123Northampton County34.3
124Nottoway County33.9
125Washington County33.7
126Rappahannock County33.2
127Bath County32.6
128Greene County31.9
129Fluvanna County30.2
130Botetourt County28.8
131Cumberland County28.7
132Craig County27.5
133Poquoson city24.7

Other periods

About this ranking

Renter households whose gross rent (contract rent plus utilities and fuels the renter pays) was 30 percent or more of household income in the past 12 months, as a percentage of renter households for which that ratio can be computed. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

Renters who pay no cash rent and households with no or negative income are left out of both the count and the base. 30 percent is the usual US threshold for rent burden. The EU housing cost overburden rate (housing_cost_overburden_rate) uses 40 percent of disposable income, all housing costs and people instead of households, so the two cannot be compared.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25070: renter-occupied units with gross rent of 30 percent or more of household income, as a percentage of units where it is computed, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25070.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25070: renter-occupied units with gross rent of 30 percent or more of household income, as a percentage of units where it is computed, calculated with stored inputs (Counties in Virginia by rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income), 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25070.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25070: renter-occupied units with gross rent of 30 percent or more of household income, as a percentage of units where it is computed, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in Virginia by rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income), 2021. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25070.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/rent-burdened-households/virginia-counties?period=2021. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25070: renter-occupied units with gross rent of 30 percent or more of household income, as a percentage of units where it is computed, calculated with stored inputs. Counties in Virginia by rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income), 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25070.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/rent-burdened-households/virginia-counties?period=2021.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25070: renter-occupied units with gross rent of 30 percent or more of household income, as a percentage of units where it is computed, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in Virginia by rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income), 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25070.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/rent-burdened-households/virginia-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_virginia_by_2021,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25070: renter-occupied units with gross rent of 30 percent or more of household income, as a percentage of units where it is computed, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in Virginia by rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income), 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25070.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/rent-burdened-households/virginia-counties?period=2021. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25070: renter-occupied units with gross rent of 30 percent or more of household income, as a percentage of units where it is computed, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25070.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25070: renter-occupied units with gross rent of 30 percent or more of household income, as a percentage of units where it is computed, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in Virginia by rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income), 2021
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25070.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/rent-burdened-households/virginia-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/rent-burdened-households/virginia-counties?period=2021.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25070: renter-occupied units with gross rent of 30 percent or more of household income, as a percentage of units where it is computed, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25070.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income)?

Clarke County, with 67.4% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income)?

Poquoson city, with 24.7% in 2021.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25070: renter-occupied units with gross rent of 30 percent or more of household income, as a percentage of units where it is computed, calculated with stored inputs. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income): other rankings

Counties in Virginia: more rankings