State rental market analysis · VA
Virginia rental markets
101 tracked cities over 5,000 population, 63 ranked and summarized by their median Overall; 0 of 63 evaluable cities pass the modeled Buy & Hold screen. Every number traces to Census, Zillow and BLS. Compare state coverage and results →
Browse every Virginia ZIP Code area → · the full server-rendered index for this state.
Part of the South Atlantic Census division (South region).
The honest read
Virginia ranks #24 of 37 coverage-eligible states for rental investing, with a median Overall of 44.7/100 across its ranked cities, below the national median. 63 ranked cities roll up into this grade. Its strongest factor is rent growth: 4.9%, 4th of 51.
The biggest drag is population growth: 0.3%, 36th of 51. A state grade is the median of its ranked cities, a screen for where to look, not underwriting. Open any city below for its full shown-math breakdown, or run a specific deal through the cap rate and cash-flow calculators.
Where it ranks, factor by factor
Every value is the median across the 63 ranked cities in this state. The national rank compares all 51 states on that one factor; the engine already flips inverted factors (affordability, low unemployment) so a better rank always means a better market. Each factor sits in one of the model’s three categories (Cash Flow, Growth, or Stability); this is a representative summary, and the full thirteen-factor breakdown is on each city’s page. Full methodology.
| Factor | Category | State value | National rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross rent yield | Cash Flow | 5.9% | #25 of 51 |
| Rent growth | Growth | 4.9% | #4 of 51 |
| Home value growth | Growth | 4.2% | #21 of 51 |
| Population growth | Growth | 0.3% | #36 of 51 |
| Job growth | Growth | 0.4% | #35 of 51 |
| Price-to-income | Cash Flow | 4.9× | #26 of 51 |
| Unemployment | Stability | 3.7% | #18 of 51 |
| Rental demand | Stability | 44% renters · 5.1% vacancy | two-part measure |
| Income growth | Growth | 4.7% | #33 of 51 |
Every city in Virginia, ranked
Led by Culpeper at 66/100. Click any column to re-sort; every city links to its full shown-math breakdown.
| VA rank | City | Grade | Cash Flow | Growth | Stability | Typical home value | Gross yield | National rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Culpeper | 66 | C | A | B | $458,842 | 5.1% | #287 |
| 2 | Suffolk | 65 | B | B | C | $389,533 | 6.3% | #348 |
| 3 med | Buena Vista | 64 | A | D | B | $202,660 | 8.5% | #434 |
| 4 | Colonial Heights | 63 | B | B | B | $298,407 | 6.3% | #503 |
| 5 | Staunton | 61 | C | B | B | $316,193 | 5.9% | #625 |
| 6 | Front Royal | 61 | C | B | A | $385,976 | 5.4% | #655 |
| 7 | Woodstock | 60 | C | C | B | $343,075 | 5.4% | #667 |
| 8 med | Smithfield | 58 | C | B | B | $407,033 | 3.8% | #865 |
| 9 | Waynesboro | 58 | C | B | C | $317,127 | 5.5% | #899 |
| 10 med | Orange | 58 | C | B | B | $343,958 | 4.8% | #926 |
| 11 | Radford | 58 | C | B | C | $271,087 | 5.9% | #943 |
| 12 | Chesapeake | 57 | B | C | C | $425,375 | 5.9% | #1008 |
| 13 | Hopewell | 55 | B | C | C | $235,011 | 6.7% | #1196 |
| 14 | Fredericksburg | 54 | C | B | C | $480,070 | 5.1% | #1356 |
| 15 | Salem | 54 | C | C | C | $310,395 | 6.3% | #1397 |
| 16 | Dumfries | 54 | C | B | C | $589,237 | 6.3% | #1415 |
| 17 | Martinsville | 53 | A | C | D | $131,885 | 8.0% | #1470 |
| 18 med | Bedford | 52 | C | C | C | $289,024 | 4.5% | #1586 |
| 19 | Vinton | 51 | C | D | B | $287,772 | 5.4% | #1770 |
| 20 | Harrisonburg | 51 | C | C | B | $354,251 | 6.0% | #1797 |
| 21 | Manassas | 50 | D | B | C | $550,432 | 4.7% | #1888 |
| 22 | Virginia Beach | 50 | C | D | B | $427,730 | 5.9% | #1894 |
| 23 med | Emporia | 50 | A | D | C | $162,643 | 8.4% | #1924 |
| 24 med | Bridgewater | 50 | D | B | B | $374,804 | 3.8% | #1945 |
| 25 | Christiansburg | 50 | B | D | C | $305,502 | 6.1% | #1951 |
| 26 | Franklin | 50 | B | C | D | $250,246 | 6.4% | #2009 |
| 27 | Hampton | 49 | B | C | D | $282,439 | 7.2% | #2048 |
| 28 | Williamsburg | 47 | C | B | C | $467,894 | 5.4% | #2343 |
| 29 | Poquoson | 47 | D | B | C | $463,662 | 4.4% | #2479 |
| 30 | Ashland | 46 | D | C | B | $468,262 | 4.9% | #2507 |
| 31 | Richmond | 45 | D | B | D | $364,726 | 5.4% | #2655 |
| 32 | Danville | 45 | A | D | D | $156,316 | 8.7% | #2762 |
| 33 | Blacksburg | 45 | D | D | B | $416,520 | 5.0% | #2789 |
| 34 | Newport News | 44 | B | D | D | $294,403 | 6.5% | #2897 |
| 35 med | Strasburg | 44 | D | C | C | $349,297 | 4.5% | #2906 |
| 36 | Lexington | 44 | D | A | D | $365,926 | 5.4% | #2913 |
| 37 | Manassas Park | 44 | C | D | C | $460,090 | 5.4% | #2920 |
| 38 | Portsmouth | 44 | B | D | D | $268,436 | 7.3% | #2932 |
| 39 med | Galax | 43 | C | D | B | $190,059 | 6.3% | #2964 |
| 40 | Petersburg | 42 | C | B | F | $251,305 | 6.4% | #3140 |
| 41 | South Boston | 42 | A | F | C | $152,829 | 11.2% | #3180 |
| 42 | Bristol | 41 | B | D | D | $202,748 | 8.4% | #3274 |
| 43 med | Wytheville | 40 | D | D | C | $223,734 | 4.6% | #3373 |
| 44 | Fairfax | 40 | F | B | B | $779,698 | 3.8% | #3397 |
| 45 | Falls Church | 40 | D | C | B | $773,771 | 4.0% | #3425 |
| 46 med | Covington | 40 | A | F | C | $168,868 | 11.4% | #3432 |
| 47 | Lynchburg | 40 | C | C | D | $266,065 | 5.8% | #3436 |
| 48 | Winchester | 40 | D | D | C | $400,684 | 5.4% | #3441 |
| 49 | Norfolk | 40 | C | D | D | $312,422 | 6.7% | #3459 |
| 50 | Leesburg | 39 | F | B | B | $851,239 | 3.4% | #3513 |
| 51 | Warrenton | 38 | F | C | C | $682,559 | 4.0% | #3612 |
| 52 | Purcellville | 38 | D | C | C | $905,665 | 4.1% | #3699 |
| 53 | Herndon | 37 | D | C | C | $725,534 | 4.0% | #3712 |
| 54 | Roanoke | 37 | C | D | D | $279,227 | 6.1% | #3784 |
| 55 med | Abingdon | 36 | D | D | B | $287,605 | 4.4% | #3800 |
| 56 med | Big Stone Gap | 36 | B | F | C | $145,846 | 5.9% | #3801 |
| 57 | Vienna | 36 | F | C | B | $1,165,194 | 3.5% | #3855 |
| 58 | Alexandria | 36 | D | D | B | $666,031 | 4.1% | #3876 |
| 59 med | Pulaski | 35 | C | F | C | $175,451 | 5.5% | #3925 |
| 60 | Farmville | 33 | C | F | B | $268,903 | 5.8% | #4118 |
| 61 med | Marion | 33 | C | F | C | $165,087 | 5.0% | #4132 |
| 62 | Charlottesville | 31 | D | D | C | $515,056 | 4.6% | #4241 |
| 63 med | Richlands | 30 | A | F | D | $112,928 | 8.7% | #4290 |
Data as of: Zillow ZHVI/ZORI through the latest monthly release · Census ACS 5-yr 2020–2024 · Census PEP July 2025 · BLS LAUS county 2025 annual (11-month average). Generated 2026-10-06. Methodology & limitations · underwrite any specific deal with the free calculators.
Limited-data cities in Virginia
These 38 cities lack enough measured factors to rank, so they are excluded from the state grade; their pages show exactly what could be measured.
ZIP markets in Virginia
903 Census ZIP Codes (ZCTAs) in Virginia · 501 data-eligible for subscores. These are sub-city government areas ranked separately from the Virginia city table. The overall Rental Investor ZIP Score leaderboard leads; the two component subscores (affordability, rental-market context) follow as independent percentiles. ZIP ranks are shown within the ZIP universe only, never mixed with, and not directly comparable to, city ranks. Vintage: the Key metric column is Census ACS 2020–2024 (5-year), the same release the city table above uses; the geographies differ, so the same measure can still disagree between the two.
Best overall ZIP Codes in Virginia
Ranked by the overall Rental Investor ZIP Score. The # is each ZIP Code's canonical VA state rank; the smaller figure is its national rank. Separate from the Virginia city table and not directly comparable to it.
| VA rank | ZIP Code | Overallgrade · national | Key metric |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | 22701Culpeper | A 78#6 nat | 4.3%Survey yield |
| #2 | 22554Stafford Courthouse | A 75#52 nat | 4.8%Survey yield |
| #3 | 20147Ashburn | A 75#60 nat | 4.0%Survey yield |
| #4 | 23112Brandermill | A 75#65 nat | 5.3%Survey yield |
| #5 | 23059Glen Allen | A 74#84 nat | 3.8%Survey yield |
| #5 | 23831Chester | A 74#84 nat | 5.9%Survey yield |
| #7 | 23832 | A 74#99 nat | 6.0%Survey yield |
| #8 | 22602Shawneeland | A 74#135 nat | 4.6%Survey yield |
| #9 | 20148Brambleton | A 73#161 nat | 3.7%Survey yield |
| #10 | 22405Falmouth | A 73#173 nat | 5.5%Survey yield |
| #11 | 23111Mechanicsville | A 73#181 nat | 5.7%Survey yield |
| #12 | 22655Stephens City | A 73#200 nat | 4.7%Survey yield |
Top affordability ZIP Codes in Virginia
State-scoped leaders on the affordability subscore only (national rank shown is within that subscore’s data-eligible universe). Substantially an inverse housing-cost signal: a component of the overall score, not a predicted return.
| # | ZIP Code | Affordability | Key metric |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 23962Clover | 98#44 nat | 11.8%Survey yield |
| 2 | 24226Clinchco | 95#131 nat | 9.4%Survey yield |
| 3 | 24614Grundy | 94#156 nat | 9.0%Survey yield |
| 4 | 24256Haysi | 92#261 nat | 9.3%Survey yield |
| 5 | 24594 | 91#320 nat | 9.5%Survey yield |
| 6 | 23308Nelsonia | 90#344 nat | 9.2%Survey yield |
| 7 | 24577Nathalie | 89#431 nat | 7.5%Survey yield |
| 8 | 23920Brodnax | 88#459 nat | 9.8%Survey yield |
| 9 | 24228Clintwood | 88#468 nat | 7.9%Survey yield |
| 10 | 23944Kenbridge | 88#478 nat | 7.5%Survey yield |
| 11 | 23974Victoria | 88#491 nat | 7.3%Survey yield |
| 12 | 24554 | 88#520 nat | 8.6%Survey yield |
Deepest rental-market ZIP Codes in Virginia
State-scoped leaders on the rental-market-context subscore only (national rank shown is within that subscore’s data-eligible universe). Rental depth/tightness: a separate component, never combined here with affordability.
| # | ZIP Code | Rental market | Key metric |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 23230Richmond | 82#104 nat | 5.3%Survey yield |
| 2 | 23415Wattsville | 82#109 nat | 6.1%Survey yield |
| 3 | 22044Lake Barcroft | 80#231 nat | 2.8%Survey yield |
| 4 | 24430Craigsville | 80#244 nat | 5.6%Survey yield |
| 5 | 23510Norfolk | 80#260 nat | 4.8%Survey yield |
| 6 | 22305Alexandria | 79#318 nat | 2.6%Survey yield |
| 7 | 22903Charlottesville | 79#368 nat | 3.6%Survey yield |
| 8 | 22304Alexandria | 79#382 nat | 4.7%Survey yield |
| 9 | 22734Remington | 78#421 nat | 4.8%Survey yield |
| 10 | 23350Exmore | 78#421 nat | 5.3%Survey yield |
| 11 | 23663Hampton | 77#529 nat | 7.8%Survey yield |
| 12 | 23966 | 77#529 nat | 6.3%Survey yield |