To take home four times the typical rent, a full-time job in Virginia needs to pay from $19.93 an hour in Danville city to $94.58 in Arlington County, before taxes. The middle county is Radford city at $32.86.
| County | Pay needed | Studio rent |
|---|---|---|
| Accomack County | $24.05/hr | $780/mo |
| Albemarle County | $43.70/hr | $1,330/mo |
| Alexandria city | $76.61/hr | $2,170/mo |
| Alleghany County | $24.25/hr | $786/mo |
| Amelia County | $48.57/hr | $1,456/mo |
| Amherst County | $29.08/hr | $930/mo |
| Appomattox County | $29.75/hr | $950/mo |
| Arlington County | $94.58/hr | $2,620/mo |
| Augusta County | $33.43/hr | $1,060/mo |
| Bath County | $24.38/hr | $790/mo |
| Bedford County | $30.42/hr | $970/mo |
| Bland County | $23.71/hr | $770/mo |
| Botetourt County | $37.70/hr | $1,175/mo |
| Bristol city | $23.38/hr | $760/mo |
| Brunswick County | $25.72/hr | $830/mo |
| Buchanan County | $26.90/hr | $865/mo |
| Buckingham County | $27.90/hr | $895/mo |
| Buena Vista city | $27.94/hr | $896/mo |
| Campbell County | $29.08/hr | $930/mo |
| Caroline County | $31.09/hr | $990/mo |
| Carroll County | $25.56/hr | $825/mo |
| Charles City County | $48.57/hr | $1,456/mo |
| Charlotte County | $26.06/hr | $840/mo |
| Charlottesville city | $41.72/hr | $1,279/mo |
| Chesapeake city | $54.14/hr | $1,600/mo |
| Chesterfield County | $58.21/hr | $1,705/mo |
| Clarke County | $46.79/hr | $1,410/mo |
| Colonial Heights city | $48.57/hr | $1,456/mo |
| Covington city | $24.25/hr | $786/mo |
| Craig County | $38.12/hr | $1,186/mo |
| Culpeper County | $42.15/hr | $1,290/mo |
| Cumberland County | $26.70/hr | $859/mo |
| Danville city | $19.93/hr | $657/mo |
| Dickenson County | $26.56/hr | $855/mo |
| Dinwiddie County | $42.53/hr | $1,300/mo |
| Emporia city | $25.83/hr | $833/mo |
| Essex County | $29.58/hr | $945/mo |
| Fairfax city | $74.25/hr | $2,111/mo |
| Fairfax County | $87.79/hr | $2,450/mo |
| Falls Church city | $74.25/hr | $2,111/mo |
| Fauquier County | $56.08/hr | $1,650/mo |
| Floyd County | $26.06/hr | $840/mo |
| Fluvanna County | $42.53/hr | $1,300/mo |
| Franklin city | $27.20/hr | $874/mo |
| Franklin County | $27.57/hr | $885/mo |
| Frederick County | $35.76/hr | $1,125/mo |
| Fredericksburg city | $74.25/hr | $2,111/mo |
| Galax city | $24.69/hr | $799/mo |
| Giles County | $24.72/hr | $800/mo |
| Gloucester County | $35.19/hr | $1,110/mo |
| Goochland County | $42.53/hr | $1,300/mo |
| Grayson County | $24.72/hr | $800/mo |
| Greene County | $41.76/hr | $1,280/mo |
| Greensville County | $27.07/hr | $870/mo |
| Halifax County | $25.39/hr | $820/mo |
| Hampton city | $45.24/hr | $1,370/mo |
| Hanover County | $44.47/hr | $1,350/mo |
| Harrisonburg city | $32.70/hr | $1,038/mo |
| Henrico County | $52.79/hr | $1,565/mo |
| Henry County | $24.38/hr | $790/mo |
| Highland County | $23.71/hr | $770/mo |
| Hopewell city | $48.57/hr | $1,456/mo |
| Isle of Wight County | $40.60/hr | $1,250/mo |
| James City County | $51.44/hr | $1,530/mo |
| King and Queen County | $32.43/hr | $1,030/mo |
| King George County | $38.51/hr | $1,196/mo |
| King William County | $43.89/hr | $1,335/mo |
| Lancaster County | $27.74/hr | $890/mo |
| Lee County | $22.21/hr | $725/mo |
| Lexington city | $27.94/hr | $896/mo |
| Loudoun County | $81.80/hr | $2,300/mo |
| Louisa County | $37.70/hr | $1,175/mo |
| Lunenburg County | $24.72/hr | $800/mo |
| Lynchburg city | $31.76/hr | $1,010/mo |
| Madison County | $30.08/hr | $960/mo |
| Manassas city | $74.25/hr | $2,111/mo |
| Manassas Park city | $74.25/hr | $2,111/mo |
| Martinsville city | $23.45/hr | $762/mo |
| Mathews County | $37.12/hr | $1,160/mo |
| Mecklenburg County | $22.21/hr | $725/mo |
| Middlesex County | $34.44/hr | $1,090/mo |
| Montgomery County | $31.09/hr | $990/mo |
| Nelson County | $41.76/hr | $1,280/mo |
| New Kent County | $49.89/hr | $1,490/mo |
| Newport News city | $45.63/hr | $1,380/mo |
| Norfolk city | $46.79/hr | $1,410/mo |
| Northampton County | $23.04/hr | $750/mo |
| Northumberland County | $30.08/hr | $960/mo |
| Norton city | $21.94/hr | $717/mo |
| Nottoway County | $42.53/hr | $1,300/mo |
| Orange County | $43.89/hr | $1,335/mo |
| Page County | $24.89/hr | $805/mo |
| Patrick County | $24.38/hr | $790/mo |
| Petersburg city | $48.57/hr | $1,456/mo |
| Pittsylvania County | $23.04/hr | $750/mo |
| Poquoson city | $49.11/hr | $1,470/mo |
| Portsmouth city | $44.08/hr | $1,340/mo |
| Powhatan County | $48.57/hr | $1,456/mo |
| Prince Edward County | $29.58/hr | $945/mo |
| Prince George County | $43.31/hr | $1,320/mo |
| Prince William County | $77.01/hr | $2,180/mo |
| Pulaski County | $23.71/hr | $770/mo |
| Radford city | $32.86/hr | $1,043/mo |
| Rappahannock County | $44.86/hr | $1,360/mo |
| Richmond city | $51.82/hr | $1,540/mo |
| Richmond County | $28.10/hr | $901/mo |
| Roanoke city | $37.89/hr | $1,180/mo |
| Roanoke County | $34.44/hr | $1,090/mo |
| Rockbridge County | $30.42/hr | $970/mo |
| Rockingham County | $30.75/hr | $980/mo |
| Russell County | $23.71/hr | $770/mo |
| Salem city | $38.12/hr | $1,186/mo |
| Scott County | $21.70/hr | $710/mo |
| Shenandoah County | $29.75/hr | $950/mo |
| Smyth County | $23.04/hr | $750/mo |
| Southampton County | $27.07/hr | $870/mo |
| Spotsylvania County | $64.23/hr | $1,860/mo |
| Stafford County | $69.82/hr | $2,000/mo |
| Staunton city | $32.80/hr | $1,041/mo |
| Suffolk city | $52.98/hr | $1,570/mo |
| Surry County | $41.37/hr | $1,270/mo |
| Sussex County | $42.53/hr | $1,300/mo |
| Tazewell County | $24.38/hr | $790/mo |
| Virginia Beach city | $58.59/hr | $1,715/mo |
| Warren County | $35.00/hr | $1,105/mo |
| Washington County | $23.04/hr | $750/mo |
| Waynesboro city | $32.80/hr | $1,041/mo |
| Westmoreland County | $28.74/hr | $920/mo |
| Williamsburg city | $49.11/hr | $1,470/mo |
| Winchester city | $33.63/hr | $1,066/mo |
| Wise County | $22.71/hr | $740/mo |
| Wythe County | $24.72/hr | $800/mo |
| York County | $61.88/hr | $1,800/mo |
The Four Times Rent standard: a month of full-time work (160 hours) should take home at least four times the typical rent on a studio apartment in the county where the work is done. Rents: HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents. Taxes: 2026 federal, state and local income taxes plus Social Security and Medicare, for a single filer. Why four times rent?