Department of Numbers

Alexandria City Virginia Residential Rent and Rental Statistics

The median monthly gross residential rent in Alexandria City VA was $1,781 in 2019 according to the Census ACS survey.1 Average gross rent in Alexandria City was $1,814 in 2019. The median rent more accurately depicts rental rates in the middle of the distribution of rents and is thus preferred in the analysis below. 2020 Alexandria City median and average rent data will be released in September of 2021.

Data is also available below for Alexandria City rental vacancy rates, Alexandria City rent as a percent of median income and the fraction of renters in Alexandria City.

Show dollars as: Nominal Real

Real Gross Rent in Alexandria City Virginia (2019 dollars)2

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US Median Gross Rent $1,097 +1.86% +6.82%
Virginia Median Gross Rent $1,254 +1.37% +3.29%
Alexandria City VA Median Gross Rent $1,781 +0.79% +4.64%

Alexandria City VA Real Gross Rent Trends

At $1,781, real median gross rent in Alexandria City was at its highest level in 2019 since the series began in 2005. At $1,814, real average gross rent in Alexandria City was at its highest level in 2019 since the series began in 2005.

Real Gross Rent: Alexandria City VA Median, Alexandria City VA Average, Virginia Median, US Median

Lower quartile, median and upper quartile real gross rent

Real Gross Rent History for Alexandria City

Date US
Median
Virginia
Median
Alexandria City VA
Median
Alexandria City VA
Average
2019 $1,097 $1,254 $1,781 $1,814
2018 $1,077 $1,237 $1,767 $1,782
2017 $1,043 $1,216 $1,746 $1,746
2016 $1,027 $1,214 $1,702 $1,714
2015 $1,017 $1,214 $1,726 $1,752
2014 $986 $1,178 $1,586 $1,662
2013 $953 $1,144 $1,676 $1,630
2012 $940 $1,136 $1,561 $1,586
2011 $941 $1,147 $1,540 $1,648
2010 $955 $1,139 $1,534 $1,599
2009 $960 $1,127 $1,533 $1,542

more history ...

Alexandria City Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate is the fraction of homes for rent that are not occupied.3 In 2019 the rental vacancy rate for Alexandria City Virginia was 4.20% according to Census ACS data.

Rental Vacancy Rate in Alexandria City Virginia

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 5.97% -0.18% +0.08%
Virginia 5.53% +0.36% -0.06%
Alexandria City VA 4.20% -0.32% -0.05%

Trends in Alexandria City VA Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate in Alexandria City peaked in 2007 at 7.88%. Since then it has fallen by 3.68% to 4.20%. Data records for this series originated in 2005. From a 2011 post peak low of 2.37%, the rental vacancy rate has increased by 1.83%.

Rental Vacancy Rate: Alexandria City VA, Virginia, US

Rental vacancy rate in Virginia

Historical Rental Vacancy Rate data for Alexandria City

Date US Virginia Alexandria City VA
2019 5.97% 5.53% 4.20%
2018 6.15% 5.17% 4.52%
2017 6.18% 6.45% 3.83%
2016 5.89% 5.59% 4.25%
2015 5.85% 5.13% 3.13%
2014 6.32% 5.79% 5.38%
2013 6.49% 6.38% 5.89%
2012 6.77% 6.18% 2.89%
2011 7.40% 7.54% 2.37%
2010 8.17% 7.02% 3.46%
2009 8.43% 7.29% 5.36%

more history ...

Rent as a Fraction of Income

Using median household income data for Alexandria City, we can calculate the fraction of income the median household would use to pay rent at the median monthly gross rent rate. For Alexandria City, median monthly gross rent as a fraction of median household income was 20.69% in 2019 according to the ACS.

Alexandria City Virginia Median Annual Rent as a Fraction of Median Household Income

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 20.03% -0.47% -0.40%
Virginia 19.68% -0.41% -0.74%
Alexandria City VA 20.69% +0.11% -1.49%

Trends in Alexandria City VA Rent as a Fraction of Income

The fraction of median Alexandria City household income required to pay median monthly gross rent peaked in 2016 (relative to the 2005 series origin) at 22.18%. Since then it has fallen by 1.49% to 20.69%.

Fraction of Income towards Rent: Alexandria City VA, Virginia, US

Percent of median household income going towards median monthly gross rent in Alexandria City Virginia

Historical Data for Annual Rent as a Fraction of Income in Alexandria City Virginia

Date US Virginia Alexandria City VA
2019 20.03% 19.68% 20.69%
2018 20.50% 20.09% 20.58%
2017 20.13% 19.78% 20.21%
2016 20.43% 20.42% 22.18%
2015 20.63% 20.72% 21.68%
2014 20.89% 20.63% 20.76%
2013 20.78% 20.80% 22.02%
2012 20.65% 20.76% 21.69%
2011 20.70% 20.59% 20.68%
2010 20.50% 20.15% 21.18%
2009 20.12% 20.00% 20.94%

more history ...

Renter Fraction in Alexandria City Virginia

You can calculate the renter fraction in Alexandria City in at least two ways: by housing units or by population. I've gone with the housing units measure here. This measure looks at the number of renting households in Alexandria City as a fraction of total Alexandria City households. In 2019 55.37% of households were renters according to Census ACS data.

Alexandria City Fraction of Renters by Household Units

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 35.89% -0.16% -0.99%
Virginia 33.87% -0.21% -0.84%
Alexandria City VA 55.37% -0.34% -4.90%

Trends in the Alexandria City VA Renter Fraction

The Alexandria City household renter fraction peaked in in 2016 at 60.27% and is now 4.90% below that level. The origin year for the series is 2005.

Fraction of Renting Households: Alexandria City VA, Virginia, US

Fraction of renters in Alexandria City

History of Alexandria City Renter Fraction

Date US Virginia Alexandria City VA
2019 35.89% 33.87% 55.37%
2018 36.05% 34.08% 55.71%
2017 36.13% 33.43% 57.47%
2016 36.88% 34.71% 60.27%
2015 36.97% 34.99% 58.02%
2014 36.90% 34.67% 58.45%
2013 36.50% 34.38% 54.65%
2012 36.09% 33.84% 59.97%
2011 35.42% 32.67% 56.42%
2010 34.65% 32.33% 56.95%
2009 34.13% 31.87% 54.23%

more history ...

1. Gross rent is defined as contract rent plus the estimated average monthly cost of utilities (electricity, gas, water, and sewer) and fuel (oil, coal, kerosene, wood, etc.). Because some rentals include utilities and others don't, gross rent is a way of normalizing the variability.

2. Real dollars are calculated using the CPI-U less shelter series.

3. The rental vacancy rate is computed by dividing the number of vacant units for rent by the sum of the renter-occupied units, vacant units that are for rent, and vacant units that have been rented but not yet occupied.