Department of Numbers

Blacksburg Virginia Residential Rent and Rental Statistics

The median monthly gross residential rent in Blacksburg, VA (the Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford metro area) was $866 in 2019 according to the Census ACS survey.1 Average gross rent in Blacksburg was $901 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 Blacksburg median and average rent data will be released in September of 2021.

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

Show dollars as: Nominal Real

Real Gross Rent in Blacksburg 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%
Blacksburg, VA Median Gross Rent $866 -6.78% +3.34%

Blacksburg, VA Real Gross Rent Trends

Median gross rent for Blacksburg peaked in real terms in 2018 at $929 and is now $63 (6.78%) lower. Average gross rent for Blacksburg peaked in real terms in 2018 at $946 and is now $45 (4.76%) lower.

Real Gross Rent in Blacksburg: Blacksburg VA Median, Blacksburg VA Average, Virginia Median, US Median

Lower quartile, median and upper quartile real gross rent

Real Gross Rent History for Blacksburg

Date US
Median
Virginia
Median
Blacksburg, VA
Median
Blacksburg, VA
Average
2019 $1,097 $1,254 $866 $901
2018 $1,077 $1,237 $929 $946
2017 $1,043 $1,216 $883 $890
2016 $1,027 $1,214 $838 $872
2015 $1,017 $1,214 $897 $929
2014 $986 $1,178 $826 $835
2013 $953 $1,144 $823 $821
2012 $940 $1,136 $745 $747
2011 $941 $1,147 $764 $827
2010 $955 $1,139 $838 $836
2009 $960 $1,127 $792 $846

more history ...

Blacksburg 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 Blacksburg Virginia was 4.31% according to Census ACS data.

Rental Vacancy Rate in Blacksburg Virginia

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 5.97% -0.18% +0.08%
Virginia 5.53% +0.36% -0.06%
Blacksburg, VA 4.31% -2.39% -1.82%

Trends in Blacksburg, VA Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate in Blacksburg peaked in 2005 at 7.80%. Since then it has fallen by 3.49% to 4.31%. Data records for this series originated in 2005. From a 2008 post peak low of 1.23%, the rental vacancy rate has increased by 3.08%.

Rental Vacancy Rate: Blacksburg VA, Virginia, US

Rental vacancy rate in Virginia

Historical Rental Vacancy Rate data for Blacksburg

Date US Virginia Blacksburg, VA
2019 5.97% 5.53% 4.31%
2018 6.15% 5.17% 6.70%
2017 6.18% 6.45% 6.56%
2016 5.89% 5.59% 6.13%
2015 5.85% 5.13% 6.08%
2014 6.32% 5.79% 6.17%
2013 6.49% 6.38% 5.68%
2012 6.77% 6.18% 3.42%
2011 7.40% 7.54% 4.59%
2010 8.17% 7.02% 3.47%
2009 8.43% 7.29% 4.82%

more history ...

Rent as a Fraction of Income

Using median household income data for Blacksburg, we can calculate the fraction of income the median household would use to pay rent at the median monthly gross rent rate. For Blacksburg, median monthly gross rent as a fraction of median household income was 18.53% in 2019 according to the ACS.

Blacksburg 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%
Blacksburg, VA 18.53% -3.25% -0.32%

Trends in Blacksburg, VA Rent as a Fraction of Income

The fraction of median Blacksburg household income required to pay median monthly gross rent peaked in 2010 (relative to the 2005 series origin) at 22.43%. Since then it has fallen by 3.90% to 18.53%.

Fraction of Income towards Rent: Blacksburg VA, Virginia, US

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

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

Date US Virginia Blacksburg, VA
2019 20.03% 19.68% 18.53%
2018 20.50% 20.09% 21.78%
2017 20.13% 19.78% 19.73%
2016 20.43% 20.42% 18.84%
2015 20.63% 20.72% 19.93%
2014 20.89% 20.63% 21.47%
2013 20.78% 20.80% 22.21%
2012 20.65% 20.76% 19.79%
2011 20.70% 20.59% 20.72%
2010 20.50% 20.15% 22.43%
2009 20.12% 20.00% 20.53%

more history ...

Renter Fraction in Blacksburg Virginia

You can calculate the renter fraction in Blacksburg 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 Blacksburg as a fraction of total Blacksburg households. In 2019 42.20% of households were renters according to Census ACS data.

Blacksburg 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%
Blacksburg, VA 42.20% +6.89% +2.70%

Trends in the Blacksburg, VA Renter Fraction

At 42.20%, the 2019 household based renter fraction in Blacksburg was at its highest level. The origin year for the series is 2005.

Fraction of Renting Households: Blacksburg VA, Virginia, US

Fraction of renters in Blacksburg

History of Blacksburg Renter Fraction

Date US Virginia Blacksburg, VA
2019 35.89% 33.87% 42.20%
2018 36.05% 34.08% 35.31%
2017 36.13% 33.43% 38.19%
2016 36.88% 34.71% 39.50%
2015 36.97% 34.99% 38.23%
2014 36.90% 34.67% 38.88%
2013 36.50% 34.38% 39.01%
2012 36.09% 33.84% 41.75%
2011 35.42% 32.67% 41.08%
2010 34.65% 32.33% 35.68%
2009 34.13% 31.87% 41.21%

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.