Department of Numbers

Harrisonburg Virginia Residential Rent and Rental Statistics

The median monthly gross residential rent in Harrisonburg, VA (the Harrisonburg metro area) was $967 in 2019 according to the Census ACS survey.1 Average gross rent in Harrisonburg was $977 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 Harrisonburg median and average rent data will be released in September of 2021.

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

Show dollars as: Nominal Real

Real Gross Rent in Harrisonburg 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%
Harrisonburg, VA Median Gross Rent $967 +7.44% +14.44%

Harrisonburg, VA Real Gross Rent Trends

At $967, real median gross rent in Harrisonburg was at its highest level in 2019 since the series began in 2005. At $977, real average gross rent in Harrisonburg was at its highest level in 2019 since the series began in 2005.

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

Lower quartile, median and upper quartile real gross rent

Real Gross Rent History for Harrisonburg

Date US
Median
Virginia
Median
Harrisonburg, VA
Median
Harrisonburg, VA
Average
2019 $1,097 $1,254 $967 $977
2018 $1,077 $1,237 $900 $965
2017 $1,043 $1,216 $893 $937
2016 $1,027 $1,214 $845 $802
2015 $1,017 $1,214 $850 $888
2014 $986 $1,178 $876 $935
2013 $953 $1,144 $865 $944
2012 $940 $1,136 $903 $931
2011 $941 $1,147 $845 $950
2010 $955 $1,139 $825 $907
2009 $960 $1,127 $910 $960

more history ...

Harrisonburg 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 Harrisonburg Virginia was 4.15% according to Census ACS data.

Rental Vacancy Rate in Harrisonburg Virginia

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 5.97% -0.18% +0.08%
Virginia 5.53% +0.36% -0.06%
Harrisonburg, VA 4.15% +2.18% -0.40%

Trends in Harrisonburg, VA Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate in Harrisonburg peaked in 2014 at 6.83%. Since then it has fallen by 2.68% to 4.15%. Data records for this series originated in 2005.

Rental Vacancy Rate: Harrisonburg VA, Virginia, US

Rental vacancy rate in Virginia

Historical Rental Vacancy Rate data for Harrisonburg

Date US Virginia Harrisonburg, VA
2019 5.97% 5.53% 4.15%
2018 6.15% 5.17% 1.97%
2017 6.18% 6.45% 5.15%
2016 5.89% 5.59% 4.55%
2015 5.85% 5.13% 3.00%
2014 6.32% 5.79% 6.83%
2013 6.49% 6.38% 4.19%
2012 6.77% 6.18% 2.64%
2011 7.40% 7.54% 6.61%
2010 8.17% 7.02% 5.04%
2009 8.43% 7.29% 4.35%

more history ...

Rent as a Fraction of Income

Using median household income data for Harrisonburg, we can calculate the fraction of income the median household would use to pay rent at the median monthly gross rent rate. For Harrisonburg, median monthly gross rent as a fraction of median household income was 19.10% in 2019 according to the ACS.

Harrisonburg 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%
Harrisonburg, VA 19.10% -0.89% +0.25%

Trends in Harrisonburg, VA Rent as a Fraction of Income

The fraction of median Harrisonburg household income required to pay median monthly gross rent peaked in 2012 (relative to the 2005 series origin) at 22.65%. Since then it has fallen by 3.55% to 19.10%.

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

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

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

Date US Virginia Harrisonburg, VA
2019 20.03% 19.68% 19.10%
2018 20.50% 20.09% 20.00%
2017 20.13% 19.78% 19.00%
2016 20.43% 20.42% 18.85%
2015 20.63% 20.72% 20.27%
2014 20.89% 20.63% 19.48%
2013 20.78% 20.80% 21.09%
2012 20.65% 20.76% 22.65%
2011 20.70% 20.59% 20.13%
2010 20.50% 20.15% 19.60%
2009 20.12% 20.00% 22.45%

more history ...

Renter Fraction in Harrisonburg Virginia

You can calculate the renter fraction in Harrisonburg 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 Harrisonburg as a fraction of total Harrisonburg households. In 2019 38.64% of households were renters according to Census ACS data.

Harrisonburg 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%
Harrisonburg, VA 38.64% +1.48% -1.88%

Trends in the Harrisonburg, VA Renter Fraction

The Harrisonburg household renter fraction peaked in in 2014 at 41.76% and is now 3.12% below that level. The origin year for the series is 2005.

Fraction of Renting Households: Harrisonburg VA, Virginia, US

Fraction of renters in Harrisonburg

History of Harrisonburg Renter Fraction

Date US Virginia Harrisonburg, VA
2019 35.89% 33.87% 38.64%
2018 36.05% 34.08% 37.16%
2017 36.13% 33.43% 38.24%
2016 36.88% 34.71% 40.52%
2015 36.97% 34.99% 40.13%
2014 36.90% 34.67% 41.76%
2013 36.50% 34.38% 36.87%
2012 36.09% 33.84% 36.97%
2011 35.42% 32.67% 35.30%
2010 34.65% 32.33% 39.87%
2009 34.13% 31.87% 39.58%

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.