Virginia · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Montgomery County, VA

Prices around Montgomery County, VA run 7.3% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $72,715 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,271 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $50,840 a year.

Montgomery County, VA at a glance

Median household income

$72,715$6,060 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,271HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)92.7-7.3% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity17.2¢per kWh · EIA Residential VA
Population99,101Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Montgomery County, VA?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,271Monthly market rent
Share of gross income21%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$50,840To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,818At 30% of $72,715
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Montgomery County, VA? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA HUD Metro FMR Area, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Montgomery County, VA, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$910$10,920$36,40015%
1-Bedroom Apartment$993$11,916$39,72016.4%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,271$15,252$50,84021%
3-Bedroom Home$1,706$20,472$68,24028.2%
4-Bedroom Home$2,132$25,584$85,28035.2%

Rent in Montgomery County, VA, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Montgomery County, VA

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $72,715 a year ($6,060 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,030/moRent ($1,271 2-BR), utilities (~$155/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,818/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,212/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $72,715 leaves after Virginia taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Virginia tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$72,715
$25,000$150,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$72,715
Net 78%
Fed 10%
VA 5%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$56,618After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,718Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,178Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate22.1%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$7,167 / yr
Virginia state income tax$3,367 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$5,563 / yr

Living in Montgomery County, VA: common questions

What is the median household income in Montgomery County, VA?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Montgomery County, VA is $72,715 per year (approximately $6,060 per month).

What is the average rent in Montgomery County, VA?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $910 for a studio, $993 for one bedroom, $1,271 for two, $1,706 for three and $2,132 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Montgomery County, VA expensive to live in?

Prices there run 7.3% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 92.7, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Montgomery County, VA?

To keep a $1,271 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $50,840 a year, or $4,237 a month. That is 70% of what the typical household in Montgomery County, VA earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Montgomery County, VA?

On the local median income of $72,715 ($6,060 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,030 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,818 for everything else and $1,212 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,271 takes 42% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Montgomery County, VA?

Homes in Virginia paid 17.2¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $155. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.