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How Is the Hampton Roads Rental Market Doing in 2026? June Data & Landlord Insights

Hampton RoadsMarket GuideVirginia

Updated July 3, 2026 · By The Doorstead Team

Your monthly guide to rental conditions in Hampton Roads. This is our July 2026 report, covering June 2026 rental data: what rents looked like last month, what's driving the market, and what it means if you own a rental home.


Hampton Roads Rental Market Snapshot — June 2026

Here's where Hampton Roads rents stand as of June 2026, across all property types — apartments, condos, townhomes, and single-family homes.

Hampton Roads median rent hit $1,934 in June 2026, up 4.24% from a year ago, with homes leasing in 33 days as peak PCS season drives a wave of military-order relocations that fills vacancies regardless of broader economic conditions.

MetricValueChange
Median Rent (All Types, Hampton Roads)$1,934+0.0% MoM
Avg. Days on Market33 days
Rent Growth YoY+4.2%

Source: Doorstead market data, aggregated from public records and online rental listings, all rental property types, June 2026.


What's Driving Hampton Roads Rental Market Conditions Right Now

Hampton Roads Rental Supply and New Construction

The rental supply pipeline across Hampton Roads has thinned out considerably, which is keeping pressure on available units. Only 648 multifamily units are currently under construction, representing just 0.5% of total inventory. After about 2,250 units delivered in 2025, permitting has already pulled back, so meaningful new supply hitting the market through the rest of 2026 looks unlikely across all property types, from apartments and condos to single-family rentals and townhomes.

Why People Rent in Hampton Roads

Two forces are locking renters in place right now: mortgage rates sitting at 6.49% make homeownership a tough financial case, and military PCS season is running at full strength through August. Every spring, service members receive non-negotiable orders that send them into the rental market regardless of interest rates or prices, and that wave is heaviest from June through August, with Norfolk's Ghent neighborhood, Virginia Beach Town Center near The Tide light rail, and Hampton's Phoebus and Fox Hill corridors all drawing relocating families. On top of that, the $900 billion FY2026 defense budget includes pay increases for service members and expanded shipbuilding investments, reinforcing the steady employment base that funds rents across the region.

What This Means for Hampton Roads Landlords

You are sitting in the strongest leasing window of the year, so price to the market rather than leaving room to negotiate down. With the median rent at $1,934 and rents up 4.24% year over year in a market with barely any new supply coming, a vacant unit priced even slightly above comparable listings will bleed days on market into a season where your competition for PCS tenants is already moving fast.


Hampton Roads Rent by City — June 2026

Suffolk leads Hampton Roads right now, leasing in just 17 days, well ahead of Chesapeake and Virginia Beach, which both sit at 25 days. On the softer end, Norfolk is the slowest market in the table at 44 days, with Hampton and Newport News not far behind at 42 and 41 days respectively. Most cities are clustered in the 25–42 day range, with Suffolk as the clear outlier on the fast end and Norfolk anchoring the slow end.

CityMedian Rent2BR Median3BR MedianAvg. DOMMoM Change
Virginia Beach, VA$2,163$1,827$2,43225 days+1.9%
Chesapeake, VA$2,432$1,848$2,48225 days+0.0%
Norfolk, VA$1,463$1,307$2,03244 days-0.6%
Newport News, VA$1,706$1,552$1,98241 days+0.0%
Hampton, VA$1,767$1,665$2,14842 days+0.0%
Portsmouth, VA$1,742$1,428$2,04835 days+0.0%
Suffolk, VA$2,265$1,295$2,06817 days-1.3%
Source: Doorstead market data, aggregated from public records and online rental listings, all property types, June 2026. Median Rent is across all property types.
  • Virginia Beach, VA: Neighborhoods north of I-264 like Kempsville Gardens, Little Neck, and Red Mill Village draw strong demand from military families at nearby bases, and the Town Center corridor adds appeal for renters who want walkable retail and light-rail access. At $2,163 median rent and 25 days on market, Virginia Beach is leasing quickly, and the 3.0% year-over-year gain shows steady upward pressure on rents heading into peak PCS season.

  • Chesapeake, VA: Great Bridge attracts families looking for long-term rentals, with strong schools, parks, and Chesapeake Bay access giving landlords a tenant pool that tends to stay put. Rent held flat month-over-month at $2,432, but the 6.9% year-over-year gain is the second-highest in Hampton Roads, and 25 days on market confirms this submarket absorbs new listings without much friction.

  • Norfolk, VA: Ghent renters, military families stationed at Naval Station Norfolk, and urban-oriented tenants drawn to the Chrysler Museum and NEON District keep this submarket active, but the broader Norfolk market is the softest spot in Hampton Roads right now. At $1,463 median rent, prices are down 6.3% year-over-year and slipped another 0.6% in June, and 44 days on market is the slowest leasing pace in the region, so pricing competitively matters more here than anywhere else in the table.

  • Newport News, VA: Rent held flat month-over-month at $1,706, and the 6.8% year-over-year increase is one of the strongest gains in the region. At 41 days on market, Newport News leases more slowly than the regional average, but strong annual rent growth suggests the market is absorbing supply steadily rather than stalling.

  • Hampton, VA: The Phoebus neighborhood pulls renters with its walkable restaurant scene, craft breweries, and Fort Monroe National Monument, while Fox Hill gives commuters quick access to Newport News Shipyard, NASA Langley, and Langley Air Force Base. Rent was flat month-over-month at $1,767, but the 4.8% year-over-year gain shows steady appreciation, and 42 days on market tracks closely with Newport News, reflecting a Peninsula-wide leasing rhythm that runs a bit slower than the Southside cities.

  • Portsmouth, VA: Rent held flat month-over-month at $1,742, up 4.7% year-over-year, putting Portsmouth in line with the broader regional trend of solid annual gains paired with a pause in near-term momentum. At 35 days on market, it leases faster than the Peninsula cities and faster than Norfolk, making it a reasonable mid-tier option for owners who want reliable turnover without the premium pricing of Virginia Beach or Chesapeake.

  • Suffolk, VA: At 17 days on market, Suffolk is the fastest-leasing city in Hampton Roads by a wide margin, and the 9.8% year-over-year rent increase is the strongest in the region. The slight 1.3% month-over-month dip to $2,265 median rent looks like a minor correction after sustained growth rather than any meaningful softening, and the leasing speed alone signals that demand is running well ahead of available supply.


Hampton Roads Rent by Bedroom Count and Property Type — June 2026

Rent by Bedroom Count in Hampton Roads

Rent in Hampton Roads doesn't climb in a straight line across bedroom sizes. The most notable jump is between 2-bedroom and 3-bedroom units, where the metro-wide median rises $610, from $1,560 to $2,170. By comparison, the step from 3-bedroom to 4-bedroom adds $432, and the move from 1-bedroom to 2-bedroom adds $313. One outlier worth flagging: studios median at $1,426, which sits $179 above the 1-bedroom median of $1,247, meaning renters can actually pick up a dedicated bedroom for less than they'd pay for a studio.

Bedroom Count in Hampton RoadsMedian Rent (June 2026)
Studio$1,426
1-Bedroom$1,247
2-Bedroom$1,560
3-Bedroom$2,170
4-Bedroom$2,602
Source: Doorstead market data, aggregated from public records and online rental listings across all property types, Hampton Roads, June 2026.

Rent by Property Type in Hampton Roads

Single-family homes lead Hampton Roads on both price and speed, with a median rent of $2,184 and a 22-day DOM, sitting $250 (12.9%) above the blended metro median. Condos and apartments fall well below the blended median of $1,934, at $1,488 and $1,378 respectively, but apartments absorb the biggest drag on leasing pace, averaging 105 days on market compared to just 29 days for condos. Townhouses land close to the blended median at $1,872, but their 47-day DOM is slower than single-family and condo, suggesting softer absorption despite the near-average price point.

Property Type in Hampton RoadsMedian RentAvg. Days on MarketMoM Change
All Property Types (Blended)$1,93433 days+0.0%
Single Family$2,18422 days+0.2%
Condo$1,48829 days-0.4%
Townhouse$1,87247 days+0.0%
Apartment$1,378105 days+0.0%
Source: Doorstead market data, aggregated from public records and online rental listings, Hampton Roads, June 2026.

Data Sources & Methodology

  • Rental market data: Median rents, days on market, listing counts, and rent change figures. Sourced from county public records, deed and tax assessor data, and rental listings on publicly accessible platforms.
  • Doorstead Platform Data: Internal leasing outcomes from Doorstead-managed rental homes across all property types, including days to lease. Trailing 12 months.

Data refreshed monthly. Doorstead benchmarks reflect managed properties only and may not be representative of the broader Hampton Roads rental market.

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FAQ

What is the average rent in Hampton Roads right now?

The median rent across all property types in Hampton Roads is $1,934 as of June 2026, up 4.24% year over year.

How long does it take to rent a home in Hampton Roads?

Across all property types, homes in Hampton Roads are leasing in an average of 33 days. Single-family rentals move faster, averaging just 22 days on market. Leasing speed varies by submarket, with some neighborhoods moving significantly quicker than others.

Is Hampton Roads a good rental market for landlords right now?

Hampton Roads is holding up well for landlords: median rents are up 4.24% year over year to $1,934, and the average home is leasing in 33 days. Single-family rentals are the tightest segment, averaging 22 days on market. Rent growth is outpacing inflation in many comparable metros, and the region's large military and government employment base keeps demand steady.

What is the average rent for a single-family home in Hampton Roads?

The median rent for a single-family rental in Hampton Roads is $2,184 per month. Three-bedroom homes specifically are coming in just below that at $2,170, so the market is fairly consistent across the most common configurations. Both figures are well above the all-property median of $1,934, reflecting the premium renters pay for standalone homes.

How quickly are single-family rental homes leasing in Hampton Roads?

Single-family homes are leasing in an average of 22 days across Hampton Roads, which is about a third faster than the blended average of 33 days. A well-priced single-family rental in a strong submarket should expect serious activity within the first two to three weeks on market.

Which Hampton Roads suburbs have the best single-family rental demand right now?

Suffolk is the tightest submarket right now, with homes leasing in just 17 days, followed by Chesapeake at 25 days. Norfolk is the softest, averaging 44 days on market. That spread matters for pricing: a home in Suffolk can often support asking rent at or above market, while a Norfolk landlord sitting at 40+ days may need to sharpen the number — and if you want to know exactly where to set yours, get a free rent estimate from Doorstead before you list.

Should I rent out my Hampton Roads home or sell it?

Selling converts appreciation into cash today; renting lets you compound cash flow, appreciation, and rent growth over time, with Hampton Roads rents up 4.24% year over year to a median of $1,934. That rent-growth trend favors holding, but the real math comes down to your specific mortgage, purchase price, and tax situation, market-wide medians only tell part of the story. Run your numbers through Doorstead's rental investment calculator, which projects cash flow, appreciation, rent growth, and 10-year equity both pre- and post-tax.

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