Bedroom count
Property type
Last updated on November 10, 2026
Average rent in
Washington, DC
Average rent in
Last updated on November 10, 2026
Bedroom count
Property type
Key takeaways for renters
Where Washington, DC rent stands today
Washington, DC rent rose 2.8% year over year, with a current median of $2,481/month. Renters today are paying $67 more per month on average than last year despite a recent month-over-month decline of 1.1%.
Compared to national trends
Washington, DC runs 30.6% more expensive than the $1,900/month national median, positioning it as a pricier metro with 2,580 total rentals available across the city.
Price ranges
Studios in Washington, DC rent for about $1,850/month, 1-bedrooms around $2,158/month, and 2-bedrooms near $2,875/month, with 4+ bedrooms reaching $5,000/month. Houses command a median of $3,295/month compared to $2,300/month for apartments, reflecting distinct price tiers for renters.
Neighborhood spotlight
Spring Valley rents fell 70.7% year over year to $2,612/month across 20 rentals. This decline contrasts with the citywide 2.8% rent increase and shows a localized cooldown in this neighborhood.
Median rent
Median rent in Washington
$2,481/mo
3%vs previous year
The average rent in Washington is $2,481 per month as of November 2026. This is 31% above the national average rent, or $581 more per month.
average price per square foot
Total rentals
Available rentals in Washington
2,580
for rent on Zumper.com as of November 2026
Rent price distribution
Share of Washington rentals at each price point
Rent trends in Washington, DC
Average rent prices in Washington have decreased by 1% over the last month and have increased by 3% since last year.
Rent trends
Rent prices on this page are calculated on a rolling 30-day basis and updated daily.
Compare rent prices in
Washington, DC
Rent prices in Washington vary by bedroom size, rental type, and neighborhood. The average rent for an apartment in Washington is $2,300, whereas a house costs $3,295. 1-bedroom apartments in Washington run $2,198 on average, while 2-bedroom apartments are $2,850.
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Studio | $1,850 | No Change | 6% | |
1 bedroom | $2,158 |  1% | No Change | |
2 bedroom | $2,875 | No Change | 3% | |
3 bedroom | $3,600 | No Change | 4% | |
4 bedroom | $5,000 | 3% | 11% |
Listings | ||
|---|---|---|
Anacostia | $1,950 | |
Capitol Hill | $2,572 | |
Cathedral Wesley Heights Mclean Gardens | $2,609 | |
Columbia Heights | $2,399 | |
Congress Heights | $1,650 | |
Dupont Circle | $2,500 | |
Foggy Bottom Gwu West End | $2,485 | |
Logan Circle Shaw | $3,000 | |
Sw Ballpark Navy Yard | $2,670 | |
Trinidad Langston | $2,295 |
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Apartments | $2,300 | 1% | 4% | |
Condos | $2,500 | 1% | 2% | |
Houses | $3,295 | 2% | 4% | |
Rooms | $1,260 | 2% | 12% |
Studio
Average rent
$1,850
Last year
6%
1 bedroom
Average rent
$2,158
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
No Change
2 bedroom
Average rent
$2,875
Last year
3%
3 bedroom
Average rent
$3,600
Last year
4%
4 bedroom
Average rent
$5,000
Last 30 days
3%
Last year
11%
Logan Circle Shaw
Average rent
$3,000
Columbia Heights
Average rent
$2,399
Trinidad Langston
Average rent
$2,295
Sw Ballpark Navy Yard
Average rent
$2,670
Cathedral Wesley Heights Mclean Gardens
Average rent
$2,609
Dupont Circle
Average rent
$2,500
Congress Heights
Average rent
$1,650
Anacostia
Average rent
$1,950
Capitol Hill
Average rent
$2,572
Foggy Bottom Gwu West End
Average rent
$2,485
Apartments
Average rent
$2,300
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
4%
Condos
Average rent
$2,500
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
2%
Houses
Average rent
$3,295
Last 30 days
2%
Last year
4%
Rooms
Average rent
$1,260
Last 30 days
2%
Last year
12%
The table above reflects average rent prices in Washington, DC, broken down by the number of bedrooms, neighborhoods, and property types. The availability of data for each category is dependent on market inventory and will adjust depending on your selected filters.
How does rent in Washington, DC compare to other cities?
Compare median rent prices in Washington and Alexandria by all bedroom counts and property types.
Washington
31%higher than the national median
33%higher than the national median
Takeaway
The median rent for all rentals in Washington, DC is 2% lower than the median rent in Alexandria, VA.
Average rent in nearby cities
Explore rent trends in neighboring markets
$2,530
1%$2,790
$3,613
13%$3,500
30%$1,902
7%$3,200
8%$2,332
6%$2,350
15%$2,019
$1,751
3%$1,675
1%$2,175
9%Cost of living in Washington, DC
Explore the cost of essential expenses, and then use our rent calculator to find out how much rent you can afford.
Expenses accrued by most renters | Average cost compared to national average |
|---|---|
| Goods & Services | 13% higher |
| Groceries | 7% higher |
| Health | 20% higher |
| Housing | 98% higher |
| Transportation | 5% higher |
| Utilities | 6% higher |
Discover rentals in Washington, DC
14h ago
725 Fairmont St Nw, Washington, DC 20001
1 bed
1 bath
$700–$1,200
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.Apartment for rent
2d ago
5100 Bass Pl Se, Washington, DC 20019
1 bed
1 bath
$750
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.Apartment for rent
15h ago
Verified
1341 Howard Rd Se, Washington, DC 20020
1–2 beds
1 bath
$799–$1,750
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Fort Dupont apartment for rent in Washington
3507 Minnesota Ave Se, Washington, DC 20019
1 bed
1 bath
$845
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Kalorama townhouse for rent in Washington
2137 R St Nw, Washington, DC 20008
5 beds
5 baths
$25,500
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.House for rent
5d+ ago
Foxhall - Palisades house for rent in Washington
4512 Salem Ln Nw, Washington, DC 20007
4 beds
4.5 baths
$14,000
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.House for rent
5d+ ago
Georgetown house for rent in Washington
1425 34th St Nw #1, Washington, DC 20007
5 beds
4.5 baths
$13,000
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.House for rent
Available Jun 1
5d+ ago
Georgetown house for rent in Washington
1421 34th St Nw #1, Washington, DC 20007
4 beds
3.5 baths
$13,000
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.House for rent
Available Jun 1
5d+ ago
Verified
3636 16th Street Northwest, Washington, DC 20010
Studio–1 bed
1 bath
$1,475–$2,132
Additional fees apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Based on information provided by the property, additional fees may apply, but no required monthly charges have been confirmed. See all fees for details.Apartment for rent
Available Aug 27
6h ago
Verified
1425 P St Nw, Washington, DC 20005
Studio–3 beds
1–3 baths
$1,630–$7,166
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.House for rent
6h ago
Verified
1701 H St Ne, Washington, DC 20002
Studio–2 beds
1–2 baths
$1,684–$3,806
Additional fees apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Based on information provided by the property, additional fees may apply, but no required monthly charges have been confirmed. See all fees for details.Apartment for rent
1d ago
Verified
2800 Quebec St Nw, Washington, DC 20008
Studio–2 beds
1–2 baths
$1,556–$3,492
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.Apartment for rent
6h ago
Verified
1701 H St Ne, Washington, DC 20002
Studio–2 beds
1–2 baths
$1,684–$3,806
Additional fees apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Based on information provided by the property, additional fees may apply, but no required monthly charges have been confirmed. See all fees for details.Apartment for rent
1d ago
Verified
2800 Quebec St Nw, Washington, DC 20008
Studio–2 beds
1–2 baths
$1,556–$3,492
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.Apartment for rent
4d ago
Verified
925 25th St Nw, Washington, DC 20037
Studio–1 bed
1 bath
$1,716–$2,113
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.Apartment for rent
1d ago
Verified
2607 Bowen Rd Se, Washington, DC 20020
1–2 beds
1 bath
$1,436–$2,321
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.Apartment for rent
15h ago
Verified
1341 Howard Rd Se, Washington, DC 20020
1–2 beds
1 bath
$799–$1,750
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.Apartment for rent
1d ago
Verified
2607 Bowen Rd Se, Washington, DC 20020
1–2 beds
1 bath
$1,436–$2,321
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.Apartment for rent
2d ago
Verified
1510 Butler St Se, Washington, DC 20020
1–3 beds
1 bath
$1,377–$1,675
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.Apartment for rent
2d ago
Verified
3700 9th St Se, Washington, DC 20032
1–2 beds
1 bath
$1,495
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.Apartment for rent
Stay up to date with rental market insights
Are you interested in licensing our current and historical rental real estate data, or do you have custom data requests? Contact datalicensing@zumper.com.
Frequently asked questions for Washington, DC
Quick answers to common questions about the Washington rental market.
How much is rent in Washington?
The average rent in Washington is $2,481 per month as of November 7, 2026.
Is rent up or down in Washington?
Average rent prices in Washington have decreased by 1% over the last month and have increased by 3% since last year.
How does Washington rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Washington is 31% above the national average, which means renters are paying approximately $581 more per month.
Which neighborhoods are most affordable in Washington?
The most affordable neighborhoods in Washington are Congress Heights ($1,650/mo), Anacostia ($1,950/mo), and Trinidad Langston ($2,295/mo).
What salary do I need to afford rent in Washington?
To comfortably afford rent in Washington, you'd need to earn approximately $99,000/year, based on spending no more than 30% of your income on rent.
When is the best time of year to rent in Washington?
February offers the best rental deals in Washington with the lowest rents of the year, while August sees peak pricing with roughly a 5.5% difference between the two months.
Methodology
Rent prices are based on Zumper's rental listings from the past 30 days. Median rent is calculated across all available listings and property types on the platform. If you filter the page by bedroom count or property type, the pricing throughout the page will update automatically to reflect that segment of the rental market.
Household and population data come from the U.S. Census Bureau. Cost-of-living data is sourced from the Council for Community and Economic Research's Cost of Living Index (COLI).
For additional insights into rental trends, including month-over-month changes and historical comparisons, see Zumper's Monthly Metro Report.
Washington D.C. Metro Report
The Zumper Washington, DC Metro Report analyzed active listings last month across metro cities to provide insights into the most and least expensive cities, as well as cities with the fastest growing rents. The Maryland one bedroom median rent was $2,001 last month.
The Most Expensive
- Arlington ranked as the most expensive city with one-bedrooms priced at $2,380.
- Alexandria was second with rent at $2,270.
- Washington placed third with rent at $2,240.
The Least Expensive
- Hagerstown was the most affordable city with one-bedrooms priced at $1,040.
- Winchester ranked as the second least expensive with rent at $1,370.
- Manassas placed third with rent at $1,650.
The Largest Decline (Y/Y%)
- Frederick had the largest annual rent price decline, falling 6.7%.
- Silver Spring saw rent drop 4.7%, making it second.
- Manassas placed third with rent decreasing 4.1%.
The Largest Decline (M/M%)
- Manassas had the largest monthly rent price decline, falling 6.3%.
- Frederick was second with rent dropping 2.5%.
- Alexandria placed third with rent decreasing 0.9%.
About
The Zumper Washington D.C. Metro Area Report analyzed active listings that hit the market last month. Listings are aggregated by city to calculate median asking rents.
Words by
Crystal ChenCrystal Chen is a seasoned real estate and housing market expert with more than a decade of experience analyzing rental trends, housing affordability, and urban living. At Zumper, she leads data storytelling as well as press and media relations, where she translates complex housing research into easily digestible insights for renters, industry professionals, and journalists. Her reports can be seen cited in national outlets like The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and CNBC. She is passionate about helping renters navigate today’s evolving housing landscape with clarity and confidence. Living in New York City herself, she knows firsthand the chaos and challenges of navigating a competitive rental market.