Bedroom count
Property type
Last updated on August 12, 2026
Average rent in
Washington, DC
Average rent in
Last updated on August 12, 2026
Bedroom count
Property type
Key takeaways for renters
The bottom line
Washington, DC rent is essentially flat year over year, with a current median of $2,500/month. Rents remain steady compared to last year, showing no significant change as of August 2026.
Compared to national trends
Washington, DC is 29.9% more expensive than the national median rent of $1,925/month. This positions the city as a pricier metro with 2,654 total rentals available for choice.
Rent ranges by bedroom
Studios in Washington, DC rent for about $1,847/month, 1-bedrooms around $2,200/month, 2-bedrooms at $3,000/month, 3-bedrooms at $3,700/month, and 4+ bedrooms reach $5,100/month. This range offers options across all bedroom sizes for renters.
Neighborhood spotlight
Glover Archibold Park rents fell 86.4% year over year to $2,192/month across 17 rentals. This decline contrasts with the citywide flat trend and indicates a localized cooldown in this neighborhood.
Median rent
Median rent in Washington
$2,500/mo
vs previous year
The average rent in Washington is $2,500 per month as of August 2026. This is 30% above the national average rent, or $575 more per month.
average price per square foot
Total rentals
Available rentals in Washington
2,654
for rent on Zumper.com as of August 2026
Rent price distribution
Share of Washington rentals at each price point
Rent trends in Washington, DC
Average rent prices in Washington have remained the same over the last month and have remained the same 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 $2,373, whereas a house costs $3,400. 1-bedroom apartments in Washington run $2,217 on average, while 2-bedroom apartments are $3,000.
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Studio | $1,847 |  1% | 1% | |
1 bedroom | $2,200 |  1% | 3% | |
2 bedroom | $3,000 | 1% | 2% | |
3 bedroom | $3,700 | No Change | 1% | |
4 bedroom | $5,100 | No Change | 20% |
Listings | ||
|---|---|---|
Capitol Hill | $2,400 | |
Cathedral Wesley Heights Mclean Gardens | $2,776 | |
Columbia Heights | $2,329 | |
Congress Heights | $1,600 | |
Dupont Circle | $2,500 | |
Foggy Bottom Gwu West End | $2,643 | |
Logan Circle Shaw | $2,795 | |
Southwest Waterfront | $2,314 | |
Sw Ballpark Navy Yard | $2,531 | |
Trinidad Langston | $2,440 |
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Apartments | $2,373 | 2% | No Change | |
Condos | $2,499 | 1% | No Change | |
Houses | $3,400 | 1% | No Change | |
Rooms | $1,218 | 1% | No Change |
Studio
Average rent
$1,847
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
1%
1 bedroom
Average rent
$2,200
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
3%
2 bedroom
Average rent
$3,000
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
2%
3 bedroom
Average rent
$3,700
Last 30 days
No Change
Last year
1%
4 bedroom
Average rent
$5,100
Last 30 days
No Change
Last year
20%
Logan Circle Shaw
Average rent
$2,795
Columbia Heights
Average rent
$2,329
Cathedral Wesley Heights Mclean Gardens
Average rent
$2,776
Trinidad Langston
Average rent
$2,440
Southwest Waterfront
Average rent
$2,314
Dupont Circle
Average rent
$2,500
Capitol Hill
Average rent
$2,400
Congress Heights
Average rent
$1,600
Sw Ballpark Navy Yard
Average rent
$2,531
Foggy Bottom Gwu West End
Average rent
$2,643
Apartments
Average rent
$2,373
Last 30 days
2%
Condos
Average rent
$2,499
Last 30 days
1%
Houses
Average rent
$3,400
Last 30 days
1%
Rooms
Average rent
$1,218
Last 30 days
1%
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
30%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
$2,551
2%$2,750
4%$3,825
9%$3,495
22%$1,875
6%$3,350
35%$2,179
10%$2,100
2%$2,095
3%$1,700
5%$1,650
2%$1,817
15%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 | 6% higher |
| Health | 20% higher |
| Housing | 102% higher |
| Transportation | 5% higher |
| Utilities | 4% higher |
Discover rentals in Washington, DC
1d ago
5100 Bass Pl Se, Washington, DC 20019
1 bed
1 bath
$750
Apartment for rent
1d ago
17 Mississippi Ave Se, Washington, DC 20032
Studio–3 beds
1 bath
$811–$2,309
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Fort Dupont apartment for rent in Washington
3507 Minnesota Ave Se, Washington, DC 20019
1 bed
1 bath
$845
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Columbia Heights house for rent in Washington
1450 Newton St Nw #4, Washington, DC 20010
1 bed
1.5 baths
$850
House for rent
Available Jan 7
5d+ ago
Kalorama townhouse for rent in Washington
2137 R St Nw, Washington, DC 20008
5 beds
5 baths
$27,000
House for rent
5d+ ago
Foxhall - Palisades house for rent in Washington
4509 Foxhall Cres Nw, Washington, DC 20007
5 beds
6.5 baths
$20,000
House for rent
5d+ ago
Foggy Bottom - GWU - West End townhouse for rent in Washington
2507 I St Nw, Washington, DC 20037
4 beds
4 baths
$15,000
House for rent
5d+ ago
Georgetown apartment for rent in Washington
3043 W Lane Kys Nw, Washington, DC 20007
4 beds
3.5 baths
$14,500
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Verified
3636 16th Street Northwest, Washington, DC 20010
Studio–1 bed
1 bath
$1,475–$2,132
Apartment for rent
Available Aug 27
15h ago
Verified
1425 P St Nw, Washington, DC 20005
Studio–4 beds
1–3 baths
$1,520–$11,556
House for rent
1h ago
Verified
2800 Quebec St Nw, Washington, DC 20008
Studio–2 beds
1–2 baths
$1,569–$3,492
Price drop
Apartment for rent
4h ago
Verified
2121 1st St Sw, Washington, DC 20024
Studio–2 beds
1–2 baths
$1,908–$4,708
Apartment for rent
1h ago
Verified
2800 Quebec St Nw, Washington, DC 20008
Studio–2 beds
1–2 baths
$1,569–$3,492
Price drop
Apartment for rent
4h ago
Verified
2121 1st St Sw, Washington, DC 20024
Studio–2 beds
1–2 baths
$1,908–$4,708
Apartment for rent
5h ago
Verified
3339 Mount Pleasant St Nw, Washington, DC 20010
Studio–1 bed
1 bath
$1,524–$3,293
Apartment for rent
23h ago
Verified
925 25th St Nw, Washington, DC 20037
Studio–1 bed
1 bath
$1,816–$2,333
Apartment for rent
6h ago
Verified
601 Edgewood St Ne, Washington, DC 20017
Studio–4 beds
1–2 baths
$1,248–$3,825
Apartment for rent
3d ago
Verified
1510 Butler St Se, Washington, DC 20020
2 beds
1 bath
$1,377–$1,464
Apartment for rent
3d ago
Verified
1212 Southern Ave Se, Washington, DC 20032
Studio–3 beds
1 bath
$1,375–$1,722
Apartment for rent
3d ago
Verified
3700 9th St Se, Washington, DC 20032
1–2 beds
1 bath
$1,370–$1,626
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 $2,500 per month as of August 8, 2026.
Is rent up or down in Washington?
Average rent prices in Washington have remained the same over the last month and have remained the same since last year.
How does Washington rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Washington is 30% above the national average, which means renters are paying approximately $575 more per month.
Which neighborhoods are most affordable in Washington?
The most affordable neighborhoods in Washington are Congress Heights ($1,600/mo), Southwest Waterfront ($2,314/mo), and Columbia Heights ($2,329/mo).
What salary do I need to afford rent in Washington?
To comfortably afford rent in Washington, you'd need to earn approximately $100,000/year, based on spending no more than 30% of your income on rent.
When is the best time of year to rent in Washington?
Based on Zumper's July 2026 data, one-bedroom apartments in Washington average around $2,250/month and two-bedrooms approximately $3,010/month.
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 $2,014 last month.
The Most Expensive
- Arlington ranked as the most expensive city with one-bedrooms priced at $2,430.
- Alexandria was second with rent at $2,290.
- Washington placed third with rent at $2,270.
The Least Expensive
- Hagerstown was the most affordable city with one-bedrooms priced at $1,020.
- Laurel ranked as the second least expensive with rent at $1,670.
- Frederick placed third with rent at $1,700.
The Largest Decline (Y/Y%)
- Frederick had the largest annual rent price decline, falling 8.1%.
- Fairfax saw rent drop 4.8%, making it second.
- Hagerstown placed third with rent decreasing 4.7%.
The Largest Decline (M/M%)
- Frederick had the largest monthly rent price decline, falling 1.7%.
- Fairfax & Herndon tied for second with rents both dropping 1.5%.
- Washington placed third with rent decreasing 1.3%.
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.