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Updated

Average Rent in Washington, DC

10 apartment buildings, 56 units. Real asking prices, refreshed daily.

Avg Rent

$4,638/mo

Cheapest

$2,095/mo

Properties

10

Units

56

Analysis

Rent Price Breakdown

Compare pricing across all 10 properties in Washington, DC.

Average Rent by Property

Starting Price vs Average

Rent by Bedroom Count

Price per Square Foot

Washington, DC Rent Prices

All 10 properties ranked by lowest available rent.

Explore Each Property

Washington, DC Average Rent Prices 2026

The average rent in Washington, DC is $4,638 per month, based on 56 units across 10 apartment communities. Prices range from $2,095 at Ora to $10,800 at Apartments at Westlight.

Average Rent by Bedroom Type

Type Avg Rent Starting From Units
Studio $2,899/mo $2,095/mo 13
1 Bed $3,852/mo $2,580/mo 32
2 Bed $6,335/mo $4,882/mo 7
3 Bed $13,600/mo $10,800/mo 4

Every price comes directly from each property's leasing system, updated that morning. Request a neighborhood we don't cover and we add it within 24 hours.

Market Context

Who rents in Washington, DC, and what they pay

Tracked one-bedroom rent in Washington, DC averages $3,852/mo, with two-bedroom units averaging $6,335/mo. At the local median household income of $106,287, that works out to 52% of gross income, a severely rent-burdened market by HUD standards.

The U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 2023 release pegged median gross rent in Washington, DC at $1,900/mo. The current tracked market average runs 144% higher than that benchmark, reflecting both two to three years of rent growth and the fact that the Census figure covers all renter-occupied housing in Washington, DC while the tracked market average covers units currently listed in larger apartment communities.

Who employs renters in Washington D.C.

Demand in the Washington D.C. rental market is shaped by the metro's largest private and public employers. The following organizations anchor local hiring and influence what renters can pay:

  • U.S. Federal Government
  • Georgetown University
  • Washington Hospital Center
  • Howard University

Mean one-way commute in Washington, DC is 30 minutes, per the Census ACS, useful context when weighing which properties sit inside reasonable reach of these employers.

What salary do I need to live comfortably in Washington, DC?

Built on the 25 to 30 percent rent-to-income guideline used by most landlords and credit-scoring models.

Minimum to afford average rent

$186,000/year

30 percent rule -- using our average rent of $4,638/mo.

Comfortable income

$223,000/year

25 percent rule -- leaves more room for savings, transport, and groceries.

To afford the cheapest tracked apartment ($2,095/mo), you need to earn at least $84,000/year.

Median household income in Washington, DC is $106,287 , about 52% below the comfortable-living threshold.

Cost of living in Washington, DC

Overall prices in Washington, DC runs above the national average by about 10% (BEA Regional Price Parity index 109.5, where 100 equals the U.S. average). The breakdown below estimates monthly costs for a single adult, using national consumer-spending baselines from the Bureau of Labor Statistics scaled by Washington, DC's regional price parities.

Category Monthly estimate
Rent (market average) $4,638
Utilities $653
Groceries $574
Transportation $1,557
Healthcare $759
Other goods and services $1,215
Estimated total $9,396/mo

Population

672,079

Median household income

$106,287

Census median rent

$1,900/mo

Rent as % of income

28.5%

Median age

34.9

Mean commute

30 min

Methodology

Rent data

Sourced directly from each tracked apartment community and refreshed every 24 hours. Every listed unit price on this page is real and listed today.

Cost of living

Estimates combine national consumer-spending baselines from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Consumer Expenditure Survey) with the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (MARPP dataset). Both are peer-reviewed federal data releases published annually.

Salary to live comfortably

Applies the standard 25 to 30 percent rent-to-income rule on top of the listed rent. This is the same affordability guideline used by most landlords and credit-scoring models.

Demographic figures

Median household income, population, median age, commute time, Census median rent, and rent as percentage of income come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 5-year estimates, the most recent complete release.

Cost of living and demographic figures were last published in 2023.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Washington, DC?

The average rent in Washington, DC is $4,638 per month, based on 56 units across 10 apartment buildings tracked by Average Rent. Prices are updated every morning through our proprietary data sourcing.

What is the cheapest apartment rent in Washington, DC?

The lowest available rent in Washington, DC starts at $2,095 per month. Availability changes daily as leasing data is refreshed each morning.

How much is a 1-bedroom apartment in Washington, DC?

1-bedroom apartments in Washington, DC average $3,852/mo. The lowest listed 1-bedroom starts at $2,580/mo across 32 units tracked.

How much is a 2-bedroom apartment in Washington, DC?

2-bedroom apartments in Washington, DC average $6,335/mo. Units start from $4,882/mo across 7 units currently listed.

Rent Trends in Washington, DC

Track how apartment prices are changing over time.

View Rent Trends
Adding new buildings daily

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