How Much Is Rent in Washington, DC? (2026)

Updated September 2026. Based on Apartment List's August 2026 rent estimates, Vacancy Index, and time-on-market data.

Apartment List's Rent Index estimates Washington, DC's median monthly rent at $2,171 in August 2026, 1.8% lower than a year earlier, with one-bedrooms at $2,146 and two-bedrooms at $2,203. If you're searching for a one-bedroom, use the one-bedroom median rather than the median for all apartment sizes. These bedroom-specific medians give you a starting point for comparing apartments in the neighborhoods you're considering.

Washington rents have been below their year-earlier level for 14 consecutive months, according to Apartment List's estimates, but the gap has narrowed from 5.2% in March 2026 to 1.8% in August as the median rose for six straight months. The August 2026 median was 3.0% below the city's August 2024 peak and 2.1% above its August 2019 pre-pandemic high. Below, see which way prices are moving, how availability has changed, whether the time of year matters, and where rent runs lower nearby.

How Much Is Rent in Washington, DC Right Now?

Median Monthly Rent, Washington, DC and U.S., August 2026

Source: Apartment List Rent Index, August 2026.

Washington ranked 15th among the 100 largest U.S. cities for overall median rent in August 2026, according to Apartment List's estimates, at 56.2% above the national median and between Santa Ana, California ($2,224) and Seattle ($2,092). It ranked 9th for one-bedroom and 17th for two-bedroom median rent. Its one-bedroom and two-bedroom medians were $57 apart, against a $155 gap between the two national figures.

A median calculated from apartments advertised on one listing site describes that site's available inventory, which can differ from Apartment List's estimate for new leases across the whole city. Compare the listings you're considering with the median for your bedroom count rather than expecting them to match it.

Are Rents in Washington, DC Going Up or Down Right Now?

Down from a year ago, up since January. Washington's overall median rent was 1.8% lower in August 2026 than in August 2025 but 4.6% higher than in January 2026, according to Apartment List's estimates, and it rose 0.8% in August, the sixth consecutive monthly increase. For scale, Apartment List's national median rose 0.1% in August and was 0.8% lower than a year earlier.

Each comparison ends in August 2026. January's median was lower and the previous August's was higher, which is how Washington rents can rise during the year while staying below their year-earlier level. Apartment List's estimates show the same shape in 2025 with a smaller climb: rents rose 2.1% from January to August, then fell in each month from September through December.

Is Rent in Washington, DC Still Lower Than Last Year?

Yes, and it has been for 14 months running. August 2026 was the 14th consecutive month in which Washington's overall median rent came in below the same month a year earlier, in Apartment List's estimates; the run began in July 2025. It was also the second August in a row to come in below the one before.

The 2026 months show the gap closing. According to Apartment List's estimates, Washington's overall median fell to $2,066 in February 2026, its lowest point since the August 2024 peak, then rose in every month from March through August to reach $2,171. The year-over-year decline widened from 4.2% in January to 5.2% in March, then narrowed every month to 1.8% in August.

Washington, DC Median Monthly Rent and Year-over-Year Change, January to August 2026

Source: Apartment List analysis of its monthly rent estimates, overall median, August 2026 data release.

The four months before that were the fall decline. Washington's overall median fell from $2,194 in September to $2,095 in December 2025, according to Apartment List's estimates, and ran 1.7% to 3.6% below year-earlier levels.

Washington, DC Median Monthly Rent and Year-over-Year Change, September to December 2025

Source: Apartment List analysis of its monthly rent estimates, overall median, August 2026 data release.

How Much Have Washington, DC Rents Dropped From Their High?

About $66 a month, or 3.0%. Washington's overall median rent peaked at about $2,237 in August 2024 and stood at $2,171 in August 2026, according to Apartment List's analysis of its monthly rent estimates. That is 2.1% above the pre-pandemic high of about $2,126 in August 2019. The median fell 11.8% between February 2020 and January 2021, did not pass its 2019 high again until June 2022, reached the 2024 peak, fell to about $2,066 in February 2026, and has risen 5.1% since.

How Much Rental Availability Is There in Washington, DC?

The available share has fallen for six months and is below the national figure, while apartments that lease are taking longer than in any August since tracking began. In August 2026, 7.02% of units in the Washington apartment buildings covered by Apartment List's Vacancy Index were listed as available, compared with 7.06% a year earlier, and down from 8.17% in February. Apartments that leased in August 2026 had been listed for a median of 31.7 days, according to Apartment List's time-on-market data, up from 27.0 days in August 2025. That is the longest August in the series, which began in 2019, and equal to the national figure.

Listing Time and Available Share, Washington, DC and U.S., August 2025 and August 2026

Source: Apartment List, time-on-market data and Vacancy Index, August 2026.

Listing times have run above their 2019 to 2025 averages in every month of 2026, and March's 57.0 days was the longest reading of the year. Ask about availability and the application timeline when you arrange a tour.

When Is the Best Time of Year to Rent in Washington, DC?

Fall and winter, if price matters most. Washington's overall median rent ended January below the previous September in all nine fall-to-winter periods from 2017-18 through 2025-26, according to Apartment List's analysis of its monthly estimates, by 1.0% to 6.2%. The most recent decline, 5.4% from September 2025 to January 2026, was the second-steepest of the nine, behind only the pandemic winter of 2020-21.

Do Apartments Rent Faster in Summer or Winter in Washington, DC?

Summer. Apartment List's time-on-market data, averaged over 2019 to 2025, puts the median listing time for Washington apartments that leased in July at 25.8 days, against 43.1 days for apartments that leased in February. February's median exceeded July's in each of those seven years.

Washington, DC Seasonal Listing Times, 2019 to 2025

Source: Apartment List analysis of its time-on-market data, Washington, DC, 2019 to 2025.

Those figures describe apartments that already leased, not how long a listing you are looking at will stay open.

Where Is Rent Cheaper Near Washington, DC?

Frederick, Maryland. It had the lowest overall, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom medians of the 31 Washington metro area cities in Apartment List's August 2026 estimates, at $1,683, $1,396, and $1,655. Twenty-four of the other 30 cities had a lower one-bedroom median than Washington's $2,146, and 16 of those also had lower overall medians. Seven cities had a one-bedroom median under $1,700, six of them in Maryland and one in Virginia.

Metro Area Cities With a One-Bedroom Median Under $1,700, August 2026

Source: Apartment List rent estimates, August 2026. Cities sorted by one-bedroom median; each row covers that city's own boundaries.

Nine more cities had one-bedroom medians between $1,700 and $1,849, according to Apartment List's August 2026 estimates, and all but Leesburg also had lower overall medians than Washington's $2,171.

Metro Area Cities With a One-Bedroom Median of $1,700 to $1,849, August 2026

Source: Apartment List rent estimates, August 2026. Cities sorted by one-bedroom median; each row covers that city's own boundaries.

Eight cities had one-bedroom medians between $1,850 and Washington's $2,146, from Annandale ($1,864) to Centreville ($2,068), and all but Annandale had higher overall medians than Washington. Six cities had higher one-bedroom medians than Washington: Fair Oaks ($2,184), Rockville ($2,193), Reston ($2,253), Ashburn ($2,280), Tysons Corner ($2,415), and Arlington ($2,460). Rents fell over the year in 21 of the 31 cities. For the newest monthly figures and the full list, see Apartment List's Washington, DC rent report, which updates each month.

A higher citywide median doesn't necessarily mean higher rent for the apartment size you need, because the overall median pools all apartment sizes while the bedroom medians describe separate groups. Alexandria shows the difference: its overall median of $2,205 and two-bedroom median of $2,481 were both above Washington's, but its one-bedroom median of $2,019 was $127 lower.

Frederick, to the northwest, and Fredericksburg, to the south, are the farthest of the seven from the District. Forestville, Hyattsville, Suitland, and Landover sit across the eastern border in Prince George's County, Maryland, and Wheaton is north of the city in Montgomery County. Whether a lower rent works for you also depends on where you need to go regularly.

Find a Washington, DC Apartment That Fits Your Search

Use Apartment List's August 2026 medians for Washington, $2,146 for a one-bedroom and $2,203 for a two-bedroom, to set a price reference, then compare what apartments in that range actually offer.

For example, a Washington one-bedroom listed at $2,400 would be $254 above Apartment List's August 2026 one-bedroom median of $2,146. Its condition, location, lease terms, required monthly charges, and included utilities can help you judge whether that difference is worthwhile.

If your moving date is flexible, include fall and winter listings in your search; if it is fixed, compare the apartments available when you need to move.

Build a shortlist of places that meet your needs and compare their total monthly costs side by side. That gives you a practical next step: deciding which apartments deserve a tour and what to ask before applying.

Explore apartments in Washington, DC

For help fitting rent into your broader budget, see our Washington, DC cost of living guide.

Sources and Methodology

Rent, vacancy, and listing-time figures on this page come from Apartment List's August 2026 data release, published in September 2026. Earlier months are shown as revised in that release.

Data Sources and Calculation Methods Behind This Page

All three data series are published on Apartment List's data and rent estimates page.

Frequently Asked Questions About Washington, DC Rent

What Is the Average Rent in Washington, DC?

Apartment List's Rent Index puts Washington, DC's median rent at $2,171 in August 2026 across all apartment sizes, and $2,146 for a one-bedroom. Apartment List reports the median, the midpoint of new-lease rents signed in the month, so a figure another source labels an average rent is not directly comparable.

How Much Do You Need to Earn to Afford Rent in Washington, DC?

Using 30% of gross household income as a starting point for rent alone, Apartment List's August 2026 Washington median rent of $2,171 works out to an income of about $87,000 a year. The $2,146 one-bedroom median works out to about $86,000 and the $2,203 two-bedroom median to about $88,000. Utilities and other housing costs need additional room in that budget. For the broader budget, see our Washington, DC cost of living guide.

How Much Has Rent in Washington, DC Gone Down in the Past Year?

About $39 a month. Apartment List's estimates put Washington's overall median rent at about $2,210 in August 2025 and $2,171 in August 2026, a decrease of 1.8%.

How Much Has Rent in Washington, DC Gone Up Since 2020?

Compared with March 2020, Washington's median rent was 3.9% higher in August 2026, while the national median was 19.7% higher, according to Apartment List, in dollar terms without adjusting for inflation. Among the 100 largest U.S. cities, only Oakland, Portland, Austin, Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Denver had smaller changes over that period. Washington's net change includes an 11.8% decline between February 2020 and January 2021, the rise to its August 2024 peak of about $2,237, and the 3.0% decline since.

What Is the Difference Between Washington, DC City and Metro Rent?

The city figure covers the District of Columbia; the metro figure covers the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro area, which spans the District, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. In August 2026, according to Apartment List's estimates, Washington's overall median was nearly identical to the metro's ($2,171 versus $2,174), while its one-bedroom median was 8.8% above the metro's $1,973 and its two-bedroom median 1.0% above the metro's $2,181. Because the metro figure includes the city, it says nothing on its own about what any one surrounding city costs.