653 Apartments for rent in Seattle, WA
📍Kayaks in Union Bay, Seattle
Seattle's hotspot for farmer's market shoppers
Downtown Seattle
Seattle is known for its rainy weather, Owl City, and the Space Needle. However, as can be imagined, there’s a lot more going on under the iconic surface of The Emerald City. Seattle and its residents have a healthy appreciation for the outdoors and tend to be very eco-conscious, which means that many of the apartment properties in Seattle (the newer ones especially) often take measures to be environmentally friendly. This means bigger windows, recycling programs, water-efficient faucets, etc. Seattle is also a place for many different kinds of people, from creative artists and musicians to sports junkies to tech geniuses. No matter the interest, no matter the lifestyle, Seattle probably has something to offer for the perfect fit.
When it comes to the best time for renting, Seattle is similar to most other cities: summer is the most popular time to move. This is because people don’t like moving in the rain, and there are a lot of students leaving (or coming in), so a lot of places open up. Finding an apartment in the winter increases your likelihood of having your move rained or snowed upon - which, combined with the hilly terrain of neighborhoods, can make things a bit more challenging.
Geographically, Central Seattle sits on an isthmus partitioning the Puget Sound and Lake Washington. The prime living locations are on this isthmus (specifically the Eastside, which is anything on the isthmus east of Lake Union). The mid- and lower range occupy either the lower part of the isthmus or the upper peninsula above. Capitol Hill is a popular area, with its beautiful homes and access to Downtown as well as shopping and restaurants. Places like Downtown, Belltown, and Bellevue tend to attract young, tech-minded people and young families. Areas near Lake Union are very popular as well, such as Ballard, Wallingford, and Fremont, with Fremont being especially popular for young people who don’t want to drive.
No matter where you live, you’re sure to find something great. Check out some of the neighborhoods a little more in depth to help you with your apartment search!
Downtown/International District: Love taking the ferry to Bainbridge Island on the weekend? Parking at the ferry landing can be a pain—but not if you live three blocks away! Safeco and Qwest Fields, the Seattle Aquarium, and the heaps of restaurants along the waterfront are some of the other perks you’ll be entitled to if you live Downtown. Not to mention there are tons of gorgeous, luxurious apartments in the area. Renting Downtown is the suite life for sure.
Capitol Hill: This neighborhood gets all the buzz for being the new bohemian enclave, though keep in mind there are quite a few other neighborhoods on the east side of the isthmus worth exploring as well. The area boasts some of Seattle’s best nightlife and entertainment, and hosts some of the city’s wealthiest homes. Smallish Capitol Hill apartments are pretty pricey, so if you want a larger apartment with a view of the water for the same price, check out the Madison Park neighborhood.
Queen Anne: Directly north of Downtown and the city’s first suburb, Seattle grew up rapidly around this gem. And it got its name from all of the Queen Anne style homes built there! Depending on who you’re talking to, the lower part of Queen Anne may or may not include the Seattle Center, but either way its residents are close to the Space Needle, Key Arena, Science Center...all that good stuff. This neighborhood is quite large and steep, so where you are “on the hill” will determine how quiet or exciting your immediate area will be.
North Seattle: These neighborhoods lie north of the Lake Washington Ship Canal, which is traversed via a series of drawbridges and truss bridges. The drawbridges are more convenient for communities west toward the Puget Sound to enter Downtown Seattle; as you can anticipate, this scenario creates some obvious commuting difficulties. Keep this in mind when choosing a particular neighborhood. Just a tip: Most of the properties in North Seattle are pet-friendly.
Wallingford and Fremont are the closest neighborhoods to central Seattle and therefore enjoy the shortest commute times (expect 15-20 minutes on a morning metro bus from the north end of Fremont; longer in the evenings). Fremont borders Lake Union and hosts Adobe’s Seattle offices and Google Seattle, amongst other businesses and organizations, hence the short commute times. Wallingford also borders Lake Union and sits right across the freeway from the University of Washington. It has been largely residential in the past but is beginning to attract businesses like Brooks Sports (who moved its headquarters there) and Tableau Software.
Ballard’s an old hipster stomping ground—now filled with young couples enjoying the unique restaurant and bar scene. But that’s not to say there aren’t singles here; they just might be a few years into their careers. In recent years Ballard has gained tons of live music venues and local shops, lending even more uniqueness to its character. Commute times are only slightly longer from here, and the rent is more affordable.
The University District, named after the University of Washington, hugs Portage and Union Bays on the other side of I-5 from Wallingford. Rent is cheaper here, if only due to the amount of competition UW students bring in. Speaking of which, the students make up a large force for the culture in this neighborhood, which makes the area perfect for those pursuing degrees or those who want to stay forever young.
Beacon Hill: The less expensive alternative to Capitol Hill, Beacon Hill is known for its historic Craftsman bungalow homes and rich cultural diversity. Commuting into the Central Business District, however, can be a bit of a pain, and the SeaTac air traffic may be heard on most nights (the flight path from the runway is directly above North Beacon Hill). The neighborhood offers great views of Downtown and surrounding mountains and is a great place for families, as the area is very community-involved and kid-friendly.
West Seattle: The commute from West Seattle is one of the least desirable in the metro area. This is both because the drive in to I-5 is along a viaduct that receives constant maintenance and because if you’re traveling anywhere other than the Central Business District (say, along I-405 out to Bellevue), the transfer from one freeway to another incurs heedless traffic control lights and confusing on-ramps. However, the benefits of West Seattle include getting to make your home in a relatively serene setting with awesome views.
Bellevue and Points East: Bellevue is a newer community residing on the east side of Lake Washington. It’s often disparaged for its cookie-cutter feel, but Bellevue-ians typically report a solid feeling of communality and a high quality of life. Plus, commuting from Bellevue isn’t as bad as it might seem: morning car trips to Seattle CBD usually range 30-35 minutes, with a few minutes longer in the evening/afternoon. But to residents it’s well worth the distance; Bellevue has a host of shopping options and restaurants, not to mention plenty of green space.
Public transport in Seattle is making incredible strides with the creation of a new light rail (connecting Seattle to Everett and Tacoma) and streetcar (in the South Lake Union zone of the CBD), but the city is still one of the most car-congested cities in the U.S. But don’t lose hope, anxious car commuter! The Washington Department of Transportation maintains a great website delineating real travel times between Seattle and its many suburbs. Seattle recently pledged to become carbon-neutral by 2030, a feat it hopes to achieve primarily by instituting new technology (unsurprising for the city that houses Microsoft and Amazon).
Seattle is a great place to be, with lots of interesting and unique people. From tourist spots to the nearby mountains to shopping, dining, and cultural attractions within, it’s got a great vibe. With all of the water, mountains, parks, and trees around, most people love anything to do with the outdoors and enjoy getting out to participate in various activities. With tech as a thriving industry in Seattle, people of course love their technology, but real life face time is important here too, and people love getting together and fostering strong community bonds. In fact, there are all kinds of festivals going on especially during the summers, so there are plenty of opportunities to try new things and meet more friends! Also, Seattle has one of the highest literacy rates in the country, so if you’re looking for fellow book-lovers, great bookstores, and reading spots, this might be your place!
June 2020 Seattle Rent Report
Welcome to the June 2020 Seattle Rent Report. Seattle rents declined over the past month. In this report, we'll evaluate trends in the Seattle rental market, including comparisons to cities throughout the metro, state, and nation.
June 2020 Seattle Rent Report
Welcome to the June 2020 Seattle Rent Report. Seattle rents declined over the past month. In this report, we'll evaluate trends in the Seattle rental market, including comparisons to cities throughout the metro, state, and nation.
Seattle rents declined moderately over the past month
Seattle rents have declined 0.3% over the past month, but are up slightly by 1.2% in comparison to the same time last year. Currently, median rents in Seattle stand at $1,355 for a one-bedroom apartment and $1,688 for a two-bedroom. Seattle's year-over-year rent growth leads the state average of 1.1%, as well as the national average of 0.8%.
Rents rising across the Seattle Metro
Throughout the past year, rent increases have been occurring not just in the city of Seattle, but across the entire metro. Of the largest 10 cities that we have data for in the Seattle metro, all of them have seen prices rise. Here's a look at how rents compare across some of the largest cities in the metro.
- Lakewood has the least expensive rents in the Seattle metro, with a two-bedroom median of $1,508; the city has also experienced the fastest rent growth in the metro, with a year-over-year increase of 2.4%.
- Bellevue has the most expensive rents in the Seattle metro, with a two-bedroom median of $2,422; however, the city has also seen rents fall by 0.5% over the past month, the biggest drop in the metro.
Similar cities nationwide show more affordable rents compared to Seattle
As rents have increased slightly in Seattle, other large cities nationwide have seen rents grow more quickly. Compared to most other large cities across the country, Seattle is less affordable for renters.
- Rents increased slightly in other cities across the state, with Washington as a whole logging rent growth of 1.1% over the past year. For example, rents have grown by 1.6% in Spokane and 0.7% in Vancouver.
- Seattle's median two-bedroom rent of $1,688 is above the national average of $1,194. Nationwide, rents have grown by 0.8% over the past year compared to the 1.2% rise in Seattle.
- While Seattle's rents rose slightly over the past year, many cities nationwide saw decreases, including San Francisco (-1.0%), Denver (-0.4%), and Boston (-0.4%).
- Renters will generally find more expensive prices in Seattle than most similar cities. For example, Spokane has a median 2BR rent of $904, where Seattle is more than one-and-a-half times that price.
For more information check out our national report. You can also access our full data for cities and counties across the U.S. at this link.
Methodology - Recent Updates:
Data from private listing sites, including our own, tends to skew toward luxury apartments, which introduces sample bias when estimates are calculated directly from these listings. To address these limitations, we’ve recently made major updates to our methodology, which we believe have greatly improved the accuracy and reliability of our estimates.
Read more about our new methodology below, or see a more detailed post here.
Methodology:
Apartment List is committed to making our rent estimates the best and most accurate available. To do this, we start with reliable median rent statistics from the Census Bureau, then extrapolate them forward to the current month using a growth rate calculated from our listing data. In doing so, we use a same-unit analysis similar to Case-Shiller’s approach, comparing only units that are available across both time periods to provide an accurate picture of rent growth in cities across the country.
Our approach corrects for the sample bias inherent in other private sources, producing results that are much closer to statistics published by the Census Bureau and HUD. Our methodology also allows us to construct a picture of rent growth over an extended period of time, with estimates that are updated each month.
Read more about our methodology here.
About Rent Reports:
Apartment List publishes monthly reports on rental trends for hundreds of cities across the U.S. We intend these reports to be a source of reliable information that help renters and policymakers make sound decisions, and we invest significant time and effort in gathering and analyzing rent data. Our work is covered regularly by journalists across the country.
We are continuously working to improve our methodology and data, with the goal of providing renters with the information that they need to make the best decisions.
Renter Confidence Survey
Apartment List has released Seattle’s results from the third annual Apartment List Renter Satisfaction Survey. This survey, which drew on responses from over 45,000 renters nationwide, provides insight on what states and cities must do to meet the needs of the country’s 111 million renters.
"Seattle renters expressed general satisfaction with the city overall," according to Apartment List...
Here’s how Seattle ranks on:
Apartment List has released Seattle’s results from the third annual Apartment List Renter Satisfaction Survey. This survey, which drew on responses from over 45,000 renters nationwide, provides insight on what states and cities must do to meet the needs of the country’s 111 million renters.
"Seattle renters expressed general satisfaction with the city overall," according to Apartment List. "With expensive rents in coastal tech hubs, it comes as no surprise that cost of living is a source of dissatisfaction in Seattle."
Key Findings in Seattle include the following:
- Seattle renters gave their city a B+ overall.
- The highest-rated categories for Seattle were jobs and career opportunities, public transit, recreational activities and pet-friendliness, which all earned A grades.
- The area of concern to Seattle renters is affordability, which received an F.
- Seattle did relatively well compared to other cities in Washington, including Spokane (C+), Tacoma (C+) and Vancouver (D).
- Seattle earned similar scores to other tech hubs, including Austin (A-), Denver (B+) and San Francisco (B+).
- The top rated cities nationwide for renter satisfaction included Scottsdale, AZ, Irvine, CA, Boulder, CO and Ann Arbor, MI. The lowest rated cities included Tallahassee, FL, Stockton, CA, Dayton, OH, Detroit, MI and Newark, NJ.
Renters say:
- "I actually like the gray wet weather. The public transportation works for me and I feel safe in Seattle. I also like the library system." –Anon.
- "There are several great parks to go to with your kids, pets, significant other or just for solo alone time. Lincoln park especially disconnects you from the city life." –Karli B.
- "Weather in the winter is miserable and housing is super expensive. The sightseeing and touristy activities are fun and there are cool neighborhoods to explore." –Elizabeth M.
- "I love that the city has access to lakes, mountains, and other outdoor activities nearby (when weather permits)." –Mary S
For more information on the survey methodology and findings or to speak to one of our researchers, please contact our team at rentonomics@apartmentlist.com.