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Rental Market Trends in Washington, DC

What is the average rent in Washington, DC?

$2,241/month

Average Rent

690 Sq Ft

Average Apartment Size

-3.2%

Decrease in the Last Year

As of March 2026, the average rent in Washington, DC is $2,241 per month. This is 38% higher than the national average rent price of $1,627/month, making Washington one of the most expensive cities in the US. When you rent an apartment in Washington, you can expect to pay about $1,810 per month for a studio, $2,241 for a one-bedroom apartment, and around $3,074 for a two-bedroom apartment. If you opt for a three-bedroom rental, you could pay $3,975 or more.

Floor Plan Type
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
Studio
$1,810/month
471 Sq Ft
One Bedroom
$2,241/month
690 Sq Ft
Two Bedroom
$3,074/month
979 Sq Ft
Three Bedroom
$3,975/month
1,071 Sq Ft
Floor Plan Type
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
One Bedroom
$1,931/month
573 Sq Ft
Two Bedroom
$2,864/month
924 Sq Ft
Three Bedroom
$3,741/month
1,131 Sq Ft
Four Bedroom
$6,697/month
2,326 Sq Ft
Floor Plan Type
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
One Bedroom
$2,287/month
634 Sq Ft
Two Bedroom
$2,936/month
939 Sq Ft
Three Bedroom
$2,897/month
906 Sq Ft
Four Bedroom
$1,246/month
162 Sq Ft
Floor Plan Type
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
One Bedroom
$1,811/month
522 Sq Ft
Two Bedroom
$3,174/month
935 Sq Ft
Three Bedroom
$4,261/month
1,096 Sq Ft
Four Bedroom
$6,485/month
1,763 Sq Ft

How much has average rent changed in Washington, DC?

In the past year, rent has decreased by 3.2%, which averages out to $70 less per month.

Market Trends Over Time   The chart below compares average rent prices to the previous year during the same time period.
Last Updated March 2026
Legend
2025 2026
Market Trends Over Time
Rent Ranges in Washington, DC
Last Updated March 2026
Above $2,000
Most rental prices fall within this range
Rent Ranges in Washington, DC
Percentage*
Rent Range
2% Below $700/month
6% $700 - $1,000/month
21% $1,001 - $1,500/month
25% $1,501 - $2,000/month
47% Above $2,000/month

Rent by Neighborhood

Last Updated Today
  • Most Affordable
  • Most Expensive
  • Most Available

What are the most affordable neighborhoods in Washington?

Based on current rent prices, Bellevue, Congress Heights and Grant Park are the most affordable neighborhoods in Washington.

Calculate Rent Affordability
Neighborhood
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
Bellevue
$1,159/month
574 Sq Ft
Congress Heights
$1,255/month
613 Sq Ft
Grant Park
$1,303/month
593 Sq Ft
Dupont Park
$1,308/month
695 Sq Ft
University Heights
$1,473/month
256 Sq Ft
Fort Dupont
$1,477/month
803 Sq Ft
Historic Anacostia
$1,535/month
719 Sq Ft
Randle Highlands
$1,553/month
709 Sq Ft
Barracks Row
$1,637/month
256 Sq Ft
Barry Farm
$1,670/month
751 Sq Ft

What are the most expensive neighborhoods in Washington?

Based on current rent prices, CityCenterDC, Penn Quarter and Friendship Heights are the most expensive neighborhoods in Washington.

Calculate Rent Affordability
Neighborhood
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
CityCenterDC
$3,616/month
760 Sq Ft
Penn Quarter
$3,604/month
733 Sq Ft
Friendship Heights
$3,477/month
812 Sq Ft
Golden Triangle
$3,379/month
686 Sq Ft
National Mall
$3,370/month
719 Sq Ft
Embassy Row
$3,245/month
800 Sq Ft
Mount Vernon Square
$3,168/month
716 Sq Ft
Bolling Air Force Base
$3,142/month
722 Sq Ft
West Village
$3,118/month
674 Sq Ft
East Village
$3,092/month
679 Sq Ft

Which Washington neighborhoods have the most rentals available?

The neighborhoods in Washington with the most apartments available are Downtown DC, Southwest/Navy Yard and Navy Yard .

Calculate Rent Affordability
Neighborhood
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
Downtown DC
$2,843/month
689 Sq Ft
Southwest/Navy Yard
$2,640/month
692 Sq Ft
Navy Yard
$2,578/month
694 Sq Ft
Waterfront
$2,605/month
691 Sq Ft
H Street/NoMa
$2,503/month
682 Sq Ft
NoMa
$2,501/month
690 Sq Ft
Shaw
$2,717/month
697 Sq Ft
Capitol Hill
$2,463/month
697 Sq Ft
Adams Morgan/Columbia Heights
$2,520/month
653 Sq Ft
Southwest DC
$2,607/month
678 Sq Ft
This information is based on data collected by CoStar Group researchers.†

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

Because the average rent in Washington is $2,241, you’ll want to make about $7,470 per month or $89,640 per year. The general guideline is to pay no more than 30 percent of your monthly income on rent. However, you’ll want to consider additional factors, such as your monthly bills and other expenses. Use our rent affordability calculator to help determine how much to budget for rent.

Cost of Living

The cost of living in Washington, DC is 37.7% higher than the national average. Generally, housing in Washington is 104.7% more expensive than the national average, with rent falling between $1,810 - $3,975. You can expect to pay 5.0% more for groceries, 2.9% more for utilities, and 4.8% more for transportation.

City

Washington, DC

24,240 Available Apartments for Rent

Search for Nearby Apartments

How does Washington, DC compare to other nearby cities and neighborhoods?

Use the tool below to compare Washington, DC to other nearby cities and neighborhoods. The Apartments.com neighborhood guides provide you with insight into the area’s transportation, things to do, and more.

Explore the Area Guide for Washington, DC

Apartment Averages

Bellevue

Washington, DC

CityCenterDC

Washington, DC

Studio
-
$2,693/month
One Bedroom
-
$3,344/month
Two Bedroom
-
$3,857/month
Three Bedroom
-
$7,021/month
Search
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Nearby City Rent Trends

  • Mount Rainier Average Rent
  • Brentwood Average Rent
  • Hillcrest Heights Average Rent
  • Arlington Average Rent

Apartment communities in Washington we think you'll love

AdMo Heights

AdMo Heights

1777 Columbia Rd NW,
Washington, DC 20009

$1,965 - $2,824

Studio - 1 Bed

Maple View Flats

Maple View Flats

2228 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE,
Washington, DC 20020

$1,784 - $2,132

1-2 Beds

Boundary Stone Flats

Boundary Stone Flats

800 Kenilworth Ave NE,
Washington, DC 20019

$1,763 - $2,424

1-3 Beds

The Grays on Pennsylvania

The Grays on Pennsylvania

2323 Pennsylvania Ave SE,
Washington, DC 20020

$1,781 - $2,128

1-2 Beds

Property Management Companies in Washington, DC

Bozzuto
Bozzuto
  • 391

    Communities

  • 120,212

    Units

  • 157

    Cities

80 Communities in Washington
Donohoe
Donohoe
  • 63

    Communities

  • 7,683

    Units

  • 10

    Cities

52 Communities in Washington
Greystar
Greystar
  • 3,491

    Communities

  • 958,581

    Units

  • 894

    Cities

49 Communities in Washington
Bernstein Management Corporation
Bernstein Management Corporation
  • 24

    Communities

  • 4,819

    Units

  • 6

    Cities

22 Communities in Washington
Equity Residential
Equity Residential
  • 164

    Communities

  • 53,425

    Units

  • 74

    Cities

17 Communities in Washington
WC Smith
WC Smith
  • 14

    Communities

  • 2,896

    Units

  • 3

    Cities

13 Communities in Washington
The Gelman Companies
The Gelman Companies
  • 13

    Communities

  • 1,328

    Units

  • 1

    City

13 Communities in Washington
Blue Jay Property Management
Blue Jay Property Management
  • 13

    Communities

  • 1,165

    Units

  • 3

    Cities

11 Communities in Washington

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United States District of Columbia Washington Rental Trends

Methodology

† Our analysis of utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, home prices, and other goods and services is sourced from the Cost of Living Index, a respected benchmark published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) that provides a thorough overview of living expenses across different regions.

Rent data is provided by CoStar Group’s Market Trend reports. As the industry leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, and news, CoStar conducts extensive research to produce and maintain a comprehensive database of commercial real estate information. We combine this data with public record to provide the most up-to-date rental information available.

Consumer goods, services, and home prices are sourced from the Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). The data on this page is updated quarterly. It was last published in February 2026.

* Percentages may not total 100 due to rounding.

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Equal Housing Opportunity