Rent Trends / DC
Rent Trends in Washington D.C.: 2015 to 2026
Yearly Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) for 1 cities in Washington D.C.. The average across tracked cities is $2,528/month in 2026, up from $1,893 in 2015 (+33.5%). That sits $566 above (+28.8% vs) the U.S. typical rent of $1,962.
Last updated: September 14, 2026
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) · Jan snapshots for 2015–2025; 2026 column = June 2026 release · U.S. typical rent $1,962 (June 2026)
What the Washington D.C. rent trend shows
This page follows market rents in Washington D.C. from 2015 through mid-2026 using the same Zillow ZORI vintage for every city in the table. State figures below are simple averages of the tracked cities — useful for comparing places inside Washington D.C. and stacking the state against the published U.S. typical rent ($1,962/month in June 2026, up from $1,357 in January 2019 on our national series).
Since 2023, the tracked-city average in Washington D.C. has risen from about $2,339 to $2,528 (+8.1%). That is the post-spike path — not a full reset to mid-2010s rents. The latest year step (2025 → 2026) is +1.6% ($2,487 → $2,528).
Within the state, long-run winners and losers split by city. The largest percentage increase from the earliest reading to 2026 is Washington (+33.5%, $1,893 → $2,528). 1 of 1 tracked cities are higher than their 2015 (or earliest) level.
For the national rent story, see the Rent Index. Statewide maps live on Rent by State. Full city database: Rent by City.
City-level breakdown in Washington D.C.
Lowest 2026 rents
- Washington — $2,528 (+33.5% since 2015)
Highest 2026 rents
- Washington — $2,528 (+33.5% since 2015)
Full list with every year from 2015–2026 is in the sortable table below.
All Washington D.C. cities — yearly rent table
| City | Metro | '15 | '16 | '17 | '18 | '19 | '20 | '21 | '22 | '23 | '24 | '25 | '26 | % Chg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $1,893 | $1,965 | $2,013 | $2,074 | $2,142 | $2,195 | $2,065 | $2,256 | $2,339 | $2,393 | $2,487 | $2,528 | +33.5% |
Click any column header to sort · % Chg uses earliest available year → 2026
Frequently asked questions — Washington D.C. rent
Is Washington D.C. cheap to rent in 2026?
Not compared with the U.S. overall. The average rent across 1 tracked Washington D.C. cities is about $2,528/month — $566 above (+28.8% vs) the U.S. typical rent of $1,962. Cheaper pockets still exist inside the state; sort the table by 2026 rent to find them.
What city in Washington D.C. has the cheapest rent?
Among cities in our ZORI sample, Washington is the lowest at about $2,528/month (2026). Other lower-rent cities include see the table below.
What city in Washington D.C. has the most expensive rent?
Washington leads our sample at about $2,528/month in 2026.
How much have rents in Washington D.C. changed since 2015?
Across tracked cities, the average moved from about $1,893 in 2015 to $2,528 in 2026 (+33.5%). 1 of 1 cities are higher than their earliest reading in this series; the largest percentage jump is Washington (+33.5%).
Are rents in Washington D.C. still rising year over year?
From 2025 to 2026, the average across tracked Washington D.C. cities went from about $2,487 to $2,528 (+1.6%). Since 2023 ($2,339), that is +8.1%. Individual cities can diverge — sort by % Chg or compare the '25 and '26 columns.