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 $2,532/month in 2026, up from $1,912 in 2015 (+32.4%). That sits $567 above (+28.9% vs) the U.S. typical rent of $1,965.
Last updated: July 19, 2026
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) · Jan snapshots for 2015–2025; 2026 column = June 2026 release · U.S. typical rent $1,965 (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 ($1,965/month in June 2026, up from $1,362 in January 2019 on our national series).
Since 2023, the tracked-city average in Washington D.C. has risen from about $2,356 to $2,532 (+7.5%). That is the post-spike path — not a full reset to mid-2010s rents. The latest year step (2025 → 2026) is +1.0% ($2,506 → $2,532).
Within the state, long-run winners and losers split by city. The largest percentage increase from the earliest reading to 2026 is Washington (+32.4%, $1,912 → $2,532). 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 — $2,532 (+32.4% since 2015)
Highest 2026 rents
- Washington — $2,532 (+32.4% 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 | $1,912 | $1,980 | $2,028 | $2,088 | $2,156 | $2,209 | $2,080 | $2,274 | $2,356 | $2,411 | $2,506 | $2,532 | +32.4% |
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 $2,532/month — $567 above (+28.9% vs) the U.S. typical rent of $1,965. 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 $2,532/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 $2,532/month in 2026.
How much have rents in Washington D.C. changed since 2015?
Across tracked cities, the average moved from about $1,912 in 2015 to $2,532 in 2026 (+32.4%). 1 of 1 cities are higher than their earliest reading in this series; the largest percentage jump is Washington (+32.4%).
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 $2,506 to $2,532 (+1.0%). Since 2023 ($2,356), that is +7.5%. Individual cities can diverge — sort by % Chg or compare the '25 and '26 columns.