How much rent can you afford in Washington, DC?
Run your salary against Washington's current rent, or find the income you'd need for a target rent. Powered by live RentDataNow medians.
The 30% rent rule, in Washington
At a median rent of $2,532/mo, Washington is affordable when measured against Washington median household income of $109,870/yr. Rent would consume roughly 28% of pre-tax income, and a salary of about $101,280 keeps rent at the recommended 30% threshold.
How Washington compares nearby
Median rent for the closest cities with data.
Frequently asked
How much rent can I afford in Washington?
On a $109,870 salary (the Washington median household income), the recommended ceiling is 30% of pre-tax income, or about $2,747/mo. Washington's median rent is $2,532/mo. Use the calculator on this page to run your own salary.
What salary do I need to live in Washington?
To keep Washington's $2,532/mo median rent under 30% of income, you'd need about $101,280/yr. Lower your target share (e.g. 25%) to need more, or raise it (e.g. 40%) to need less.
Is Washington affordable on the median District of Columbia income?
Washington is affordable on a $109,870 income. Rent would take 28% of pre-tax pay, inside the recommended 30% threshold.
What's the 30% rent rule?
The 30% rule is a long-standing budgeting guideline that keeps rent at or below 30% of gross (pre-tax) income. It leaves enough room for utilities, transit, savings, and debt service. In high-cost markets, many renters exceed 30%, and the Census Bureau classifies households paying more than 30% of income on rent as "cost-burdened".