Rents are 6% below what Arlington's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $2,123 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
February. Asking rents in Arlington usually run 0.6% below trend in February and 0.7% above it in June, about $28 a month apart at today's median. Based on 6 years of data.
Rent in Arlington is 0.7% below its high of $2,138 in July 2026, at $2,123 as of September 2026.
Rent in Arlington changed +1.7% over the year to September 2026. Across the 97 Washington cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.6%.
Rent in Arlington is 36.3% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has fallen 2 months in a row, and rose in 6 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($88,231) is $2,206 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($2,050); a 2-bedroom is $2,390.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Arlington. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
Is your rent fair?
Compare your rent to the local median.
Who lives here
Arlington, WA is majority owner-occupied, has a large share of families with children, 20.8% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Arlington, WA has changed in 5 years
Compared with 2021, rent in Arlington, WA has climbed by $483 per month, settling near $2,123 after starting the period at $1,640. Census figures show median household income at $88,231 today, compared with $87,708 five years earlier. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 28.9 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. Headcount in the area went from 19,832 to 21,095 between 2021 and 2024, a 6.4% change. About 37.8% of households rent today, against 33.9% in 2021. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.
Discussions about Arlington
No discussions yet. Start the conversation.
Can you afford rent in Arlington on your salary?
At $2,123/mo, how Arlington rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Arlington rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Arlington. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Arlington
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Arlington is $2,123/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,990/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,390/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,050/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $3,160/mo.
At 29% of local median household income ($88,231/yr), Arlington ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 1.7% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Arlington?
Is rent going up or down in Arlington?
When is the cheapest time to rent in Arlington?
How does Arlington rent compare to other cities in Washington?
At $2,123/mo, rent takes ~29% of Arlington's median household income ($88,231/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
How does this area stack up?
Pick another city or ZIP to compare.
Estimated from ZIP-level data
Be the first to submit your rent for Arlington.
No discussions yet.