At $1,794/mo, rent takes about 24% of the local median household income, comfortably within the 30% benchmark.
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 $1,794 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
Rent in Fife is 0.5% below its high of $1,803 in August 2026, at $1,794 as of September 2026.
Rent in Fife changed +1.5% over the year to September 2026. Across the 97 Washington cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.6%.
Rent rose in 5 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($90,532) is $2,263 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($1,850); a 2-bedroom is $2,270.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Fife. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Fife, WA is roughly split between renters and owners, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income above the national average, 27.9% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Fife, WA has changed in 5 years
Since 2022, the typical rent in Fife, WA has climbed from $1,729 to $1,794, a 3.8% change over five years. Census figures show median household income at $90,532 today, compared with $75,557 five years earlier. On paper, paychecks moved up faster than rent, which softens the affordability squeeze versus the 2021 baseline. Renters now make up 53.7% of households, compared with 56.2% five years ago. College-educated residents now make up 27.9% of adults here, versus 25.2% in 2021. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2022.
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At $1,794/mo, how Fife rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Fife rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Fife. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Fife
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Fife is $1,794/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,630/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,270/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,850/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $3,180/mo.
At 24% of local median household income ($90,532/yr), Fife ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 1.5% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Is rent going up or down in Fife?
How does Fife rent compare to other cities in Washington?
At $1,794/mo, rent takes ~24% of Fife's median household income ($90,532/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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