Rents are 8% below what Gig Harbor'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 $2,632 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 Gig Harbor usually run 1.7% below trend in February and 1.6% above it in July, about $87 a month apart at today's median. Based on 8 years of data.
Rent in Gig Harbor is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in April 2018.
Rent in Gig Harbor changed +3.8% over the year to September 2026. Across the 97 Washington cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.6%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Gig Harbor rose 40.8% while median household income rose 40.4% ($84,335 to $118,395). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Gig Harbor is 47.9% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 3 months in a row, and rose in 9 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($118,395) is $2,960 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($2,530); a 3-bedroom is $3,545.
University Place, 9 miles away, rents for 27% less ($1,916/mo), about $8,600 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Gig Harbor. 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.
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Who lives here
Gig Harbor, WA is majority owner-occupied, has a large retiree population, has a median income above the national average, 52.1% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Gig Harbor, WA has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in Gig Harbor, WA has shifted from $2,022 to $2,632, up 30.2% since 2021. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $96,192 in 2021 to $118,395 more recently. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show Gig Harbor, WA adding about 919 residents over the five-year window, up 8.0% on net. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 47.9% to 52.1% across the same window. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the Gig Harbor, WA market of 2021.
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Can you afford rent in Gig Harbor on your salary?
At $2,632/mo, how Gig Harbor rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Gig Harbor rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Gig Harbor. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Gig Harbor
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Gig Harbor is $2,632/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,815/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,530/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,055/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $3,545/mo.
At 27% of local median household income ($118,395/yr), Gig Harbor ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 3.8% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Is rent going up or down in Gig Harbor?
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Has rent outpaced income in Gig Harbor?
Which Gig Harbor neighborhoods have the lowest rent?
How does Gig Harbor rent compare to other cities in Washington?
Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Gig Harbor?
At $2,632/mo, rent takes ~27% of Gig Harbor's median household income ($118,395/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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