Rents are 3% below what Issaquah'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 $2,929 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
December. Asking rents in Issaquah usually run 2.5% below trend in December and 2.2% above it in July, about $138 a month apart at today's median. Based on 10 years of data.
Rent in Issaquah is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2016.
Rent in Issaquah changed +2.3% 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 Issaquah rose 27.2% while median household income rose 41% ($109,676 to $154,669). Income kept ahead of rent.
Rent in Issaquah is 28.5% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 6 months in a row, and rose in 8 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($154,669) is $3,867 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($3,355); a 3-bedroom is $4,425.
Newcastle, 7 miles away, rents for 16% less ($2,461/mo), about $5,600 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Issaquah. 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
Issaquah, WA is majority owner-occupied, has a median income above the national average, 70.5% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Issaquah, WA has changed in 5 years
Rent in Issaquah, WA has climbed 28.8% since 2021, going from about $2,274 per month to roughly $2,929 today. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $132,984 in 2021 to $154,669 more recently. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 12.5 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 39,057 to 39,591 between 2021 and 2024, a 1.4% change. About 42.6% of households rent today, against 39.8% in 2021. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the Issaquah, WA market of 2021.
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Can you afford rent in Issaquah on your salary?
At $2,929/mo, how Issaquah rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Issaquah rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Issaquah. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Issaquah
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Issaquah is $2,929/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $2,815/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $3,355/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,880/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $4,425/mo.
At 23% of local median household income ($154,669/yr), Issaquah ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.3% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Issaquah rent compare to other cities in Washington?
At $2,929/mo, rent takes ~23% of Issaquah's median household income ($154,669/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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