Rents are 8% below what Kenmore'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 $2,623 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 Kenmore usually run 1.8% below trend in December and 1.3% above it in July, about $81 a month apart at today's median. Based on 6 years of data.
Rent in Kenmore is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2020.
Rent in Kenmore changed +1.8% over the year to September 2026. Across the 97 Washington cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.6%.
Rent in Kenmore is 34.2% 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 7 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($139,764) is $3,494 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 3-bedroom ($3,360); a 4-bedroom is $3,920.
Mountlake Terrace, 4 miles away, rents for 19% less ($2,112/mo), about $6,100 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Kenmore. 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
Kenmore, WA is majority owner-occupied, has a median income above the national average, 61.8% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Kenmore, WA has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in Kenmore, WA has shifted from $2,001 to $2,623, up 31.1% since 2021. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $121,463 in 2021 to $139,764 more recently. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 57.7% to 61.8% across the same window. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the Kenmore, WA market of 2021.
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Can you afford rent in Kenmore on your salary?
At $2,623/mo, how Kenmore rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Kenmore rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Kenmore. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Kenmore
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Kenmore is $2,623/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $2,140/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,550/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,190/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $3,360/mo.
At 23% of local median household income ($139,764/yr), Kenmore ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 1.8% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Kenmore rent compare to other cities in Washington?
Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Kenmore?
At $2,623/mo, rent takes ~23% of Kenmore's median household income ($139,764/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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