Rents are 15% below what Moses Lake'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 $1,451 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
January. Asking rents in Moses Lake usually run 0.8% below trend in January and 0.7% above it in June, about $22 a month apart at today's median. Based on 10 years of data.
Rent in Moses Lake is 4.2% below its high of $1,515 in July 2024, at $1,451 as of September 2026.
Rent in Moses Lake changed -1.6% 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 Moses Lake rose 48.1% while median household income rose 45.8% ($51,272 to $74,752). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Moses Lake is 33% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent rose in 3 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($74,752) is $1,869 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 3-bedroom ($1,700); a 4-bedroom is $2,030.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Moses Lake. 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
Moses Lake, WA is majority owner-occupied, has a large share of families with children, 21.4% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Moses Lake, WA has changed in 5 years
Since 2021, the typical rent in Moses Lake, WA has increased from $1,126 to $1,451, a 28.9% change over five years. Household income in the area moved from $63,828 to $74,752 across the same window, up 17.1% versus 2021. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has grown by 5.3% since 2021, moving from about 24,764 residents to roughly 26,083. Renters now make up 38.8% of households, compared with 43.4% five years ago. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in Moses Lake, WA look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.
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Can you afford rent in Moses Lake on your salary?
At $1,451/mo, how Moses Lake rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Moses Lake rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Moses Lake. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Moses Lake
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Moses Lake is $1,451/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $940/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,210/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $940/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,700/mo.
At 23% of local median household income ($74,752/yr), Moses Lake ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have decreased 1.6% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Moses Lake rent compare to other cities in Washington?
At $1,451/mo, rent takes ~23% of Moses Lake's median household income ($74,752/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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