City Report · WA

Oak Harbor

Pop. 24,362·68th most expensive in Washington·Rental market data updated monthly for Oak Harbor, WA

Median rent (all units)

$1,967/mo

Year-over-Year

+4.5%

Month-over-Month

-0.1%

vs US Median

+$35

Reported rents

Stable (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

Oak Harbor · $1,967

More expensive than 58% of US cities · National median $1,932/mo

Rent Reality Score

62/100

Good value

OverheatedFairGreat value

Rents are 6% below what Oak Harbor's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.

Actual rent

$1,967/mo

Expected by trend

$2,095/mo

The Rent Reality Score compares today's median rent to where Oak Harbor's own long-run trajectory projects it should be. See the full rankings →

Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$1,100

1 BR

$1,230

2 BR

$1,500

3 BR

$2,100

4 BR+

$2,450

Fair Market Rent (HUD)

$1,500/mo

These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,967 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 →

Rent trends

12-month history

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Last updated: October 17, 2026

From the history

What the numbers show

Cheapest month to sign

February. Asking rents in Oak Harbor usually run 0.7% below trend in February and 0.6% above it in July, about $26 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.

Compared with the peak

Rent in Oak Harbor is 0.1% below its high of $1,969 in August 2026, at $1,967 as of September 2026.

Past year vs. the rest of Washington

Rent in Oak Harbor changed +4.5% over the year to September 2026. Across the 97 Washington cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.6%.

Rent vs. income since 2019

From 2019 to 2024, rent in Oak Harbor rose 38.4% while median household income rose 36.7% ($55,647 to $76,084). Rent outpaced income.

Since before the pandemic

Rent in Oak Harbor is 50.4% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.

Recent direction

Rent rose in 10 of the last 12 months.

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($76,084) is $1,902 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,500); a 3-bedroom is $2,100.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Oak 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.

Annual cost

$23,604/yr

At $1,967/mo median

Rent Market Meter

Landlord's Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are climbing (4.5% YoY), so leverage tilts toward landlords. Act sooner rather than later.

Based on rent-price momentum (+4.5% YoY, -0.1% MoM), not inventory.

Rent check

Is your rent fair?

Compare your rent to the local median.

Demographics

Who lives here

Oak Harbor, WA is roughly split between renters and owners, has a large share of families with children, 28.9% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

24,362

Median income

$76,084

Median age

31.5

Renters

53.3%

Age distribution

26.6%

29.8%

23.4%

12.8%

Under 1826.6%

18–3429.8%

35–5423.4%

55–647.3%

65+12.8%

Gender

48.4%

51.6%

Male48.4%

Female51.6%

Race & ethnicity

65.4%

14%

White65.4%

Black4.2%

Hispanic14%

Asian9.5%

Other6.8%

Education (25+)

24.4%

42%

28.9%

No HS diploma4.7%

HS diploma24.4%

Some college42%

Bachelor's+28.9%

Housing tenure

46.7%

53.3%

Owner46.7%

Renter53.3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

2021 vs 2026

How Oak Harbor, WA has changed in 5 years

Rent

$1,429 → $1,967

up 37.6%

Income

$61,261 → $76,084

up 24.2%

Population

24,267 → 24,362

up 0.4%

Renter share

54.9% → 53.3%

-1.6 pts

Bachelor's+

28.1% → 28.9%

+0.8 pts

The median rent in Oak Harbor, WA stood at $1,429 in 2021 and currently runs about $1,967, reflecting a 37.6% increase over the period. Household income in the area moved from $61,261 to $76,084 across the same window, up 24.2% versus 2021. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. Renters now make up 53.3% of households, compared with 54.9% five years ago. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in Oak Harbor, WA look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.

Community

Discussions about Oak Harbor

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View Oak Harbor rent history (2015–2026) →

Salary vs rent

Can you afford rent in Oak Harbor on your salary?

At $1,967/mo, how Oak Harbor rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).

Registered Nurse

Avg $105,818/yr · Rent = 22.3% income

affordable

Elementary School Teacher

Avg $75,130/yr · Rent = 31.4% income

stretched

Police Officer

Avg $86,542/yr · Rent = 27.3% income

affordable

Software Developer

Avg $154,683/yr · Rent = 15.3% income

very comfortable

Lawyer

Avg $197,646/yr · Rent = 11.9% income

very comfortable

Firefighter

Avg $70,347/yr · Rent = 33.6% income

stretched

Truck Driver

Avg $63,515/yr · Rent = 37.2% income

stretched

Electrician

Avg $78,288/yr · Rent = 30.2% income

stretched

By apartment size

Oak Harbor rent by bedroom count

Median rent for each apartment size in Oak Harbor. Click any size for full breakdown.

Local insights

Tips for renters in Oak Harbor

About renting in Oak Harbor, WA

Last updated: October 17, 2026

The median rent in Oak Harbor is $1,967/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,100/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,500/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,230/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,100/mo.

At 31% of local median household income ($76,084/yr), Oak Harbor ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 4.5% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in Oak Harbor?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $79,000/year (about $38/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $1,967/mo in Oak Harbor. The local median household income is $76,084/yr, so the typical household falls short of that bar.

Is rent going up or down in Oak Harbor?

Rent in Oak Harbor has risen 4.5% over the past year as of September 2026. It sits 0.1% below its high of $1,969 in August 2026.

When is the cheapest time to rent in Oak Harbor?

Asking rents in Oak Harbor are usually lowest in February, about 0.7% below their yearly trend, and highest in July, about 0.6% above it. At today's median that is a gap of roughly $26 a month. This pattern comes from 11 years of Zillow rent data.

Has rent outpaced income in Oak Harbor?

Yes. From 2019 to 2024, rent in Oak Harbor rose 38.4% while median household income rose 36.7%, from $55,647 to $76,084. Rent is Zillow's yearly average; income is the Census 5-year estimate for the same years.

How does Oak Harbor rent compare to other cities in Washington?

Oak Harbor is in the middle among Washington cities for rent, ranking #68 of 109 tracked cities at $1,967/mo. Over the year to September 2026, rent in Oak Harbor changed +4.5%, against a typical +2.6% across the 97 Washington cities Zillow tracks.