Rents are right about where Port Orchard's 10-year trend predicts.
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 $2,006 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 Port Orchard usually run 0.9% below trend in January and 1.1% above it in July, about $40 a month apart at today's median. Based on 5 years of data.
Rent in Port Orchard is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in April 2021.
Rent in Port Orchard changed +5.0% over the year to September 2026. Across the 97 Washington cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.6%.
Rent has risen 8 months in a row, and rose in 10 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($89,795) is $2,245 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($2,040); a 3-bedroom is $2,660.
Burien, 14 miles away, rents for 13% less ($1,748/mo), about $3,100 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Port Orchard. 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
Port Orchard, WA is majority owner-occupied, has a median income above the national average, 34.9% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Port Orchard, WA has changed in 5 years
Since 2021, the typical rent in Port Orchard, WA has increased from $1,563 to $2,006, a 28.3% change over five years. Household income in the area moved from $75,766 to $89,795 across the same window, up 18.5% 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 12.0% since 2021, moving from about 15,315 residents to roughly 17,149. College-educated residents now make up 34.9% of adults here, versus 32.2% in 2021. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in Port Orchard, WA look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.
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Can you afford rent in Port Orchard on your salary?
At $2,006/mo, how Port Orchard rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Port Orchard rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Port Orchard. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Port Orchard
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Port Orchard is $2,006/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,400/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,040/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,555/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,660/mo.
At 27% of local median household income ($89,795/yr), Port Orchard ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 5.0% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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At $2,006/mo, rent takes ~27% of Port Orchard's median household income ($89,795/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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