Rents are 4% below what Seatac's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
Bedroom figures are derived from HUD Fair Market Rents and scaled to match Seatac's market median, because the published HUD values all ran above it. They are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
November. Asking rents in Seatac usually run 1.3% below trend in November and 1.2% above it in August, about $49 a month apart at today's median. Based on 5 years of data.
Rent in Seatac is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in September 2021.
Rent in Seatac changed +4.8% over the year to September 2026. Across the 97 Washington cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.6%.
Rent rose in 8 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($81,104) is $2,028 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a studio ($1,990); a 1-bedroom is $2,050.
Burien, 3 miles away, rents for 10% less ($1,748/mo), about $2,400 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Seatac. 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
Seatac, WA is roughly split between renters and owners, 26.4% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Seatac, WA has changed in 5 years
The median rent in Seatac, WA stood at $1,649 in 2022 and currently runs about $1,947, reflecting a 18.1% increase over the period. Median household income rose from $73,540 to $81,104 between 2021 and 2024, a 10.3% shift. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has grown by 5.0% since 2021, moving from about 30,867 residents to roughly 32,414. Renters now make up 53.5% of households, compared with 50.9% five years ago. College-educated residents now make up 26.4% of adults here, versus 24% in 2021. Taken together, the five-year picture in Seatac, WA reflects how housing costs and the people paying them have evolved through a stretch that included a pandemic, a hot rental market, and a recent cooling phase.
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Can you afford rent in Seatac on your salary?
At $1,947/mo, how Seatac rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Seatac rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Seatac. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Seatac
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Seatac is $1,947/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,488/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,787/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,533/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,363/mo.
At 29% of local median household income ($81,104/yr), Seatac ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 4.8% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Seatac?
At $1,947/mo, rent takes ~29% of Seatac's median household income ($81,104/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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