Rents are 3% below what Seattle'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 Seattle'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
January. Asking rents in Seattle usually run 1.7% below trend in January and 1.8% above it in August, about $78 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Seattle is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Seattle changed +1.0% 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 Seattle rose 13.5% while median household income rose 34.2% ($92,263 to $123,860). Income kept ahead of rent.
Rent in Seattle is 13.6% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 6 months in a row, and rose in 8 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($123,860) is $3,097 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($2,894); a 3-bedroom is $3,816.
The priciest of 22 ZIP codes in Seattle, 98121 ($2,757/mo), costs 44% more than the cheapest, 98125 ($1,914/mo).
Shoreline, 9 miles away, rents for 11% less ($1,971/mo), about $3,100 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Seattle. 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.
Is your rent fair?
Compare your rent to the local median.
Who lives here
Seattle, WA is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income above the national average, 68.4% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Seattle, WA has changed in 5 years
Compared with 2021, rent in Seattle, WA has climbed by $452 per month, settling near $2,227 after starting the period at $1,775. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $105,391 in 2021 to $123,860 more recently. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 8.0 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. Headcount in the area went from 726,054 to 754,195 between 2021 and 2024, a 3.9% change. About 56.3% of households rent today, against 54.8% in 2021. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 65.9% to 68.4%. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the Seattle, WA market of 2021.
Discussions about Seattle
No discussions yet. Start the conversation.
Can you afford rent in Seattle on your salary?
At $2,227/mo, how Seattle rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Seattle rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Seattle. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Seattle
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Seattle is $2,227/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,713/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,046/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,756/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,697/mo.
At 22% of local median household income ($123,860/yr), Seattle ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 0.9% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Seattle?
Is rent going up or down in Seattle?
When is the cheapest time to rent in Seattle?
Has rent outpaced income in Seattle?
Which Seattle neighborhoods have the lowest rent?
How does Seattle rent compare to other cities in Washington?
Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Seattle?
At $2,227/mo, rent takes ~22% of Seattle's median household income ($123,860/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
How does this area stack up?
Pick another city or ZIP to compare.
Estimated from ZIP-level data
Be the first to submit your rent for Seattle.
No discussions yet.