Rents are 13% below what Spokane'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 $1,483 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 Spokane usually run 1.4% below trend in January and 1.2% above it in July, about $39 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Spokane is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Spokane changed +4.6% 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 Spokane rose 45.7% while median household income rose 39.3% ($50,306 to $70,064). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Spokane is 47.7% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 7 months in a row, and rose in 9 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($70,064) is $1,752 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,410); a 3-bedroom is $1,949.
The priciest of 11 ZIP codes in Spokane, 99203 ($2,204/mo), costs 2 times the cheapest, 99201 ($1,121/mo).
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Spokane. 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
Spokane, WA is majority owner-occupied, 33.9% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Spokane, WA has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in Spokane, WA has shifted from $1,151 to $1,483, up 28.8% since 2021. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $56,977 in 2021 to $70,064 more recently. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show Spokane, WA adding about 4,584 residents over the five-year window, up 2.0% on net. The renter share has eased from 43.1% to 41.2%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the Spokane, WA market of 2021.
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Can you afford rent in Spokane on your salary?
At $1,483/mo, how Spokane rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Spokane rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Spokane. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Spokane
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Spokane is $1,483/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $974/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,410/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,096/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,949/mo.
At 25% of local median household income ($70,064/yr), Spokane ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 4.6% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Spokane?
At $1,483/mo, rent takes ~25% of Spokane's median household income ($70,064/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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