Rents are right about where Tumwater'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 $2,051 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 Tumwater usually run 1.5% below trend in January and 1.7% above it in July, about $66 a month apart at today's median. Based on 5 years of data.
Rent in Tumwater is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in June 2021.
Rent in Tumwater changed +3.2% over the year to September 2026. Across the 97 Washington cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.6%.
Rent has risen 4 months in a row, and rose in 9 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($95,212) is $2,380 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,737); a 3-bedroom is $2,387.
Steilacoom, 18 miles away, rents for 12% less ($1,805/mo), about $3,000 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Tumwater. 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
Tumwater, WA is majority owner-occupied, has a median income above the national average, 42.9% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Tumwater, WA has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in Tumwater, WA has shifted from $1,820 to $2,051, up 12.7% since 2022. On the earnings side, the typical household in Tumwater, WA now reports about $95,212, up from $77,849 in 2021. With wages climbing faster than rent over the same window, renters here have a bit more breathing room than they did five years back. Census counts show Tumwater, WA adding about 2,101 residents over the five-year window, up 8.5% on net. The renter share has eased from 43.6% to 37.5%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 38.1% to 42.9% across the same window. For context, the 2022 to 2026 window covers an unusually volatile run for US rents nationally, and Tumwater, WA reflects that arc in its own way.
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Can you afford rent in Tumwater on your salary?
At $2,051/mo, how Tumwater rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Tumwater rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Tumwater. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Tumwater
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Tumwater is $2,051/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,808/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,737/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,496/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,387/mo.
At 26% of local median household income ($95,212/yr), Tumwater ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 3.2% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Is rent going up or down in Tumwater?
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Tumwater?
At $2,051/mo, rent takes ~26% of Tumwater's median household income ($95,212/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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