ZIP 98103
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Bedroom estimates 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 ZIP 98103 usually run 1.6% below trend in January and 1.8% above it in July, about $78 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in ZIP 98103 is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in ZIP 98103 changed +2.2% over the year to September 2026. Across the 193 Washington ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.5%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in ZIP 98103 rose 18.1% while median household income rose 24.7% ($105,177 to $131,154). Income kept ahead of rent.
Rent in ZIP 98103 is 20% 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 ($131,154) is $3,279 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($2,990); a 3-bedroom is $3,910.
12th cheapest of 22 ZIP codes in Seattle.
ZIP 98105, 3 miles away, rents for 14% less ($1,970/mo), about $3,900 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 98103. 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.
Who lives here
ZIP 98103 (Seattle, WA) is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income above the national average, 78.6% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How ZIP 98103 in Seattle, WA has changed in 5 years
The median rent in ZIP 98103 in Seattle, WA stood at $1,810 in 2021 and currently runs about $2,291, reflecting a 26.6% increase over the period. On the earnings side, the typical household in ZIP 98103 in Seattle, WA now reports about $131,154, up from $113,443 in 2021. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. College-educated residents now make up 78.6% of adults here, versus 76% in 2021. For context, the 2021 to 2026 window covers an unusually volatile run for US rents nationally, and ZIP 98103 in Seattle, WA reflects that arc in its own way.
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Tips for renters in ZIP 98103
Last updated: October 17, 2026
ZIP code 98103 covers Seattle, WA. The median rent here is $2,291/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $1,814/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $2,110/mo.
At 21% of local median household income ($131,154/yr), ZIP 98103 ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.2% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does ZIP 98103 compare to the rest of Seattle?
At $2,291/mo, rent takes ~21% of ZIP 98103's median household income ($131,154/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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