ZIP Code · WA

ZIP 98105

Part of Seattle, WA

Pop. 49,767·King County·119th most expensive ZIP in Washington

Median rent (all units)

$1,970/mo

Year-over-Year

+0.3%

Month-over-Month

+0.3%

vs US Median

+$38

Reported rents

Stable (Monthly)

Be the first to discuss 98105 rents ↓

Most AffordableMost Expensive

ZIP 98105 · $1,970

More expensive than 60% of US ZIP codes · National median $1,932/mo

Rent check

Is your rent fair?

Compare your rent to the local median.

Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$1,503

1 BR

$1,556

2 BR

$1,816

3 BR

$2,374

4 BR+

$2,793

Research median

$1,816/mo

Bedroom estimates are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).

Rent trends

12-month history

Loading…

Last updated: October 17, 2026

From the history

What the numbers show

Cheapest month to sign

January. Asking rents in ZIP 98105 usually run 1.9% below trend in January and 1.8% above it in July, about $73 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.

Compared with the peak

Rent in ZIP 98105 is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in March 2015.

Past year vs. the rest of Washington

Rent in ZIP 98105 changed +0.3% over the year to September 2026. Across the 193 Washington ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.5%.

Rent vs. income since 2019

From 2019 to 2024, rent in ZIP 98105 rose 15.9% while median household income rose 18.8% ($62,582 to $74,349). Income kept ahead of rent.

Since before the pandemic

Rent in ZIP 98105 is 16.5% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.

Recent direction

Rent rose in 5 of the last 12 months.

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($74,349) is $1,859 a month. That is less than HUD's Fair Market Rent for a studio ($2,260).

Rank in Seattle

4th cheapest of 22 ZIP codes in Seattle.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 98105. 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.

Annual cost

$23,640/yr

At $1,970/mo median

Location

CitySeattle

StateWA

CountyKing County

Rent Market Meter

Balanced Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are roughly steady, with neither renters nor landlords holding a strong edge right now.

Based on rent-price momentum (+0.3% YoY, +0.3% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 98105 (Seattle, WA) is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, 78.3% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

49,767

Median income

$74,349

Median age

24.6

Renters

68.6%

Age distribution

59.4%

17%

Under 1810.4%

18–3459.4%

35–5417%

55–645.2%

65+7.9%

Gender

49.4%

50.6%

Male49.4%

Female50.6%

Race & ethnicity

58.9%

23.5%

White58.9%

Black3.2%

Hispanic7.4%

Asian23.5%

Other7.1%

Education (25+)

15.6%

78.3%

No HS diploma1.3%

HS diploma4.7%

Some college15.6%

Bachelor's+78.3%

Housing tenure

31.4%

68.6%

Owner31.4%

Renter68.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

2021 vs 2026

How ZIP 98105 in Seattle, WA has changed in 5 years

Rent

$1,605 → $1,970

up 22.7%

Income

$73,343 → $74,349

up 1.4%

Population

49,448 → 49,767

up 0.6%

Renter share

66.5% → 68.6%

+2.1 pts

Bachelor's+

76.4% → 78.3%

+1.9 pts

Median age

24.1 → 24.6

+0.5 yrs

Rent in ZIP 98105 in Seattle, WA has climbed 22.7% since 2021, going from about $1,605 per month to roughly $1,970 today. Household income in the area moved from $73,343 to $74,349 across the same window, up 1.4% versus 2021. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 21.3 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. About 68.6% of households rent today, against 66.5% in 2021. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in ZIP 98105 in Seattle, WA look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.

Community

Discussions about ZIP 98105

No discussions yet. Start the conversation.

Local insights

Tips for renters in ZIP 98105

About renting in ZIP 98105

Last updated: October 17, 2026

ZIP code 98105 covers Seattle, WA. The median rent here is $1,970/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $1,556/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $1,816/mo.

At 32% of local median household income ($74,349/yr), ZIP 98105 ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 0.3% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 98105?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $79,000/year (about $38/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $1,970/mo in ZIP 98105. The local median household income is $74,349/yr, so the typical household falls short of that bar.

Is rent going up or down in ZIP 98105?

Rent in ZIP 98105 has been roughly flat over the past year as of September 2026, a +0.3% change. That is the highest level since Zillow's records here began in March 2015.

When is the cheapest time to rent in ZIP 98105?

Asking rents in ZIP 98105 are usually lowest in January, about 1.9% below their yearly trend, and highest in July, about 1.8% above it. At today's median that is a gap of roughly $73 a month. This pattern comes from 11 years of Zillow rent data.

Has rent outpaced income in ZIP 98105?

No. From 2019 to 2024, rent in ZIP 98105 rose 15.9% while median household income rose 18.8%, from $62,582 to $74,349. Rent is Zillow's yearly average; income is the Census 5-year estimate for the same years.

How does ZIP 98105 compare to other ZIPs in Washington?

ZIP 98105 is in the middle among Washington ZIP codes for rent, ranking #119 of 207 at $1,970/mo. Over the year to September 2026, rent in ZIP 98105 changed +0.3%, against a typical +2.5% across the 193 Washington ZIP codes Zillow tracks.