ZIP 98121
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12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
December. Asking rents in ZIP 98121 usually run 1.7% below trend in December and 2% above it in August, about $102 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in ZIP 98121 is 1.6% below its high of $2,803 in September 2025, at $2,757 as of September 2026.
Rent in ZIP 98121 changed -1.6% 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 98121 rose 4.8% while median household income rose 31.8% ($115,323 to $152,019). Income kept ahead of rent.
Rent in ZIP 98121 is 4.6% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 2 months in a row, and rose in 4 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($152,019) is $3,800 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($3,740); a 3-bedroom is $4,890.
22nd cheapest of 22 ZIP codes in Seattle.
ZIP 98104, 1 mile away, rents for 26% less ($2,041/mo), about $8,600 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 98121. 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 98121 (Seattle, WA) is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income above the national average, 78.9% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How ZIP 98121 in Seattle, WA has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in ZIP 98121 in Seattle, WA has shifted from $2,277 to $2,757, up 21.1% since 2021. Census figures show median household income at $152,019 today, compared with $135,823 five years earlier. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. The renter share has risen from 73.6% to 77.4%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.
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Tips for renters in ZIP 98121
Last updated: October 17, 2026
ZIP code 98121 covers Seattle, WA. The median rent here is $2,757/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $2,181/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $2,541/mo.
At 22% of local median household income ($152,019/yr), ZIP 98121 ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have decreased 1.6% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does ZIP 98121 compare to other ZIPs in Washington?
How does ZIP 98121 compare to the rest of Seattle?
At $2,757/mo, rent takes ~22% of ZIP 98121's median household income ($152,019/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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