How much is rent in Seattle, WA?

The median 2-bedroom in Seattle rents for $2,214 a month with utilities, $651 more than the US median. A 1-bedroom runs $1,871 and a 3-bedroom $2,666.

By Sol Lakein, founder of Slower Sundays. Updated November 2026.

$2,2142-bedroom¹US: $1,563
$1,8711-bedroom¹US: $1,362
$88,560Income for a 2-bed at 30%²A year
22%Share of typical income³For a 2-bedroom

Rent in Seattle by number of bedrooms

Median rent, utilities included, next to the US median.¹

Studio$1,705/mo
Seattle
$1,705
US
$1,365
Income to keep it at 30%: $68,200²
1 bedroom$1,871/mo
Seattle
$1,871
US
$1,362
Income to keep it at 30%: $74,840²
2 bedrooms$2,214/mo
Seattle
$2,214
US
$1,563
Income to keep it at 30%: $88,560²
3 bedrooms$2,666/mo
Seattle
$2,666
US
$1,760
Income to keep it at 30%: $106,640²
4 bedrooms$3,151/mo
Seattle
$3,151
US
$2,153
Income to keep it at 30%: $126,040²

Work out what rent you can afford · Full cost of living in Seattle

Where rent costs less than Seattle

54 of the cities we cover have a lower median 2-bedroom rent. The cheapest and the closest:¹

City	2-bedroom rent	Less than Seattle
Paducah, KY	$886	$1,328/mo
Terre Haute, IN	$901	$1,313/mo
Muncie, IN	$919	$1,295/mo
Orlando, FL	$1,855	$359/mo
Tampa, FL	$1,861	$353/mo
Sarasota, FL	$1,975	$239/mo

Rent in Seattle: questions people ask

How much is rent in Seattle?

Median rent with utilities, all units: $2,121 a month. By size: studio $1,705, 1 bedroom $1,871, 2 bedrooms $2,214, 3 bedrooms $2,666, 4 bedrooms $3,151 (Census ACS, 2025).

How much do you need to make to afford rent in Seattle?

To keep a 2-bedroom at 30% of income, about $88,560 a year. For a 1-bedroom, $74,840.

What share of income goes to rent in Seattle?

A year of median 2-bedroom rent equals 22% of the median household income of $120,018 (Census ACS, 2025).

Where is rent cheaper than Seattle?

Of the cities we cover, Paducah, KY ($886), Terre Haute, IN ($901), Muncie, IN ($919) have the lowest median 2-bedroom rent.

Rent elsewhere in Washington

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Notes on the numbers

1Rent: Census ACS 2025 1-year, table B25031, median gross rent by number of bedrooms (rent plus utilities the renter pays), 2025. Covers all renters, including long-time tenants, so new leases often cost more. $3,500+ is the highest figure the Census publishes. Census table
2Income to keep rent at 30%: a year of rent divided by 0.3, the common rule of thumb. Our arithmetic.
3Household income: Census ACS 2025 1-year, table B19013, median household income, 2025. Census table

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