How much is rent in Washington, DC?

The median 2-bedroom in Washington, DC rents for $2,226 a month with utilities, $663 more than the US median. A 1-bedroom runs $1,970 and a 3-bedroom $2,562.

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

$2,2262-bedroom¹US: $1,563
$1,9701-bedroom¹US: $1,362
$89,040Income for a 2-bed at 30%²A year
20%Share of typical income³For a 2-bedroom

Rent in Washington, DC by number of bedrooms

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

Studio$1,814/mo
Washington, DC
$1,814
US
$1,365
Income to keep it at 30%: $72,560²
1 bedroom$1,970/mo
Washington, DC
$1,970
US
$1,362
Income to keep it at 30%: $78,800²
2 bedrooms$2,226/mo
Washington, DC
$2,226
US
$1,563
Income to keep it at 30%: $89,040²
3 bedrooms$2,562/mo
Washington, DC
$2,562
US
$1,760
Income to keep it at 30%: $102,480²
4 bedrooms$3,042/mo
Washington, DC
$3,042
US
$2,153
Income to keep it at 30%: $121,680²

Work out what rent you can afford · Full cost of living in Washington, DC

Where rent costs less than Washington, DC

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 Washington, DC
Paducah, KY	$886	$1,340/mo
Terre Haute, IN	$901	$1,325/mo
Muncie, IN	$919	$1,307/mo
Orlando, FL	$1,855	$371/mo
Tampa, FL	$1,861	$365/mo
Sarasota, FL	$1,975	$251/mo

Rent in Washington, DC: questions people ask

How much is rent in Washington, DC?

Median rent with utilities, all units: $2,168 a month. By size: studio $1,814, 1 bedroom $1,970, 2 bedrooms $2,226, 3 bedrooms $2,562, 4 bedrooms $3,042 (Census ACS, 2025).

How much do you need to make to afford rent in Washington, DC?

To keep a 2-bedroom at 30% of income, about $89,040 a year. For a 1-bedroom, $78,800.

What share of income goes to rent in Washington, DC?

A year of median 2-bedroom rent equals 20% of the median household income of $131,346 (Census ACS, 2025).

Where is rent cheaper than Washington, DC?

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 District of Columbia

Cost of living in District of Columbia

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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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