Department of Numbers

Washington District of Columbia Residential Rent and Rental Statistics

The median monthly gross residential rent in Washington, DC (the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro area) was $1,708 in 2019 according to the Census ACS survey.1 Average gross rent in Washington was $1,702 in 2019. The median rent more accurately depicts rental rates in the middle of the distribution of rents and is thus preferred in the analysis below. 2020 Washington median and average rent data will be released in September of 2021.

Data is also available below for Washington rental vacancy rates, Washington rent as a percent of median income and the fraction of renters in Washington.

Show dollars as: Nominal Real

Real Gross Rent in Washington District of Columbia (2019 dollars)2

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US Median Gross Rent $1,097 +1.86% +6.82%
District of Columbia Median Gross Rent $1,603 +3.89% +11.24%
Washington, DC Median Gross Rent $1,708 +0.47% +3.89%

Washington, DC Real Gross Rent Trends

At $1,708, real median gross rent in Washington was at its highest level in 2019 since the series began in 2012. At $1,702, real average gross rent in Washington was at its highest level in 2019 since the series began in 2012.

Real Gross Rent in Washington: Washington DC Median, Washington DC Average, District of Columbia Median, US Median

Lower quartile, median and upper quartile real gross rent

Real Gross Rent History for Washington

Date US
Median
District of Columbia
Median
Washington, DC
Median
Washington, DC
Average
2019 $1,097 $1,603 $1,708 $1,702
2018 $1,077 $1,543 $1,700 $1,694
2017 $1,043 $1,546 $1,680 $1,672
2016 $1,027 $1,441 $1,644 $1,643
2015 $1,017 $1,503 $1,647 $1,657
2014 $986 $1,436 $1,610 $1,628
2013 $953 $1,376 $1,560 $1,592
2012 $940 $1,314 $1,515 $1,551
2011 $941 $1,313
2010 $955 $1,339
2009 $960 $1,207

more history ...

Washington Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate is the fraction of homes for rent that are not occupied.3 In 2019 the rental vacancy rate for Washington District of Columbia was 5.01% according to Census ACS data.

Rental Vacancy Rate in Washington District of Columbia

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 5.97% -0.18% +0.08%
District of Columbia 6.96% +0.17% +0.10%
Washington, DC 5.01% 0.00% +0.06%

Trends in Washington, DC Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate in Washington peaked in 2017 at 5.43%. Since then it has fallen by 0.42% to 5.01%. Data records for this series originated in 2012.

Rental Vacancy Rate: Washington DC, District of Columbia, US

Rental vacancy rate in District of Columbia

Historical Rental Vacancy Rate data for Washington

Date US District of Columbia Washington, DC
2019 5.97% 6.96% 5.01%
2018 6.15% 6.79% 5.01%
2017 6.18% 5.72% 5.43%
2016 5.89% 6.86% 4.95%
2015 5.85% 5.12% 4.57%
2014 6.32% 5.41% 5.17%
2013 6.49% 6.23% 5.14%
2012 6.77% 5.90% 4.90%
2011 7.40% 4.94%
2010 8.17% 9.55%
2009 8.43% 6.07%

more history ...

Rent as a Fraction of Income

Using median household income data for Washington, we can calculate the fraction of income the median household would use to pay rent at the median monthly gross rent rate. For Washington, median monthly gross rent as a fraction of median household income was 19.40% in 2019 according to the ACS.

Washington District of Columbia Median Annual Rent as a Fraction of Median Household Income

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 20.03% -0.47% -0.40%
District of Columbia 20.85% -0.50% -1.02%
Washington, DC 19.40% -0.21% -0.26%

Trends in Washington, DC Rent as a Fraction of Income

The fraction of median Washington household income required to pay median monthly gross rent peaked in 2014 (relative to the 2012 series origin) at 20.07%. Since then it has fallen by 0.67% to 19.40%.

Fraction of Income towards Rent: Washington DC, District of Columbia, US

Percent of median household income going towards median monthly gross rent in Washington District of Columbia

Historical Data for Annual Rent as a Fraction of Income in Washington District of Columbia

Date US District of Columbia Washington, DC
2019 20.03% 20.85% 19.40%
2018 20.50% 21.35% 19.61%
2017 20.13% 21.84% 19.61%
2016 20.43% 21.87% 19.66%
2015 20.63% 22.48% 19.98%
2014 20.89% 22.78% 20.07%
2013 20.78% 23.21% 19.71%
2012 20.65% 22.26% 19.37%
2011 20.70% 23.12%
2010 20.50% 23.60%
2009 20.12% 21.43%

more history ...

Renter Fraction in Washington District of Columbia

You can calculate the renter fraction in Washington in at least two ways: by housing units or by population. I've gone with the housing units measure here. This measure looks at the number of renting households in Washington as a fraction of total Washington households. In 2019 36.48% of households were renters according to Census ACS data.

Washington Fraction of Renters by Household Units

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 35.89% -0.16% -0.99%
District of Columbia 58.50% +0.78% -2.25%
Washington, DC 36.48% +0.02% -1.10%

Trends in the Washington, DC Renter Fraction

The Washington household renter fraction peaked in in 2015 at 37.75% and is now 1.27% below that level. From a recent low of 36.37% in 2017, the household based renter fraction has now grown by 0.11%. The origin year for the series is 2012.

Fraction of Renting Households: Washington DC, District of Columbia, US

Fraction of renters in Washington

History of Washington Renter Fraction

Date US District of Columbia Washington, DC
2019 35.89% 58.50% 36.48%
2018 36.05% 57.72% 36.46%
2017 36.13% 57.79% 36.37%
2016 36.88% 60.75% 37.58%
2015 36.97% 60.06% 37.75%
2014 36.90% 59.44% 37.30%
2013 36.50% 59.32% 37.31%
2012 36.09% 58.49% 37.12%
2011 35.42% 58.82%
2010 34.65% 57.53%
2009 34.13% 55.22%

more history ...

1. Gross rent is defined as contract rent plus the estimated average monthly cost of utilities (electricity, gas, water, and sewer) and fuel (oil, coal, kerosene, wood, etc.). Because some rentals include utilities and others don't, gross rent is a way of normalizing the variability.

2. Real dollars are calculated using the CPI-U less shelter series.

3. The rental vacancy rate is computed by dividing the number of vacant units for rent by the sum of the renter-occupied units, vacant units that are for rent, and vacant units that have been rented but not yet occupied.