Renting in Washington costs about $2,465 a month, and the typical home is listed at $630,000. That puts the price-to-rent ratio at 21.3: a typical home costs as much as 21.3 years of rent.
Washington now and in 2031
| Now | 2031 (projected) | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical asking rent | $2,465/mo | $2,005/mo |
| Typical list price | $630,000 | $628,000 |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 21.3 | — |
Rent is projected at -4.0% a year, the trend in RentCast's median rents for these ZIP codes since mid-2024. For home values: The first 2 years follow this year's change in list prices (-3.0%); later years use the Federal Housing Finance Agency's house price index average for these ZIP codes from 2020 to 2025 (+1.9% a year). These are trends carried forward, not predictions of the next market turn.
How to read the price-to-rent ratio
The ratio divides the typical list price by a year of typical rent. A higher ratio means buying is expensive relative to renting; a lower one means monthly rent is high compared with what a home costs. It's a quick way to compare cities, not a verdict for your situation.
By ZIP code
| ZIP | Median rent | Rental listings | Median list price | Sale listings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20002 | $2,391/mo | 824 | $599,000 | 580 |
| 20011 | $2,350/mo | 390 | $615,000 | 364 |
| 20019 | $1,350/mo | 54 | $424,900 | 39 |
| 20020 | $1,945/mo | 69 | $469,900 | 43 |
| 20009 | $2,528/mo | 552 | $619,999 | 414 |
| 20001 | $2,784/mo | 506 | $734,997 | 412 |
What this doesn't account for
Mortgage rates, your down payment, property taxes, insurance, HOA fees, maintenance, and how long you'll stay decide more than any city-wide figure. These are area numbers built from active listings; they don't know the specific home or your finances.
Source: RentCast market data for 6 of Washington's 30 ZIP codes (the most populous, home to 52% of residents in the city's ZIP codes, per the Census Bureau's ACS 2023). A ZIP counts only with at least 20 active listings. Retrieved October 15, 2026. Figures are listing-weighted averages of ZIP medians, not an appraisal. How Predictye calculates this.
Frequently asked questions
How much is rent in Washington, DC?
Typical asking rent is $2,465 a month, across 2,395 active rental listings in 6 ZIP codes.
How much do homes cost in Washington, DC?
The typical list price is $630,000, across 1,852 active sale listings in 6 ZIP codes. List prices are asking prices, not final sale prices.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Washington, DC?
About 21.3: the typical list price equals 21.3 years of typical rent. The higher the ratio, the more buying costs relative to renting.