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State

Data from November 2026

Housing , home prices, rents and assistance in the District of Columbia (2026)

A typical home in the District of Columbia is worth $737,100; the typical rent is $1,954 a month. The FHA limit for a one-unit home is $1,249,125 across the District of Columbia. 17 HUD-approved counseling agencies serve the District of Columbia; 8 say they serve you in Spanish.

The numbers on this page cover all of the District of Columbia.
Typical home value
$737,100
122% more than the U.S.
U.S.: $332,700
Typical rent per month
$1,954
38% more than the U.S.
U.S.: $1,413
Typical household income
$109,870
36% more than the U.S.
U.S.: $80,734
FHA limit, 1 unit
$1,249,125
It is the same across the District of Columbia.
U.S.: $541,287 to $1,299,500
Property tax
0.58%
of value a year
The typical bill is $4,312 a year.
U.S.: 0.94%

Source: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates Average 2020–2024 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates Source: FHA mortgage limits (HUD) Data from 2026 data FHA mortgage limits (HUD)

In short

Living in the District of Columbia

A typical home in the District of Columbia is worth $737,100, 122% more than in the country overall. A typical household earns $109,870 a year and pays $1,954 a month in rent; 47% of renters put 30% or more of their income toward housing. 42% of households live in a home they own; they pay a typical property tax of $4,312 a year, about 0.58% of value.

The conforming loan limit for a one-unit home is $1,249,125 across the District of Columbia. To pay HUD’s fair rent for a 2-bedroom apartment in the District of Columbia ($2,438) without spending more than 30% of income, you need about $46.88 an hour working full time.

Source: Conforming loan limits (FHFA) Data from 2026 data Conforming loan limits (FHFA) Source: Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Fair Market Rents (HUD)

The essentials in the District of Columbia

More on property tax

  • Homestead Deduction

    The District takes a fixed amount off the assessed value of your main home: $67,500 in the statute since 2012, raised every year with the cost of living (the Office of Tax and Revenue publishes the current figure). The deduction is split equally between the year's two installments.

    Code of the District of Columbia (Council of the District of Columbia) · Verified October 15, 2026

  • When the deduction takes effect

    File the approved application between October 1 and March 31, and the deduction covers the whole tax year; file it between April 1 and September 30, and you get half of it, on the second installment only.

    Code of the District of Columbia (Council of the District of Columbia) · Verified October 15, 2026

  • 50% reduction for seniors and disabled owners

    If you are 65 or older, or the Social Security Administration has found you permanently and totally disabled, and your household adjusted gross income is under $125,000 (a 2014 figure raised every year with the cost of living), the tax on your main home is cut in half.

    Code of the District of Columbia (Council of the District of Columbia) · Verified October 15, 2026

  • 10% cap on the taxable assessment

    For a home with the Homestead Deduction, the value the tax is figured on cannot rise more than 10% from one year to the next: the statute sets the year's taxable assessment by multiplying the prior year's by 110%.

    Code of the District of Columbia (Council of the District of Columbia) · Verified October 15, 2026

  • Deadline to appeal the assessment

    If you disagree with the proposed value, you can petition the Office of Tax and Revenue (OTR) for an administrative review on or before April 1 of the year before the tax year billed. You can then appeal to the Real Property Tax Appeals Commission within 45 days of its decision.

    Code of the District of Columbia (Council of the District of Columbia) · Verified October 15, 2026

  • Transfer tax (paid by the seller)

    The seller pays 1.1% of the price on the transfer; for a home sold for $400,000 or more, an additional 0.35% applies.

    Code of the District of Columbia (Council of the District of Columbia) · Verified October 15, 2026

The homes here

Housing in the District of Columbia

What homes there are in the District of Columbia, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

In the District of Columbia, the apartment is the most common kind of home: 57%, against 19% in the U.S..

Year built

Homes in the District of Columbia are older: the typical year built is 1958; in the U.S., 1980.

Homes in the District of Columbia are smaller: 30% have 3 bedrooms or more; in the U.S., 61%.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes

Looking at what owner-occupied homes in the District of Columbia are worth, the most common range is $1M or more (31%).

Monthly rent with utilities

Looking at what people pay in rent in the District of Columbia, the most common range is between $1,500 and $1,999 a month (20%).

With a mortgage

$3,128 a month

United States: $1,963 a month

Without a mortgage

$899 a month

United States: $638 a month

Owners with a mortgage

76%

United States: 61%

The typical cost for an owner with a mortgage in the District of Columbia is $3,128 a month, more than in the U.S. ($1,963); without one, $899.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

Homes in the District of Columbia gained value more slowly than in the U.S.: 23% since 2015–2019, against 53%.

The typical rent in the District of Columbia rose 27% over the same time; in the U.S., it rose 33%.

While home values in the District of Columbia changed +23% and rent +27%, the typical household income rose 27%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureDistrict of ColumbiaUnited States
Rental vacancy 6.9%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy 1.6%0.9%
More than one person per room 4.1%3.4%
People per household 1.992.53
Drive alone 27%69%
Carpool 4%9%
Public transit 20%3%
Walk or bike 13%3%
Work from home 33%15%
Other means 3%2%
Typical commute 30 to 39 minutes20 to 29 minutes

In the District of Columbia, the rental vacancy rate is 6.9%; in the U.S., 5.5%.

In the District of Columbia, 4.1% of households live with more than one person per room, about the same as in the U.S..

Households in the District of Columbia are smaller: 1.99 people on average; in the U.S., 2.53.

Many people here do not commute at all: 33% work from home; in the U.S., 15%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Places

Explore the places in the District of Columbia

Sort by any column. Each name leads to its page.

See the places page
Population, typical home value, FHA limit, 2-bedroom fair rent and typical income by place in the District of Columbia
District of Columbia681,294$737,100$1,249,125$2,438$109,870

Source: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates Average 2020–2024 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates Source: FHA mortgage limits (HUD) Data from 2026 data FHA mortgage limits (HUD) Source: Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Fair Market Rents (HUD)

Calculator

Work out your payment in the District of Columbia

Start from the typical home value in the District of Columbia, $737,100, and this week’s average rate. Move the price and the down payment to see your monthly payment. If you already visited a county, the calculator uses its numbers.

More math for the District of Columbia

$
%

Estimated monthly payment

$5,892

FHA loan over 30 years, with estimated taxes and insurance.

See the full calculation

Prices and risks

Three official measures that help you decide: how much home prices have changed according to FHFA, how prices compare with the national average according to BEA, and how many homes sit in a flood zone according to FEMA.

Home prices

How have home prices changed?

According to the FHFA House Price Index, home prices in the District of Columbia rose 40% in the 10 years through 2025.

Price change each year

Period District of Columbia United States
In 2025 +0.4% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +13% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +40% +85%

The index follows the prices of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals on loans bought or guaranteed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual state indexes experimental.

Source: FHFA House Price Index (HPI) Data from 2025 data FHFA House Price Index (HPI)

Cost of living

How expensive are prices here?

According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), in 2024 prices in the District of Columbia were 10% higher than the U.S. average. Housing rents were 54% higher than nationwide.

Category District of Columbia United States Versus the U.S.
All prices Consumer goods and services 109.9 100.0 10% more
Housing rents What renters pay 155.0 100.6 54% more
Water, power and gas Water, sewer, electricity and gas 112.8 98.4 15% more
Goods Food, clothing, transportation and more 106.5 99.6 7% more
Other services Services other than rent 103.0 100.1 3% more

BEA expresses each index as a percentage of the average U.S. price level: a higher number means higher prices, and a lower one, lower prices.

Source: Regional price parities (BEA) Data from 2024 data Regional price parities (BEA)

Flooding

Is there a flood risk?

FEMA’s maps count no homes in high-risk flood zones in the District of Columbia. That does not mean there is no risk: some areas have no map. Check your address.

  • A high-risk zone (Special Flood Hazard Area) has a 1% or greater chance of flooding each year. 44 CFR 59.1
  • If the home is in that zone and the loan comes from a regulated lender, federal law requires flood insurance for the life of the loan, in communities that take part in the NFIP. 42 U.S.C. 4012a
  • Most homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage. FEMA, FloodSmart
District of Columbia United States
Homes in a high-risk zone — 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance — 48%
All homes with NFIP insurance 1.2% 2.9%

The NFIP is the federal flood insurance program; private policies are not counted. FEMA counts homes with its National Structure Inventory. We add up the county figures FEMA publishes.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map Source: Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) As of August 3, 2026 Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA)

Help to buy

Assistance programs in the District of Columbia

Our list has 2 official programs that help you buy in the District of Columbia. Each card says what kind of help it gives and when we checked its official page.

See all 2 programs
  1. DC Open Doors

    District of Columbia housing agency program: a mortgage with a deferred 0% loan with no monthly payments that covers the entire minimum down payment, for first-time and repeat buyers of a home in the District. Offered by DC Housing Finance Agency (DCHFA).

    Deferred Verified November 5, 2026

  2. Home Purchase Assistance Program (HPAP)

    District of Columbia interest-free loan of up to $202,000 plus up to $4,000 for closing costs, for very low- to moderate-income first-time buyers; the amount depends on your income, your household and your savings, and District residents get priority. Offered by DC Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD).

    DeferredRepayable Verified November 5, 2026

Tenant rights

Tenant rights in the District of Columbia

the District of Columbia law answers 4 of these 5 questions, each answer with its citation. Where it says “Data not available”, we have not verified it against the source yet.

A summary of state law, not legal advice. Cities may have additional rules.

See every right

  1. How much can they charge for a deposit?

    In the District of Columbia, a security deposit cannot be more than the first full month's rent charged for the unit. The landlord can charge the deposit only once.

    14 DCMR §308.2

  2. When must they return my deposit?

    Data not available

  3. If I fall behind on rent, what notice must I get?

    If you owe $600 or more in rent, the landlord must give you notice that they intend to file a court claim to take back the unit at least 10 days before filing it. If you owe less than $600, the landlord may not give that notice.

    D.C. Code §42-3505.01(a-1)(1)

  4. How much notice ends a month-to-month rental?

    If you rent month to month, you can end the tenancy with a 30-day written notice. The notice ends on the first day of the first month that is at least 30 days after the notice date. The law says this notice runs only from the tenant to the landlord: the landlord cannot use it to end your tenancy.

    D.C. Code §42-3505.54(a)

  5. Are there limits on late fees?

    A late fee cannot be more than 5% of the rent due. The landlord can charge it only if your written lease states the maximum late fee and you have not paid the full rent within 5 days after the due date (or a longer grace period in your lease).

    D.C. Code §42-3505.31(a)-(b)

A father and mother walk their son by the hand down the sidewalk.

Help and advice

Who can help you in the District of Columbia?

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counselor gives independent advice on buying, renting, late payments and credit, often free or at low cost.

17 HUD-approved counseling agencies serve the District of Columbia; 8 say they serve you in Spanish. Choose your place to see the closest ones with their phone number.

2 public housing authorities run Section 8 vouchers and public housing in the District of Columbia.

See all 17 agencies See the housing agencies

Who runs the help in the District of Columbia

  • DC Housing Finance Agency (DCHFA)

    The DC Housing Finance Agency (DCHFA) is a financial intermediary and administrator of affordable housing programs and resources for the District of Columbia. Its Single Family Programs division creates homeownership opportunities through low-cost single-family mortgages and down payment assistance. It offers a variety of programs for current and potential homeowners.

    The agency's official page · Verified October 17, 2026

Guides

Guides for you in the District of Columbia

We picked them with the numbers of the District of Columbia. Each one says why it can help you.

Frequently asked questions about housing in the District of Columbia

What is the FHA limit in the District of Columbia in 2026?

In the District of Columbia, the FHA limit for a one-unit home is $1,249,125 in every one of its places.

How much does it cost to rent in the District of Columbia?

The typical rent in the District of Columbia is $1,954 a month (Average 2020–2024, U.S. Census).

How much do you need to earn to rent a 2-bedroom apartment in the District of Columbia?

At HUD's average fair market rent in the District of Columbia ($2,438, Fiscal year 2027), about $46.88 an hour working full time, so rent stays under 30% of income.

How much is property tax in the District of Columbia?

The typical property tax in the District of Columbia is $4,312 a year, about 0.58% of home value (Average 2020–2024, U.S. Census).

Where can I find free help in Spanish to buy a home in the District of Columbia?

There are 17 HUD-approved counseling agencies in the District of Columbia; 8 say they serve you in Spanish. Each place page lists the closest ones with their phone number.

Sources: American Community Survey (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (Fiscal year 2027); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (As of August 3, 2026); Regional price parities (2024 data); Census Bureau cartographic boundary files (2024 data).