Renting
Data from November 2026
Renting in Washington
The typical rent in Washington is $1,760 a month (Average 2020–2024). HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms is about $2,044 (Fiscal year 2027, population-weighted average): paying it without spending more than 30% of income takes $39.31 an hour full time. Here are the figures by size and by county, how many households spend too much, and where to ask for help.
Key numbers in Washington
- Typical rent
- $1,760
- per month, Average 2020–2024
- 25% more than the U.S.
- Fair market rent, 2 BR
- $2,044
- HUD, Fiscal year 2027, weighted average
- From $1,058 to $2,549 depending on the county.
- Wage needed
- $39.31
- per hour, 2 bedrooms
- About $81,760 a year to stay under 30% of income.
- Burdened households
- 50%
- spend 30% or more on rent
- Nationwide, 51%.
Fair market rent
What HUD sets by size
HUD publishes a fair market rent every year by area and home size; Section 8 and other programs use it to set what they cover. Here it runs from the cheapest to the most expensive area of Washington, with the hourly wage it takes to pay it without going past 30% of income (40 hours a week).
Includes basic utilities. It is neither the lowest nor the highest rent on the market: it is a reference point.
-
Studio
Wage: $14.17–$40.21 an hour
Lowest: $737 Highest: $2,091
-
1 bedroom
Wage: $15.56–$41.92 an hour
Lowest: $809 Highest: $2,180
-
2 bedrooms
Wage: $20.35–$49.02 an hour
Lowest: $1,058 Highest: $2,549
-
3 bedrooms
Wage: $28.17–$63.92 an hour
Lowest: $1,465 Highest: $3,324
-
4 bedrooms
Wage: $32.81–$76.04 an hour
Lowest: $1,706 Highest: $3,954
Each bar runs from the cheapest area to the most expensive; all share one scale that starts at zero. Source: Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Fair Market Rents (HUD) (external site)
Rent burden
How many households spend too much
HUD counts rent as a burden when it reaches 30% of income or more. In Washington, 50% of renter households are in that position; nationwide, 51% (Average 2020–2024, Census).
Paying too much rent leaves little for food, transportation and savings. If that is you, the agencies below can guide you for free.
50%
of renter households spend 30% or more of their income on rent.
1,110,043 renter households in Washington
- Spend half or more of their income 24%
- Spend 30% or more, but less than half 26%
- Spend less than 30% 50%
By place
Every county, with its figure
The 2-bedroom fair market rent, the typical rent, the hourly wage it takes and the share of burdened households, in every county in Washington. Highest fair market rent first.
| King County | $2,549 | $2,092 | $49.02 | 47% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snohomish County | $2,549 | $1,949 | $49.02 | 54% |
| Pierce County | $2,064 | $1,806 | $39.69 | 53% |
| San Juan County | $2,022 | $1,512 | $38.88 | 45% |
| Kitsap County | $1,967 | $1,822 | $37.83 | 53% |
| Thurston County | $1,946 | $1,736 | $37.42 | 55% |
| Clark County | $1,878 | $1,748 | $36.12 | 51% |
| Skamania County | $1,878 | $1,068 | $36.12 | 44% |
| Whatcom County | $1,872 | $1,555 | $36.00 | 60% |
| Island County | $1,824 | $1,662 | $35.08 | 54% |
| Skagit County | $1,668 | $1,536 | $32.08 | 54% |
| Kittitas County | $1,655 | $1,341 | $31.83 | 58% |
| Jefferson County | $1,588 | $1,522 | $30.54 | 48% |
| Mason County | $1,572 | $1,285 | $30.23 | 47% |
| Walla Walla County | $1,561 | $1,218 | $30.02 | 54% |
| Spokane County | $1,494 | $1,283 | $28.73 | 52% |
| Benton County | $1,487 | $1,306 | $28.60 | 48% |
| Franklin County | $1,487 | $1,198 | $28.60 | 48% |
| Douglas County | $1,467 | $1,305 | $28.21 | 46% |
| Chelan County | $1,467 | $1,226 | $28.21 | 41% |
| Klickitat County | $1,447 | $1,105 | $27.83 | 56% |
| Lewis County | $1,435 | $1,097 | $27.60 | 50% |
| Clallam County | $1,429 | $1,152 | $27.48 | 52% |
| Cowlitz County | $1,398 | $1,206 | $26.88 | 49% |
| Grant County | $1,361 | $1,116 | $26.17 | 43% |
| Grays Harbor County | $1,345 | $1,062 | $25.87 | 49% |
| Yakima County | $1,313 | $1,109 | $25.25 | 44% |
| Pend Oreille County | $1,298 | $855 | $24.96 | 34% |
| Pacific County | $1,282 | $1,005 | $24.65 | 43% |
| Whitman County | $1,269 | $1,049 | $24.40 | 62% |
| Adams County | $1,262 | $877 | $24.27 | 47% |
| Asotin County | $1,234 | $1,043 | $23.73 | 44% |
| Okanogan County | $1,202 | $887 | $23.12 | 39% |
| Columbia County | $1,190 | $985 | $22.88 | — |
| Wahkiakum County | $1,183 | $853 | $22.75 | 77% |
| Garfield County | $1,143 | $791 | $21.98 | — |
| Stevens County | $1,121 | $898 | $21.56 | 43% |
| Lincoln County | $1,091 | $883 | $20.98 | 31% |
| Ferry County | $1,058 | $663 | $20.35 | 42% |
- King $2,549$49.02
- Snohomish $2,549$49.02
- Pierce $2,064$39.69
- San Juan $2,022$38.88
- Kitsap $1,967$37.83
- Thurston $1,946$37.42
- Clark $1,878$36.12
- Skamania $1,878$36.12
- Whatcom $1,872$36.00
- Island $1,824$35.08
- Skagit $1,668$32.08
- Kittitas $1,655$31.83
- Jefferson $1,588$30.54
- Mason $1,572$30.23
- Walla Walla $1,561$30.02
- Spokane $1,494$28.73
- Benton $1,487$28.60
- Franklin $1,487$28.60
- Douglas $1,467$28.21
- Chelan $1,467$28.21
- Klickitat $1,447$27.83
- Lewis $1,435$27.60
- Clallam $1,429$27.48
- Cowlitz $1,398$26.88
- Grant $1,361$26.17
- Grays Harbor $1,345$25.87
- Yakima $1,313$25.25
- Pend Oreille $1,298$24.96
- Pacific $1,282$24.65
- Whitman $1,269$24.40
- Adams $1,262$24.27
- Asotin $1,234$23.73
- Okanogan $1,202$23.12
- Columbia $1,190$22.88
- Wahkiakum $1,183$22.75
- Garfield $1,143$21.98
- Stevens $1,121$21.56
- Lincoln $1,091$20.98
- Ferry $1,058$20.35
Source: Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Fair Market Rents (HUD) (external site) Source: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates Average 2020–2024 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (external site)
Your rights as a tenant in Washington
What Washington law says about deposits, notices and eviction, with the citation for each rule.
See your rights, rule by ruleA summary of state law, not legal advice. Cities may have additional rules.
- When must they return my deposit?
- 30 days
- RCW 59.18.280(1)(a)
- If I fall behind on rent, what notice must I get?
- 14 days
- RCW 59.12.030(3)
- How much notice ends a month-to-month rental?
- 20 days
- RCW 59.18.200(1)(a)
- How much notice before a rent increase?
- 30 or 90 days, depending on the case
- RCW 59.18.140(3)(a)-(b)
- Only a court order can remove youRCW 59.18.290(1)
- Protection from retaliationRCW 59.18.240
- Repair and deduct from the rentRCW 59.18.100(2)
Help
Where to ask for help with rent in Washington
Free or official help. Demand usually exceeds funding, so waiting lists are common: ask at the agency for your county.
-
15 counseling agencies
HUD-approved; 9 serve in Spanish. They counsel renters for free.
See the agencies
Tool
How much rent can you afford?
Enter your income and compare with the fair market rent in your county.
Frequently asked questions
Which county in Washington is the most expensive to rent in?
By 2-bedroom fair market rent (Fiscal year 2027), the most expensive is King County ($2,549, about $49.02 an hour) and the cheapest Ferry County ($1,058, about $20.35 an hour).
How many households in Washington spend too much on rent?
50% of renter households in Washington spend 30% or more of their income on rent, and 24% spend half or more (Average 2020–2024, Census). Nationwide, 51%.
What is fair market rent?
A figure HUD publishes every year by area and home size; Section 8 and other programs use it to set what they pay. It is not a market price or a cap on landlords. In Washington, for 2 bedrooms in Fiscal year 2027, it runs from $1,058 to $2,549 depending on the county.
Where do I ask for help paying rent in Washington?
32 public housing agencies run Section 8 vouchers and public housing in Washington; demand usually exceeds funding and waiting lists are common. HUD-approved counseling agencies counsel for free. Your county page shows the nearest ones.