State FMR profile · HUD FY2026

Fair Market Rents in District of Columbia

The average 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent across District of Columbia is $2,015/mo - 110% above the US average.

$2,015
Avg 1BR FMR
1
Counties
1
Metro areas

The verdict

District of Columbia's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent averages $2,246 - 91% above the US average, the 3rd highest of 51 states.

District of Columbia's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom averages $2,246, 91% above the US average - the 3rd highest of 51 states. A household needs about $89,840 in annual income to afford it under HUD's 30% affordability rule, and rents vary 0% between the state's cheapest and priciest counties.

#3
most expensive of 51 states (2BR)
+91%
vs the US 2-bedroom average
$89,840
income to afford it (30% rule)
0%
gap, cheapest→priciest county

District of Columbia ranks 3rd priciest but 48th of 51 by rent GROWTH (-2.9% YoY) - a pricey state whose growth has actually cooled relative to the rest of the country.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents for 1 counties and 1 metro areas in DC. Verify with HUD →

What these rents mean for District of Columbia

Across District of Columbia's 1 counties and 1 metro areas, HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent averages $2,015/mo for a 1-bedroom (studio through 4-bedroom averages are broken out below). FMR is set at the county or metro FMR area level, not statewide, so that figure is the arithmetic average of every FMR area inside DC, weighted equally. Local housing authorities use each county's or metro's FMR (not the state average) to calibrate Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher payment standards, typically ranging from 90% to 110% of FMR.

Benchmarked against the rest of the country, District of Columbia's average 1-bedroom FMR of $2,015 is 110% above the US average of $959. Inside the state, rents are not uniform - the cheapest 1-bedroom FMR is in District of Columbia at $2,015, while the most expensive is in District of Columbia at $2,015, a spread of roughly 0% between the lowest- and highest-cost counties. That intra-state dispersion is why urban voucher recipients, families relocating for jobs, and landlords setting Section 8 rents all need to check the specific FMR area rather than rely on a statewide figure.

For affordability, the 30% rule implies a household income of $80,600 per year (about $6,717/month) to afford District of Columbia's average 1-bedroom at $2,015. With a state population of 672,079 and median household income of $106,287, a significant share of District of Columbia renters fall above the 30% cost-burden threshold in higher-FMR counties. Pair these rent figures with District of Columbia's rent burden rankings and year-over-year rent growth pages to see which counties are tightening fastest and which remain comparatively affordable.

Where District of Columbia sits among all 50 states + DC

Average 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. every US state

$2,246 Top 6% higher than 94% of 51 states

$900–$1,000: 11 states (22%). Below this entry. $1,000–$1,100: 7 states (14%). Below this entry. $1,100–$1,200: 8 states (16%). Below this entry. $1,200–$1,300: 2 states (4%). Below this entry. $1,300–$1,400: 3 states (6%). Below this entry. $1,400–$1,500: 8 states (16%). Below this entry. $1,500–$1,600: 3 states (6%). Below this entry. $1,600–$1,700: 1 states (2%). Below this entry. $1,700–$1,800: 1 states (2%). Below this entry. $1,800–$1,900: 1 states (2%). Below this entry. $1,900–$2,000: 1 states (2%). Below this entry. $2,000–$2,100: 1 states (2%). Below this entry. $2,100–$2,200: 1 states (2%). Below this entry. $2,200–$2,300: 2 states (4%). This entry sits in this band. $2,300–$2,400: 0 states (0%). Above this entry. $2,400–$2,500: 1 states (2%). Above this entry. DC $900 $2,500 every US state, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $0.1K-wide band; taller bars hold more states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents · FY2026

State Average vs National Average

Studio
$1,953
+119% vs US avg
1 BR
$2,015
+110% vs US avg
2 BR
$2,246
+91% vs US avg
3 BR
$2,835
+86% vs US avg
4 BR
$3,332
+90% vs US avg

Cheapest Counties

Lowest FMR rental costs →

Most Expensive Counties

Highest FMR rental costs →

Rent Burden

% of income spent on rent →

Rent Growth

YoY rent trends by county →

Metro areas in District of Columbia

Each metro FMR area applies one rent schedule across all its counties, ranked here by 1-bedroom FMR.

# Metro area Studio1 BR2 BR3 BR4 BR
1 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD HUD Metro FMR Area $1,953
$2,015
$2,246$2,835$3,332

Counties in District of Columbia, ranked by rent (1)

All 1 counties with a published FY2026 Fair Market Rent, highest 1-bedroom first.

# County Studio1 BR2 BR3 BR4 BR
1 District of Columbia $1,953
$2,015
$2,246$2,835$3,332

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in District of Columbia? ▼
The average FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in District of Columbia is $2,015 per month. A 2-bedroom averages $2,246.
How does District of Columbia rent compare to the national average? ▼
District of Columbia rents are 110% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here averages $2,015 vs $959 nationally.
Where is the cheapest rent in District of Columbia? ▼
The most affordable county is District of Columbia with a 1-bedroom FMR of $2,015. The most expensive is District of Columbia at $2,015.
What income do I need to afford rent in District of Columbia? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need at least $80,600/year ($6,717/month) to afford the average 1-bedroom FMR in District of Columbia.

Explore District of Columbia rent data

Rent burden → Rent growth → Cheapest counties → Most expensive counties → National rent-burden rankings → Affordability calculator →

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

What this means for renters

Treat District of Columbia's FY2026 average Fair Market Rent as HUD's affordability benchmark, not a single market quote.

  • Budget to roughly 30% of income: the FY2026 average 1-bedroom FMR of $2,015 implies about $80,600/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
  • District of Columbia's counties vary widely around this average -- compare specific counties before assuming this figure applies to yours. View county rankings
  • See where District of Columbia ranks nationally on rent. National rankings

Fair Market Rent is HUD's 40th-percentile policy benchmark used to set Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. This is a state-level average across 1 counties; actual asking rents in any specific county can run higher or lower, and HUD updates FMRs once a year. This site is informational and not financial or relocation advice.

Related

Browse all counties → | Rankings →
Data sourced from HUD Fair Market Rents and U.S. Census Bureau ACS data. See our methodology for details. Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rent data (huduser.gov). Median household income and homeownership rate: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (census.gov/programs-surveys/acs).

Every figure on PlainRent is rendered directly from HUD's published Fair Market Rent records, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of FY 2026.