BRRRR ★ MARKETS
32STAR SCORE

Washington, DC rental market data (2026)

As of September 2026, the typical home in the Washington metro costs $569,857 and typical rent is $2,407/month — a price-to-rent ratio of 20 and a gross rental yield of 5.1%. Washington scores 32/100 on the Star Score index, ranking #174 of 174 tracked US rental markets.

The Washington metro posts a price-to-rent ratio of 20 on a typical home value of $569,857 and typical rent of $2,407/month — a gross rental yield of 5.1% before expenses. Factor scores below show how it stacks up on landlord law, taxes, growth and risk.

New to this? The price-to-rent ratio is the home price divided by a year of rent — lower means rents are big relative to prices, which favors landlords. Gross yield is a year of rent as a % of the price, before expenses. BRRRR = Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat: buy below market, fix it, rent it, then refinance to pull your cash back out and buy the next one. Full walkthrough in the beginner's guide.

Key numbers

MetricValue
Typical home value (ZHVI)$569,857
Typical rent (ZORI)$2,407/mo
Price-to-rent ratio20
Gross rental yield5.1%
Star Score32/100 ★½☆☆☆
Rank among tracked markets#174 of 174
Your buying power in Washington

Why Washington scores 32

FactorScoreWeight
Gross yield1635%
Entry price (vs $100K reference budget)015%
Landlord-friendliness3515%
Equity growth2415%
Property-tax drag (inverted)9110%
Climate & insurance risk (inverted)8010%

More context: Living in Washington — economy, industries & affordability

See how it stacks up in the full rankings — head-to-head pages cover the top 15 markets.

Star Opportunities in Washington flagged 2026-10-27

Active listings our scanner flagged for under-market signals — price cuts, long days on market, below-comp pricing. Leads to underwrite, not appraisals; verify everything locally.

4915 3rd St NW, Apt 102, Washington, DC 20011 ★ 100
$155,000 · 1bd 1ba · 625 sqft
est. 30.0% under market · modeled rent $1,440/mo (11.1% yield)
Motivation 100 · Stale listing687 days on marketfind listing →
3900 Tunlaw Rd NW, Apt 118, Washington, DC 20007 ★ 100
$170,000 · 1bd 1ba · 800 sqft
est. 30.0% under market · modeled rent $1,440/mo (10.2% yield)
Motivation 100 · Stale listing508 days on marketfind listing →
1311 Delaware Ave SW, Apt S732, Washington, DC 20024 ★ 100
$135,000 · 2bd 1ba · 768 sqft
est. 30.0% under market · modeled rent $1,440/mo (12.8% yield)
Motivation 100 · Stale listing420 days on marketfind listing →
5309 Chillum Pl NE, Washington, DC 20011 ★ 100
$427,500 · 4bd 2.5ba · 2,025 sqft
est. 30.0% under market · modeled rent $3,480/mo (9.8% yield)
Motivation 100 · Stale listing−20.8% price cut384 days on marketfind listing →
236 Farragut St NW, Unit H203, Washington, DC 20011 ★ 100
$100,000 · 3bd 1ba · 1,313 sqft
est. 30.0% under market · modeled rent $2,260/mo (27.1% yield)
Motivation 100 · Condition discount (hypothesis)−41.2% price cut267 days on marketfind listing →

Run one through the BRRRR calculator. Rent figures are modeled from metro data, not appraisals.

Investor-friendly agent working Washington? Become this market's Featured Agent →

What would a rehab cost here?

National rule-of-thumb renovation costs (2026, per square foot) applied to a typical ~1,400 sq ft single-family in this market — every house differs, so treat these as planning ranges, not bids:

Scope$/sq ftTypical house
Paint & refresh (cosmetic light)$15–25$21K–35K
Cosmetic full (floors, kitchen refresh, baths)$25–45$35K–63K
Full renovation (systems + finishes)$45–75$63K–105K
Gut / structural$75–120$105K–168K

Run your own numbers for Washington in the BRRRR & rehab calculator. Run a rehab crew in Washington? Founding crews list free →

Frequently asked questions

Is Washington a good market for rental property in 2026?

Washington scores 32/100 on the Star Score index (#174 of 174 tracked markets), with a gross rental yield of 5.1% at September 2026 prices. At current prices it works better as a place to live than a place to snowball rental equity.

What is the price-to-rent ratio in Washington?

20 — the typical home value ($569,857) divided by a year of typical rent ($2,407/month × 12). Ratios under about 15 generally favor buying and landlording.

Is Washington a good BRRRR market in 2026?

With a typical home at $569,857 and rent of $2,407/month (5.1% gross yield), Washington can work for BRRRR in select submarkets, but higher prices or thinner yields mean deals need bigger discounts to snowball.

How much rent does the typical Washington home earn?

Typical asking rent in the Washington metro is $2,407 per month as of September 2026, per Zillow's Observed Rent Index.

Home values and rents: Zillow ZHVI / ZORI, September 2026 metro figures. Factor scores are editorial estimates on public data. Last reviewed October 2026. Not investment advice — verify locally before acting. Methodology & sources.