Washington, DC housing market
The typical Washington home is worth about $570,000, down 1% in a year, close to the District of Columbia typical home. Homes typically sell in 47 days, close to asking.
Home values, sales, trends and how Washington compares with the towns next door — updated as new data is published.
Washington at a glance
A balanced market
About 4.8 months of supply: neither buyers nor sellers have a clear edge.
Typical home value, 2016–2026
Show as a table
| January | Washington | District of Columbia |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | $517,000 | $517,000 |
| 2018 | $537,000 | $537,000 |
| 2019 | $563,000 | $563,000 |
| 2020 | $575,000 | $575,000 |
| 2021 | $613,000 | $613,000 |
| 2022 | $629,000 | $629,000 |
| 2023 | $619,000 | $619,000 |
| 2024 | $608,000 | $608,000 |
| 2025 | $596,000 | $596,000 |
| 2026 | $578,000 | $578,000 |
| August 2026 | $570,000 | $570,000 |
1,591 new homes permitted in 2025
Builders were permitted 1,591 new homes in Washington in 2025: 181 single-family houses and 1,410 in buildings with two or more homes, worth about $288.6 million to build. That's 2.3 per 1,000 residents, about the pace of District of Columbia as a whole. Over the past 10 years, Washington has permitted 47,450 homes in all.
Homes vs. people, 2010–2020
Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, Washington gained 87,822 residents while 42,861 new homes were permitted: about 2 new residents per new home. Building and growth moved roughly in step. Across District of Columbia: 2 new residents per new home.
Residents: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 and 2020 censuses. New homes: permits issued 2010–2019.
Show as a table
| Year | New homes | Single-family | 2+ per building | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (Jan–Aug) | 1,466 | 149 | 1,317 | $270.7 million |
| 2025 | 1,591 | 181 | 1,410 | $288.6 million |
| 2024 | 1,737 | 146 | 1,591 | $270.2 million |
| 2023 | 3,020 | 166 | 2,854 | $427.9 million |
| 2022 | 7,705 | 409 | 7,296 | $1 billion |
| 2021 | 4,740 | 376 | 4,364 | $625.8 million |
| 2020 | 7,370 | 139 | 7,231 | $886.6 million |
| 2019 | 5,945 | 168 | 5,777 | $680.5 million |
| 2018 | 4,615 | 112 | 4,503 | $518.2 million |
| 2017 | 6,037 | 352 | 5,685 | $689.5 million |
| 2016 | 4,690 | 336 | 4,354 | $510.5 million |
| 2015 | 4,956 | 255 | 4,701 | $495 million |
| 2014 | 4,189 | 288 | 3,901 | $374.4 million |
| 2013 | 3,255 | 333 | 2,922 | $279.9 million |
| 2012 | 3,823 | 271 | 3,552 | $471.5 million |
| 2011 | 4,612 | 227 | 4,385 | $609.4 million |
| 2010 | 739 | 177 | 562 | $105.5 million |
| 2009 | 1,126 | 151 | 975 | $131.5 million |
| 2008 | 536 | 248 | 288 | $67.1 million |
| 2007 | 1,910 | 576 | 1,334 | $216.8 million |
| 2006 | 2,105 | 126 | 1,979 | $299.5 million |
| 2005 | 2,860 | 125 | 2,735 | $228.1 million |
| 2004 | 1,936 | 226 | 1,710 | $225.2 million |
| 2003 | 1,427 | 152 | 1,275 | $95.7 million |
| 2002 | 1,591 | 383 | 1,208 | $120.6 million |
| 2001 | 896 | 131 | 765 | $60.4 million |
| 2000 | 806 | 187 | 619 | $54 million |
Homes authorized by building permits, counted in the year the permit was issued. U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, through August 2026.
Washington and its neighbors
| Town | Typical value | 1-yr change | 2-bed rent | New homes 2025 | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $570K | −1% | $2,230 | 1,591 | $109,870 |
| Arlington | $807K | +0.8% | $2,760 | — | $142,114 |
| Alexandria | $666K | +0.9% | $2,630 | 17 | $119,681 |
| Silver Spring | $542K | −0.3% | $2,350 | — | $99,860 |
| Brookmont | — | −0.6%† | $3,010 | — | $247,150 |
| Bethesda | $1.12M | +0.7% | $3,080 | — | $192,237 |
| Takoma Park | $674K | −0.6% | $1,920 | — | $108,136 |
† FHFA price index change, where Zillow has no home value for the town.
5.2 years of income
The typical Washington home costs about 5.2 years of the town's median household income, about the same as across District of Columbia (5.2).
Home value ÷ ACS median household income.
Owners, rent & taxes
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024.
A two-bedroom rents for about $2,230
HUD's Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Washington is $2,230 a month, utilities included: roughly what a modest, recently rented unit costs. Renters already in Washington pay a median of $1,954, so moving in tends to cost more than staying put. A two-bedroom takes about 24% of the town's median household income.
Studio $1,940 · 4 bedrooms $3,300
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, FY2026 Fair Market Rents by ZIP code (20001, 20002, 20003, 20007, 20008, 20009 and 10 more; Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD HUD Metro FMR Area), weighted by land area. A Fair Market Rent is the 40th-percentile rent plus utilities for a standard unit. Median rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
Home values: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), Zillow Research, August 2026. Sales, days on market and supply: Redfin Data Center, May 2026. Income, ownership, taxes and rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. New homes: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey. Fair Market Rents: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Listings link to their publishers.