Rental Statistics

Like other large cities, Seattle offers a great variety of housing options. Although the housing market varies in different parts of Seattle, you will generally find that Seattle's market is not as tight or as expensive as other large cities such as New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. However, if you are coming from a small city or town, housing may seem fairly expensive. Therefore, it may be a difficult task for you to find affordable housing in Seattle. By living near campus, however, you can save on commuting costs by walking or biking. Visit www.washington.edu/commuterservices/programs/upass/info for tips on transportation options around King County and the UW.

Wherever you opt to live, be sure to find housing near a bus line so you can take advantage of the U-Pass program.

Below is information collected by our office in 2006 on average rental prices in the greater Seattle area. This gives you an idea of what is available and what you can expect to pay. Please keep in mind this data was collected by Central Puget Sound Real Estate Research Group which sampled the greater Seattle area. Other parts of this information were collected by the OCHA office based on the listings we receive. You may also find that rental rates tend to decrease as your look further from UW, but commuting costs may increase. If you wish to view rental rates by neighborhoods please refer to Price Averages By Neighborhood, additional forms are available in our office by request.

TYPE OF HOUSING	AVERAGE RENT
Shared Housing	$300-$850
Apartments Studio 1-bedroom 2-bedroom 3-bedroom	$350-$900 $500-$1000 $750-$1200 $1100-$2000
House 1-bedroom 2-bedroom 3+ bedroom	$750-$1200 $1000-$1650 $1200-$2600