Rent Tracker
Rent Inflation in Seattle, WA
The average asking rent in Seattle, WA is $2,278/month as of 2026-08. That is +1.7% compared to a year ago.
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) | zillow.com/research
Current Avg Rent
$2,278/mo
as of 2026-08
Year-over-Year Change
+1.7%
24-Month Rent Trend
Monthly ZORI index values for Seattle, WA.
| Month | Avg Asking Rent | Change from Prior Month |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-08 | $2,278 | +0.26% |
| 2026-07 | $2,272 | +0.49% |
| 2026-06 | $2,261 | +0.67% |
| 2026-05 | $2,246 | +0.63% |
| 2026-04 | $2,232 | +0.54% |
| 2026-03 | $2,220 | +0.45% |
| 2026-02 | $2,210 | +0.23% |
| 2026-01 | $2,205 | -0.05% |
| 2025-12 | $2,206 | -0.41% |
| 2025-11 | $2,215 | -0.40% |
| 2025-10 | $2,224 | -0.40% |
| 2025-09 | $2,233 | -0.31% |
| 2025-08 | $2,240 | +0.00% |
| 2025-07 | $2,240 | +0.40% |
| 2025-06 | $2,231 | +0.77% |
| 2025-05 | $2,214 | +0.64% |
| 2025-04 | $2,200 | +0.64% |
| 2025-03 | $2,186 | +0.74% |
| 2025-02 | $2,170 | +0.65% |
| 2025-01 | $2,156 | +0.28% |
| 2024-12 | $2,150 | -0.32% |
| 2024-11 | $2,157 | -0.51% |
| 2024-10 | $2,168 | -0.60% |
| 2024-09 | $2,181 | — |
Why Rent Inflation Matters
Shelter is the single largest component of the official CPI, accounting for roughly one-third of the index. But the BLS shelter index tends to lag real-market rent changes by 12–18 months because it measures rents paid by all tenants — including long-term renters locked into old leases. ZORI measures asking rents for new leases, making it a timelier signal of where CPI shelter inflation is headed.
When ZORI is rising sharply in your city, it is a leading indicator that official shelter inflation — and therefore overall CPI — will remain elevated in coming months.
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Data Source
Rent data uses the Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI), a smoothed measure of typical market-rate asking rents updated monthly by Zillow Research. ZORI covers single-family homes, condos, and co-ops and reflects asking rents for new leases — making it a more timely indicator than the lagged BLS shelter index. zillow.com/research | Money & Prices