Rent Tracker
Rent Inflation in Seattle, WA
The average asking rent in Seattle, WA is $2,282/month as of 2026-07. That is +1.4% compared to a year ago.
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) | zillow.com/research
Current Avg Rent
$2,282/mo
as of 2026-07
Year-over-Year Change
+1.4%
24-Month Rent Trend
Monthly ZORI index values for Seattle, WA.
| Month | Avg Asking Rent | Change from Prior Month |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-07 | $2,282 | +0.48% |
| 2026-06 | $2,271 | +0.66% |
| 2026-05 | $2,256 | +0.62% |
| 2026-04 | $2,242 | +0.58% |
| 2026-03 | $2,229 | +0.41% |
| 2026-02 | $2,220 | +0.23% |
| 2026-01 | $2,215 | -0.05% |
| 2025-12 | $2,216 | -0.45% |
| 2025-11 | $2,226 | -0.45% |
| 2025-10 | $2,236 | -0.36% |
| 2025-09 | $2,244 | -0.31% |
| 2025-08 | $2,251 | +0.04% |
| 2025-07 | $2,250 | +0.40% |
| 2025-06 | $2,241 | +0.76% |
| 2025-05 | $2,224 | +0.63% |
| 2025-04 | $2,210 | +0.64% |
| 2025-03 | $2,196 | +0.73% |
| 2025-02 | $2,180 | +0.65% |
| 2025-01 | $2,166 | +0.28% |
| 2024-12 | $2,160 | -0.32% |
| 2024-11 | $2,167 | -0.51% |
| 2024-10 | $2,178 | -0.55% |
| 2024-09 | $2,190 | -0.27% |
| 2024-08 | $2,196 | — |
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