PiggyRentIs my rent too high in Seattle?
Your rent is high when it sits well above what apartments like yours are asking right now, nearby. In October 2026, the median asking rent in Seattle is a studio $1,595 (1,659 listings), a 1 bedroom $2,246 (3,952 listings), a 2 bedroom $3,216 (1,582 listings) and a 3 bedroom $3,595 (241 listings), from 7,531 listed apartments in 1,299 buildings (listings collected Sep 7–Oct 17, 2026, in 8 collections). Half of the listed 1 bedrooms ask between $1,800 and $2,781 a month.
Those are citywide medians, so your neighborhood moves the answer more than the city does. Below is a free check against current listings, then the numbers by neighborhood. They are asking rents, what buildings list today, not what anyone signed, so they tell you where your rent sits, not whether any one landlord will move.
Updated · listings collected Sep 7–Oct 17, 2026, in 8 collections · how we count
Check your rent against Seattle listings.
About a minute, no lease needed, free for renters.
What a Seattle apartment lists for, by bedroom count.
A Seattle studio asks a median $1,595 a month.
Median of 1,659 listings in 429 buildings, October 2026.
A Seattle 1 bedroom asks a median $2,246 a month.
Median of 3,952 listings in 680 buildings, October 2026.
A Seattle 2 bedroom asks a median $3,216 a month.
Median of 1,582 listings in 606 buildings, October 2026.
A Seattle 3 bedroom asks a median $3,595 a month.
Median of 241 listings in 165 buildings, October 2026.
Medians: half the listings ask more and half ask less. The rent map shows averages, which run a little higher.
Where a 1 bedroom rent falls among Seattle listings.
Half of Seattle's listed 1 bedrooms ask between $1,800 and $2,781 a month. A rent below that band is on the low side of what is listed, one inside it is typical, and one above it is on the high side. The table is all 3,952 listed 1 bedrooms, in $250 steps.
| Asking rent a month | Listings | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under $1,500 | 272 | 7% |
| $1,500 to $1,749 | 599 | 15% |
| $1,750 to $1,999 | 606 | 15% |
| $2,000 to $2,249 | 509 | 13% |
| $2,250 to $2,499 | 497 | 13% |
| $2,500 to $2,749 | 428 | 11% |
| $2,750 to $2,999 | 377 | 10% |
| $3,000 to $3,249 | 278 | 7% |
| $3,250 to $3,499 | 157 | 4% |
| $3,500 to $3,749 | 103 | 3% |
| $3,750 and up | 126 | 3% |
A high number is not proof of anything by itself. A newer building, a bigger floor plan or a view can all ask more. The check compares your rent with the same kind of unit nearby.
How the check works.
- You type your address, bedrooms, rent, size and the month your lease ends. No lease is needed.
- We compare your rent with asking rents on current listings: your building's when we have them, otherwise buildings nearby, otherwise your neighborhood's.
- You see where you sit, and when your renewal letter is likely due. Add your lease afterward for a free lease review: the fees, deadlines and terms worth pushing back on, then the comparison matched to your building and floor plan.
What to do with the answer.
If you sit above what nearby units are asking, you have a number to bring. Ask what similar units in your building list for now, and ask before your renewal is due, not after. If you sit at or below it, you know that too. Either way, the asking rents are what a new renter would see today. PiggyRent gives negotiation guidance, not legal advice.
Questions renters ask.
- How do I know if my rent is too high?
- Compare it with what the same size of apartment is asking nearby today. In October 2026 the Seattle median asking rent for a 1 bedroom is $2,246 (3,952 listings), and half ask between $1,800 and $2,781. Your own neighborhood is a better yardstick than the city, and the quick check above uses it.
- Are these the rents people actually pay?
- No. They are asking rents on listings (Apartments.com and Zillow) from Sep 7, 2026 to Oct 17, 2026, not signed leases, and move-in specials are not taken off. They show what a building is asking for a unit today, which is what a new renter or a renewing one can point to.
- What can I do if my rent looks high?
- Start with the number. Ask your landlord or property manager what similar units in your building list for now, and what they would do on a renewal. The PiggyRent report drafts that email for you from your comparison. It is guidance on how to ask, not legal advice.
- Does the check need my lease, and what does it cost?
- No lease is needed for the first answer, and it is free for renters. You type your address, bedrooms, rent, size and when your lease ends. Add your lease afterward if you want the comparison matched to your building and floor plan.