It's been a while since we checked in with Zumper but their National Rent Report for October is out. As it has been for a long time, Seattle checks in at 10th on their list of major U.S. cities in terms of most expensive median rents. One bedroom rents increased 0.6 percent in September to $1,660 and two bedrooms increased 1.4 percent to $2,200.
This month they also created an infographic just for Seattle median rents. The most expensive areas center around the Central Business District/Downtown ($2,340), Belltown ($2,100) and Pike Place Market ($2,050). If you want more affordable rents, you can find them in South Seattle in neighborhoods such as Atlantic and North Beacon Hill. For some reason, Zumper doesn't include much of North Seattle in their maps so it's hard to tell where critical neighborhoods like Ballard, Green Lake and Ravenna fit in.
When Zumper expands their numbers to include all cities, Bellevue continues to hold its own as one of the most expensive places to rent in the U.S. They check in 18th in the nation with a median 1-BR rent of $2,200. Kirkland shows up next in the region with a median 1-BR of $1,710, followed by Seattle ($1,660) and Redmond ($1,620).
This is the part where we mention that Zumper's data is drawn solely from the asking rents for the listings on its site, not all available rentals in Seattle and surrounding cities. Therefore, it isn't a measure of what all Puget Sounders are paying, but it does offer one look at prices that prospective renters in the market are seeing.
· See The Cheapest And Most Expensive Seattle Neighborhoods For Renters This Fall [Zumper]
· Zumper National Rent Report: October 2015 [Zumper]