Bellevue has once again been named the most expensive city for renters in the Seattle metro area, according to the latest Zumper Seattle Metro Area Report. The report, which analyzed active listings from the past month, shows that the median rent for a one-bedroom unit in Bellevue now stands at $2,540.
Redmond follows as the second most expensive city, with one-bedroom units priced at $2,220, while Kirkland ranks third at $2,060. These figures significantly outpace the Washington state median, which came in at $1,589 for one-bedroom rentals last month.
On the other end of the spectrum, Lakewood was identified as the most affordable city in the metro, with median one-bedroom rents at just $1,300. Oak Harbor and Wenatchee round out the bottom three with median rents of $1,350 and $1,390, respectively.
Despite its already high rent prices, Bellevue also saw the fastest year-over-year growth, with prices increasing 9.5% compared to the same time last year. Wenatchee closely followed with a 9.4% annual increase, while Tacoma experienced a 5.7% rise.
When looking at month-over-month changes, Bellingham recorded the sharpest increase, with rents climbing 3.3% from the previous month. Wenatchee again made the list with a 3% jump, and Bremerton followed with a 2.7% increase.
The Zumper Seattle Metro Area Report is based on active rental listings posted last month. Data is aggregated by city to determine the median asking rent, offering a snapshot of current rental trends across the region.
