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Sarah Mitchell
Compass Real Estate · Washington, DC
“Your trusted relocation specialist since 2009. 350+ homes sold. Zero-pressure, data-first approach.”
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Washington, DC Housing Market
The typical home in Washington, DC is worth $570,082, fell 3.2% over the past year (Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026). The last median sale price Redfin published was $740,000, +5.1% year over year (through May 2026). With 4.8 months of supply and homes going under contract in about 47 days, Washington is a balanced market. At today's 7.03% 30-year fixed rate, 20% down on a $570,082 home is about $3,043/mo in principal and interest.
Key numbers for Washington, DC
Typical home value
$570,082
-3.2% in 12 months
Zillow, August 2026
Typical asking rent
$2,517/mo
Zillow Observed Rent Index
Zillow, August 2026
Median sale price
$740,000
+5.1% year over year
Redfin, through May 2026
Days on market
47
Average pace
Redfin, through May 2026
Active listings
3,116
4.8 months of supply
Redfin, through May 2026
30-yr fixed rate
7.03%
Freddie Mac weekly average
Freddie Mac via FRED, September 2026
Median household income
$106,287
Home costs 5.4x income
U.S. Census ACS, 2023
Sale-to-list ratio
99.6%
Selling below asking
Redfin, through May 2026
Zillow figures are as of August 2026 and refresh monthly. Redfin figures are through May 2026 — Redfin stopped publishing its public market trackers in June 2026, so those numbers are final, not current. Mortgage rates come from Freddie Mac via FRED and update weekly.
Is Washington a buyer's or seller's market?
Washington, DC is a balanced market, based on 4.8 months of supply and homes selling in about 47 days. 4 to 5 months of supply is the neutral band: neither side holds a structural advantage, and outcomes turn on the individual property.
Inputs are Redfin's final published period (May 2026). How we classify markets · Where the data comes from
What does the Washington housing market data show?
Every row below is Redfin's final published month for Washington, DC. Redfin, through May 2026
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Median sale price | $740,000 |
| Median list price | $625,000 |
| Year-over-year price change | +5.1% |
| Median price per sq ft | $519/sq ft |
| Median days on market | 47 days |
| Active inventory | 3,116 listings |
| Months of supply | 4.8 months |
| Sale-to-list price ratio | 99.6% |
| Homes sold (that month) | 649 |
| New listings (that month) | 1,073 |
| Listings with a price cut | 26.6% |
| Market condition | Balanced market |
How to read these numbers
- Median sale price
- Half the homes that closed sold for more than this, half for less. It moves with what kind of home sold that month, so a quiet month with two big sales can swing it. Redfin's figure for Washington is frozen at May 2026.
- Typical home value (ZHVI)
- Zillow's estimate of what a mid-market home in Washington is worth right now, whether or not it sold. It is smoother than the median sale price and it still refreshes monthly, which is why this page leads with it.
- Months of supply
- How long it would take to sell every active listing at the current pace. Under 3 favors sellers, over 6 favors buyers, and 3 to 6 is the balanced band.
- Days on market
- Median time from listing to accepted offer. Short means you should have financing ready before you tour; long means there is room to negotiate on price and repairs.
- Sale-to-list ratio
- Sale price divided by the last asking price. Above 100% means bidding above asking is normal here; below 100% means the typical buyer got a discount.
- Price per square foot
- The size-adjusted price. Use it to compare a 1,400 sq ft house to a 2,600 sq ft house, not to value your own home — lot, condition and age move it a lot.
- Listings with a price cut
- Share of active listings that dropped their asking price in the month. A high share is the earliest visible sign that sellers are ahead of what buyers will pay.
- Typical asking rent (ZORI)
- Zillow's repeat-rent index for asking rents on new leases. Paired with the home value it gives the price-to-rent ratio in the rent-vs-buy section below.
How have Washington home prices moved?
Over the last three years the median sale price in Washington, DC rose 9.6%, from $675,000 to $740,000. The live Zillow value series has fell 3.2% in the last 12 months, which is the more current read now that Redfin's series has stopped. 26.6% of Washington listings cut their asking price in the final Redfin month — a high share, and the clearest sign that list prices were running ahead of what buyers would pay. For prices to fall meaningfully from here, supply would have to keep building past 4.8 months while the sale-to-list ratio slips below its current 99.6%. Watch those two together — they move before the median does.
Redfin, through May 2026 — the chart ends at Redfin's final published month.
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What does it cost to buy a home in Washington?
Priced off the typical home value of $570,082 at the current 7.03% 30-year fixed rate. These are principal and interest only — property taxes, homeowner's insurance, HOA dues and mortgage insurance are on top, and they vary enough by property that we will not guess them for you.
| Down payment | Cash at close | Loan amount | Monthly P&I |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20% | $114,016 | $456,065 | $3,043/mo |
| 5% | $28,504 | $541,578 | $3,614/mo |
Zillow, August 2026 for the price · Freddie Mac via FRED, September 2026 for the rate
What income do you need?
Lenders generally want housing costs under 28% of gross income. On the 20%-down payment of $3,043, that implies roughly $130,432 a year before you add taxes and insurance. The median household in Washington earns $106,287, about $24,145 short of that threshold — the typical local household needs a larger down payment, a co-borrower, or a home below the typical home value to fit the 28% rule. That puts the price-to-income ratio at 5.4x — well above the 3x that was historically considered affordable, which is why down payment size drives who can buy here.
Run it with your own numbers: affordability calculator · mortgage calculator
Buying in Washington in the next 12 months?
Tell us your timeline. We send the Washington market brief: the price ranges that actually clear, how long homes sit, and what to fix on your credit before you apply.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Washington?
Typical asking rent in Washington, DC is $2,517/mo, against a typical home value of $570,082. That is a price-to-rent ratio of 18.9x, which means buying and renting land close enough together that the decision turns on how long you stay and your down payment. Compared head to head, 20% down puts principal and interest at $3,043 a month — $527 more than renting before taxes and insurance, so the ownership case here rests on equity and appreciation rather than monthly cash flow.
Zillow, August 2026 for both value and rent
Add your own down payment, tax rate and time horizon in the rent vs. buy calculator.
Is inventory rising or falling in Washington?
Active listings in Washington, DC went from 3,384 in May 2025 to 3,116 in May 2026, a -7.9% change. Inventory has been roughly flat, which usually keeps prices moving with rates rather than with local supply.
| Month | Active listings | New listings |
|---|---|---|
| June 2025 | 3,244 | 930 |
| July 2025 | 3,071 | 806 |
| August 2025 | 2,832 | 638 |
| September 2025 | 3,223 | 1,182 |
| October 2025 | 3,192 | 921 |
| November 2025 | 2,867 | 516 |
| December 2025 | 2,360 | 393 |
| January 2026 | 2,349 | 609 |
| February 2026 | 2,535 | 800 |
| March 2026 | 2,861 | 1,162 |
| April 2026 | 3,119 | 1,189 |
| May 2026 | 3,116 | 1,073 |
Redfin, through May 2026
How does Washington compare to District Of Columbia and the U.S.?
Washington homes sell for $740,000 — 0% below the District Of Columbia median of $740,000. Against the national median of $410,700, Washington runs 80% higher. Year-over-year, Washington moved +5.1% against District Of Columbia's +5.5% — a smaller swing than the state as a whole.
| Market | Median sale price | YoY | Days on market |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington, DC | $740,000 | +5.1% | 47 days |
| District Of Columbia statewide | $740,000 | +5.5% | 47 days |
| United States | $410,700 | not published | not published |
City and state rows: Redfin, through May 2026 · U.S. row: Freddie Mac via FRED, April 2026 (MSPUS, quarterly)
What to do next in Washington
What buyers should watch
- Months of supply, currently 4.8. It turns before price does — when it climbs past 6, sellers start taking offers they would have rejected a quarter earlier.
- The share of listings cutting price, currently 26.6%. A listing that has already cut once is the one most likely to accept below asking.
- The gap between 5% and 20% down here is $571 a month in principal and interest alone, before mortgage insurance. That gap, not the price, is usually what decides your timeline.
- Rate moves. At 7.03%, every full point of rate change moves the payment on a $570,082 home more than a 5% price change does.
- Your credit tier before you shop, not after — it sets the rate you are quoted. Run your numbers first.
What sellers should know
- The median Washington listing goes under contract in 47 days. If yours passes that mark, the market is telling you the price is wrong — not that you need more showings.
- Homes here close at 99.6% of asking. Price to that ratio from day one rather than chasing the market down in cuts.
- In the last published month Washington added 1,073 new listings against 649 sales — more competition arriving than clearing, so early timing matters.
- Your equity moved -3.2% in the last 12 months on the Zillow value series. That, not the price you paid, is what sets your net proceeds.
- Comparable ZIP-level pricing inside Washington varies more than the citywide median suggests — check the ZIP pages below before you set a number.
Homes for sale in Washington
There are currently 3,116 homes listed for sale in Washington, District Of Columbia. The median listing price is $625K.
Active listings
3,116
Homes on market
Median list price
$625K
Avg. days on market
47
Days until sale
New this week
1,073
Newly listed
How much do homes cost in Washington by property type?
How the Washington, DC market breaks down across single-family homes, condos and townhouses. Redfin, through May 2026
| Property type | Median price | Price / sq ft | Homes sold | Days on market |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single-family | $1.43M | $518/sq ft | 153 | 29 days |
| Condo / co-op | $456,750 | $531/sq ft | 220 | 60 days |
| Townhouse | $834,111 | $480/sq ft | 262 | 44 days |
Who lives in Washington?
American Community Survey estimates for Washington. U.S. Census ACS, 2023
Population
672,079
Households
321,556
Median income
$106,287/yr
Median age
34.9 years
Owner-occupied
41.1%
Median home value
$724,600
Median gross rent
$1,900/mo
Mean commute
30.3 min
41.1% of occupied homes in Washington are owner-occupied, and the rest are rented — which is the share that decides how much of the local housing stock ever reaches the for-sale market. The Census self-reported median home value is $724,600 against Zillow's $570,082 typical value; the gap is normal — ACS asks owners what they think their home is worth, Zillow models transactions. Census median gross rent (all leases, including long-held ones) is $1,900/mo, below Zillow's $2,517/mo asking rent on new leases — the difference is roughly what a mover pays over a stayer.
Which public schools serve Washington?
50 schools tracked · 35,904 students
The largest public schools serving Washington, DC by enrollment, drawn from the National Center for Education Statistics. School quality is a commonly cited factor in home-buying decisions — these are the campuses families in this area are most likely to encounter.
Jackson-Reed HS
Grades 9-12 · 1,994 students
District of Columbia International School
Grades 6-12 · 1,619 students
Columbia Heights Education Campus
Grades 6-12 · 1,494 students
Deal MS
Grades 6-8 · 1,420 students
Coolidge HS
Grades 9-12 · 1,093 students
Dunbar HS
Grades 9-12 · 984 students
Lafayette ES
Grades PK-5 · 933 students
Roosevelt HS
Grades 9-12 · 908 students
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data directory. Updated annually. Ratings and test scores are not currently displayed.
Washington housing market FAQ
Is Washington a buyer's or seller's market?
Washington, DC is currently a balanced market. That read comes from 4.8 months of supply, homes going under contract in about 47 days, and sellers getting 99.6% of their asking price in the last month Redfin published (May 2026).
How much do homes cost in Washington?
The typical home in Washington, DC is worth $570,082 (Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026). The median sale price in the last month Redfin published was $740,000, about $519 per square foot.
Is Washington cheaper than the rest of District Of Columbia?
Washington's median sale price of $740,000 is 0% lower than the District Of Columbia statewide median of $740,000, and 80% above the U.S. median of $410,700. Both figures are for the same period.
How long do homes take to sell in Washington?
Homes in Washington, DC spent a median of 47 days on market before going under contract, versus 47 days statewide. That is a normal pace: enough time to see a home twice, not enough to wait a month. (Redfin, through May 2026.)
What income do you need to buy a home in Washington?
At the current 30-year fixed rate of 7.03%, 20% down on a $570,082 home is about $3,043 a month in principal and interest. Lenders typically want that under 28% of gross income, which works out to roughly $130,432 a year before taxes, insurance, HOA dues or mortgage insurance. The local median household income is $106,287.
Are home prices rising in Washington?
The typical home value in Washington, DC fell 3.2% over the last 12 months, from $588,671 to $570,082 (Zillow, August 2026). This is the live series — it refreshes monthly.
What are the cheapest ZIP codes in Washington?
Washington ZIP-level sale prices are not all published for the same period, so ranking them would compare different months. The ZIP pages listed on this page show what we hold for each one individually.
Is now a good time to buy in Washington?
That depends on your timeline, not on a headline. What the data says today: Washington, DC is a balanced market with 4.8 months of supply, the 30-year fixed rate is 7.03%, and the price-to-rent ratio of 18.9x means buying and renting land close enough together that the decision turns on how long you stay and your down payment. Properties Incorporated publishes the data; it does not give financial advice.
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