The cost of rent in Arlington appeared to continue a slight decline in January after decreasing in 2025.
The median price of a two-bedroom apartment, $3,120, was down 0.6% month-over-month and 4.9% year-over-year in data reported Jan. 27 by Zumper. The median cost of a one-bedroom apartment, $2,330, was flat month-over-month but down 4.1% from this time last year.
Still, rental costs remained expensive enough to maintain Arlington’s position as the seventh most expensive rental market in the nation out of 100 urban areas, behind only:
- New York City: $4,320 median rental rate for one-bedroom units, $5,140 for two bedrooms
- San Francisco: $3,670/$5,010
- Jersey City, N.J.: $3,000/$3,390
- Boston: $2,930/$3,510
- San Jose: $2,670/$3,310
- Miami: $2,430/$3,090
After Arlington, the top 10, price-wise, were rounded out by Los Angeles at $2,290/$3,110, San Diego at $2,220/$3,000 and D.C. at $2,210/$2,930.
The most inexpensive rental markets in the nation for the month were Wichita ($710/$920), Shreveport ($780/$900) and Akron ($780/$920).
Zumper analysts Crystal Chen and Quentin Proctor noted that San Francisco is rapidly closing the gap with New York City for the most expensive rental market in the nation, “setting the stage for San Francisco to overtake New York as the most expensive two-bedroom market if current month-over-month trends persist.”
Nationally, the Zumper National Rent Index for one-bedroom units fell 2% year-over-year to $1,879, with the average rental for two-bedroom units down 1.5% to $1,879.
“The U.S. rental market is largely frozen right now, caught between elevated economic uncertainty and the normal seasonal slowdown we see in the winter months,” said Anthemos Georgiades, CEO of Zumper.
He added:
“While new supply deliveries are set to ease in 2026, any rebound in rents is unlikely to be uniform. Markets that have already worked through excess inventory may see a faster snapback than what national averages suggest. The spring leasing season will offer a clearer signal of where the market is headed.”
Zumper provides online services to both renters and property owners. It’s one of several that offer rental market snapshots each month.
Another that provides analysis is Apartment List. In its latest market report, released yesterday (Wednesday), Apartment List determined the median one-bedroom rent for Arlington properties was $2,374 in January, with the median two-bedroom rent standing at $2,868.
Counting all apartment sizes, the median Arlington rent of $2,521 was down 1.6% year-over-year, based on the Apartment List data.
Apartment List ranks Arlington fifth most expensive among its survey of 100 urban areas, behind four California locales: San Francisco ($3,126 median rent), Irvine ($3,048), San Jose ($2,855) and Fremont ($2,724).
Ranked at the most inexpensive markets among the 100 in the Apartment List ranking were Huntsville, Ala. ($988), Cleveland ($998) and Wichita ($1,007).
Apartment List calculates the median national apartment rental for January at $1,189 for one-bedroom units, $1,339 for two bedrooms and $1,353 overall.
Across the D.C. metro area, the median rent for January was $2,116 in the Apartment List survey.
