NoVA/DC Apartment Rental Rates Among Highest in the Nation

by Mary Ann Barton

If you're renting an apartment in Northern Virginia, you're likely paying more than the national average of $1,231 per month. The median price for a one-bedroom apartment in the DC metro region is $2,190, according to ApartmentList.com.

ApartmentList.com calculated the most expensive cities for renters across the country by looking at the 50 most populated cities, which all exceed 350,000 people, according to a report on CBS News Moneywatch. The apartment search service then compared the cities' median rental prices for studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units.

Here's the countdown and where the DC metro area falls, compared to other cities, when it comes to the median rental price for a one-bedroom apartment, from lowest to highest:

10. San Diego: $1,445
9. Seattle: $1,525
8. Miami: $1,535
7. Los Angeles: $1,740
6. Oakland: $1,857
5. San Jose: $1,857 (tied with Oakland)
4. Washington DC region: $2,190
3. New York: $2,950
2. Boston: $2,965
1. San Francisco: $2,898

"We're experiencing some of the lowest national vacancy rates since the mid-80s," ApartmentList.com CEO John Kobs told CBS News Moneywatch.

Here's the breakdown on apartment rental rates in the DC/NoVA region:

• Median studio apartment: $1,675
• Median one-bedroom apartment: $2,190
• Median two-bedroom apartment: $3,110