What income do you need to buy a house in Washington, DC?

It takes about $145,000/yr to afford the typical Washington, DC home ($577K, -1.7% past year) at today's rates. Starter homes run around $342K. See if you can afford a house in Washington (2026 data) — free, no signup.

Market snapshot (2026-07)

• Income needed to buy the typical home: about $145,000/yr (28% front-end ratio, 20% down, 6.76% 30-yr fixed, DC property tax and insurance)
• Typical home value: $577K (Zillow ZHVI, 2026-07)
• 1-year change: -1.7%
• Bottom 35% of homes: $342K
• Top 35% of homes start around: $1.14M
• Typical rent: $2,528/mo
• Median household income: $110K
• Price-to-income ratio: 5.2
• Estimated payment on the typical home: $2,996/mo principal & interest (20% down, 6.76% 30-yr fixed)

Nearby housing markets

• Mount Rainier, MD — typical home $455K
• Chillum, MD — typical home $407K
• Arlington, VA — typical home $816K
• Hyattsville, MD — typical home $405K
• Takoma Park, MD — typical home $690K
• Bladensburg, MD — typical home $326K

The most affordable cities to buy a house in Washington, DC

Home values are Zillow Group public data (ZHVI, updated monthly); income and population are US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates. Estimates only — not financial advice.

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