Six Seattle Neighborhoods With Unbelievably Cheap Rent

West Seattle is a renter’s paradise. In the 98116 zip code (right below Elliot Bay), rents average about $880 less than the citywide rate for high-end units. The Delridge neighborhood is also a bargain, with rental rates about $800 less. 

Throw in Ballard, Fremont, Eastlake and even Capitol Hill, and Seattle boasts six neighborhoods in RentCafe.com’s top 20 zip codes for rental bargains across the United States.

All told, Seattle has seven zip codes where luxury apartments, on average, rent for much less than the citywide average. “That solidifies its status as a bustling tech city where renters can live well at below-average costs,” the report notes.

In West Seattle’s 98116 zip code, for instance, the average rent for high-end units is $1,823, significantly less than the citywide average of $2,698 for similar units. In Ballard’s 98107 zip code, average rent is only $2,224.

“While this may be over-budget for many out-of-state newcomers,” the report says, “it’s still a good deal for locals as the median household income in Seattle is more than $116,000.”

Seattle-based Redfin reports that Washington is among the least affordable states in which to buy a home, based on personal income as a percentage of the median home price.