Comparing this time to last year, rents in Washington, D.C., are basically the same. According to Apartment List, rents in December 2017 were 0.3 percent lower when compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, rents in the nation have risen 2.7 percent year-over-year.

For the D.C. region, there are surrounding cities that are seeing faster rent growths than D.C. proper. Waldorf, Maryland, had the fastest rent growth this year with a 5.4 percent increase. The biggest rent drop was in Rockville, Maryland, with a year-over-year decline of 1.1 percent.

At the moment, median rents for one-bedroom apartments in the District are $1,310 per month. For two-bedrooms, the median monthly rent totals $1,520, above the national average of $1,160. Currently, the most and least expensive rents in the region are found in Bethesda, Maryland, and Frederick, Maryland, respectively.

• January 2017 Washington, DC Rent Report [Apartment List]