Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue vs Washington, DC: Housing Market Comparison (2026)

Side-by-side Alpha Scores, affordability, momentum, supply, jobs, and rental yield · as of July 2026

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue vs Washington, DC side by side

Metric Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue Washington, DC
Alpha Score2041
Price Momentum5067
Inventory Health234
Affordability631
Economic Strength4050
Rental Yield520
Median Sale Price$630K
Price-to-Income6.25.0
Payment-to-Income39.2%29.6%
Months of Supply3
Gross Rental Yield3.3%3.9%
Overvaluation Index4050

Highlighted = the stronger read for that metric (supply, valuation, and payment burden are better when lower). Income/rent inputs lag annually.

How Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue and Washington, DC compare, dimension by dimension

  • Affordability: Washington, DC leads — Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue 6/100 vs Washington, DC 31/100.
  • Price Momentum: Washington, DC leads — Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue 50/100 vs Washington, DC 67/100.
  • Inventory Health: Washington, DC leads — Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue 2/100 vs Washington, DC 34/100.
  • Economic Strength: Washington, DC leads — Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue 40/100 vs Washington, DC 50/100.
  • Rental Yield: Washington, DC leads — Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue 5/100 vs Washington, DC 20/100.

Frequently asked questions

Which has a higher Alpha Score, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue or Washington, DC?

Washington, DC scores higher — 41 vs 20 out of 100. The Alpha Score is a 0-100 composite of price momentum, inventory health, affordability, economic strength, and rental yield.

Is Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue or Washington, DC more affordable?

Washington, DC is more affordable on our affordability dimension. Price-to-income is 6.2 in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue and 5.0 in Washington, DC.

Which housing market has stronger momentum, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue or Washington, DC?

Washington, DC has stronger price momentum — 67/100 vs 50/100.

Want to swap in other cities, change the metrics, or chart the trend over time? Customize this comparison → in the interactive Compare tool. Or read the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue market brief and the Washington, DC brief.