Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC Housing Market Brief
metro · DC · score computed October 2026
What is Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC’s Alpha Score?
The Alpha Score is a composite 0–100 index of market strength, a weighted blend of five dimensions. See the methodology.
Population band 5 of 5 (population 278,335–19,798,537) · comparable within its band
Where is Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC in its market cycle?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC is classified as Recovering — turning back up after a downturn. This is a classification of recent (1–12 month) momentum, not a price forecast.
What’s the forecast for Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC?
Metro-level forecasts are paused (since Oct 18, 2026). The new public-data model we built to replace them didn't pass our accuracy test, and we won't publish forecasts again until a model does.
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC housing market data
| Metric | Value | YoY | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Days on Market | 43 days | ▲ +13.2% | Realtor.com via FRED |
How has Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC’s Alpha Score moved?
Markets like Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC
- Frederick, MD metro area, MDmetro34
- Ann Arbor, MI metro area, MImetro39
- Albany, OR metro area, ORmetro33
- Bismarck, ND metro area, NDmetro41
- Tacoma, WA metro area, WAmetro28
- Salem, OR metro area, ORmetro34
- San Diego, CA metro area, CAmetro30
- West Palm Beach, FL metro area, FLmetro37
- Madera, CA metro area, CAmetro
- Roanoke, VA metro area, VAmetro42
Frequently asked questions
Is Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC a buyer's or seller's market?
In the scores computed October 2026, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC is classified as a Buyer's Market, based on its Alpha Score of 37 out of 100. The classification reflects current price, building, affordability, economic, and rental-yield conditions.
How affordable is Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC scores 19 out of 100 on affordability — relatively unaffordable relative to local incomes and prevailing mortgage rates compared with other metros.
What's driving Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC's Alpha Score?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC's strongest dimension is Economic Strength (52/100) and its weakest is Rental Yield (18/100). The Alpha Score is a weighted blend of all five dimensions.
Want the live, interactive view of Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC? Open the full market dashboard — charts, ZIP-level drill-down, and watchlist tracking. Explore the map or read the methodology.