DC's typical home value was $570,082 in August 2026, down 1.05% in a year and 12.8% below its 2022 peak, but that headline is the condo market. Spring Valley, Burleith and Georgetown set record highs the same month, and the main house neighborhoods gained 3.61% on average while condo-heavy areas lost 2.83%. If you're pricing a house in Northwest, use your neighborhood's own trend; if you're buying a condo, price cuts and supply are on your side.
You're deciding whether to buy, sell or wait in DC and need to know which way your part of the market is moving.
At a glance
| DC typical value (Zillow, Aug 2026) | $570,082 |
|---|---|
| 1-year change | -1.05% |
| Below 2022 peak | 12.8% |
| DC median sale price (DC Realtors, June 2026) | $700,000 |
| 30-year rate (Freddie Mac, Oct 1, 2026) | 7.28% |
DC housing market: the numbers
Zillow's typical Washington, DC home value was $570,082 in August 2026 (−1.1% in a year), against $1,515,129 in Zillow's Georgetown area. Across the Washington metro, homes for sale are 9.5% higher than a year earlier.
Neighborhoods by typical value
| Neighborhood | Typical value | Past year | 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring Valley | $1,996,401 | +3.4% | +17.7% |
| Burleith | $1,582,587 | +3.5% | +14.7% |
| Georgetown | $1,515,129 | +3.6% | +8.7% |
| Kalorama | $1,380,095 | +3.6% | +0.6% |
| Chevy ChaseChevy Chase, DC | $1,344,975 | +1.4% | +8.4% |
| American University Park | $1,327,283 | +0.8% | +5.3% |
| Foxhall | $1,324,355 | +4.0% | +17.0% |
| Capitol Hill | $910,683 | +2.4% | −3.7% |
| Woodley Park | $829,065 | −1.7% | −3.1% |
| Shaw | $766,492 | +1.4% | −6.9% |
| Forest Hills | $677,643 | −0.2% | +2.9% |
| Cleveland Park | $646,636 | −1.1% | −0.4% |
| Washington, DCCitywide | $570,082 | −1.1% | −10.2% |
The District against the suburbs
| Area | Typical value | Past year | 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington, DC | $570,082 | −1.1% | −10.2% |
| Arlington County, VA | $806,890 | +0.8% | +9.2% |
| Fairfax County, VA | $760,599 | +0.8% | +15.8% |
| Alexandria City, VA | $677,627 | +1.8% | +10.0% |
| Montgomery County, MD | $611,206 | −0.6% | +9.7% |
| Maryland | $428,308 | +0.0% | +13.5% |
| Virginia | $414,662 | +2.2% | +23.4% |
Zillow Home Value Index for each neighborhood (Zillow's boundaries), August 2026. A typical value is the middle of the market, not its top. Metro figures (Zillow, July 2026) cover the whole Washington metro, all price points.
Ten years of DC and Georgetown home values
Is the DC housing market up or down?
Both, depending on what you own. Zillow's typical DC home value was $570,082 in August 2026, down 1.05% in a year and 12.8% below its June 2022 peak of $653,518. In the same month Spring Valley, Burleith and Georgetown each set an all-time Zillow high. Of Zillow's 21 DC neighborhoods, 11 rose in the year and 10 fell.
That split is the whole story of 2026. The citywide figure is the middle of every home in DC, condos included, and the condo areas are the ones falling, so the headline mostly tracks the condo market. If you're pricing a detached house in Northwest, the citywide drop tells you little about your house.
Houses vs condos: two DC markets
House neighborhoods at record highs
Spring Valley, Burleith, Georgetown, Kalorama and Foxhall gained between 3.38% and 3.96% in the year to August 2026, an average of 3.61%. For a buyer that means waiting for the citywide decline to reach these streets hasn't worked so far. The neighborhood-by-neighborhood picture for the top end is on our Washington DC luxury homes guide.
Condo neighborhoods still falling
The areas where condos make up most of the stock fell: Foggy Bottom 4.08%, the Southwest Waterfront 4.07%, Navy Yard 3.24%, Penn Quarter 2.17%, the West End 2.01% and Dupont Circle 1.41%, an average loss of 2.83%. Navy Yard is 29.5% below its February 2018 peak. City Cast DC, citing Bright MLS, reported that 41.6% of DC condo listings had at least one price cut in June 2026 and that condo sales were on track to finish the year about 40% below pre-pandemic levels. Buying in a condo building is covered on our DC condos page.
Row houses and town houses
In Bright MLS's Home Demand Index for the Washington metro, town houses and row houses were the only tier with higher demand than a year earlier in August 2026, at 94. That fits the Zillow data: the attached and detached house stock is holding up better than the flats.
DC home prices by neighborhood
Here are all 21 Zillow DC neighborhoods with the one-, five- and ten-year change. Zillow's boundaries aren't official neighborhoods, and its typical value includes condos, so areas with large apartment buildings, like Wesley Heights and Cleveland Park, read far below what their houses sell for.
| Zillow area | Typical value, Aug 2026 | 1 year | 5 years | 10 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring Valley | $1,996,401 | +3.38% | +17.68% | +54.66% |
| Burleith | $1,582,587 | +3.47% | +14.66% | +40.24% |
| Georgetown | $1,515,129 | +3.57% | +8.71% | +35.58% |
| Kalorama | $1,380,095 | +3.65% | +0.63% | +20.61% |
| Chevy Chase | $1,344,975 | +1.37% | +8.41% | +41.87% |
| American University Park | $1,327,283 | +0.84% | +5.31% | +39.33% |
| Foxhall | $1,324,355 | +3.96% | +17.02% | +47.94% |
| Capitol Hill | $910,683 | +2.39% | -3.73% | +21.03% |
| Woodley Park | $829,065 | -1.72% | -3.11% | +19.43% |
| Shaw | $766,492 | +1.38% | -6.93% | +12.33% |
| Forest Hills | $677,643 | -0.19% | +2.85% | +35.79% |
| Cleveland Park | $646,636 | -1.13% | -0.44% | +27.98% |
| West End | $636,434 | -2.01% | -5.67% | +3.39% |
| Wesley Heights | $606,096 | -3.84% | -1.84% | +16.32% |
| Navy Yard | $599,281 | -3.24% | -15.45% | -26.69% |
| Logan Circle | $565,764 | +0.73% | -4.32% | +6.88% |
| Glover Park | $550,644 | +0.26% | -0.93% | +19.39% |
| Dupont Circle | $439,524 | -1.41% | -2.77% | +4.68% |
| Penn Quarter | $429,012 | -2.17% | -8.26% | -8.12% |
| Foggy Bottom | $404,570 | -4.08% | -11.84% | +3.89% |
| Southwest Waterfront | $373,583 | -4.07% | -14.14% | +11.17% |
| Washington, DC | $570,082 | -1.05% | -10.17% | +13.11% |
Read the 5-year column against the 1-year column. Spring Valley and Foxhall gained about 17% over five years and are still rising; Southwest Waterfront and Navy Yard lost 14% to 15% and are still falling. Georgetown's street-level prices and recent sales are on the Georgetown housing market page.
The DC luxury market in 2026
Bright MLS publishes demand by price tier for the Washington metro, not for DC alone, but it's the best read on the top end.
Luxury houses above $1.4 million
The luxury single-family index fell to 86 in August 2026, rated Slow, from 99 a month earlier and 106 a year earlier, with 2.9 months of supply. Record values and slowing demand together usually mean a longer sale, so price for the market you'll sell into, not the last record.
Luxury condos above $600,000
The luxury condo index was 96, still Steady, but down 16 points in one month, with 4.0 months of supply: 520 luxury condos in average daily inventory and 129 sold in August. City Cast also reported that active luxury listings over $1.75 million fell 22.6% in the first quarter of 2026, region-wide.
How fast does the DC housing market move?
A typical home in the Washington metro goes under contract in about a month and sells close to its list price. The metro figures below come from Bright MLS and Zillow; the DC figures come from the DC Association of Realtors, which described June as a more balanced market with prices holding steady.
| Measure | Latest | Area and source |
|---|---|---|
| Median days on market | 22 (up 1 day) | Washington metro, Bright MLS, September 2026 |
| New pending sales | -17.1% year over year | Washington metro, Bright MLS, September 2026 |
| Active listings | +20.1% year over year | Washington metro, Bright MLS, end of August 2026 |
| Median sold price | $610,000 (+1.6%) | Washington metro, Bright MLS, September 2026 |
| Days to pending | 35 (32 a year earlier) | Washington metro, Zillow |
| Listings with a price cut | 28.2% | Washington metro, Zillow |
| Sale-to-list ratio | 1.0009 | Washington metro, Zillow |
| Closed sales and median price | 654 sales, $700,000 median | DC, DC Association of Realtors, June 2026 |
| Active listings | 2,721 | DC, DC Association of Realtors, June 2026 |
More listings and fewer new contracts point the same way: buyers have more choice than a year ago, and sellers should expect more competition.
What is driving DC home prices?
Mortgage rates
Freddie Mac's 30-year average was 7.28% in the week of October 1, 2026. Bright MLS's chief economist, Lisa Sturtevant, said in October that with rates close to 7.5%, more buyers are being priced out of the market.
Federal job losses
City Cast, citing Brookings, reported that the DMV shed 56,000 jobs in 2025 and that 96% of them were federal. No source we've seen breaks that out into DC home prices, but it's one of the reasons City Cast gives for weak condo sales.
Condo fees and building insurance
City Cast also reports condo fees rising as buildings pay more for insurance and fund reserves. A higher fee lowers what a buyer can borrow, which pushes on condo prices directly.
More homes for sale
Active listings in the Washington metro were up 20.1% a year at the end of August, and Zillow's metro inventory rose 9.5% to 19,259. More supply with fewer pending sales is how a market cools.
DC vs the Maryland and Virginia suburbs
Over five years DC's typical value fell 10.17%. Fairfax County gained 15.80%, Alexandria 9.97%, Montgomery County 9.74% and Arlington 9.24%. Brookings' DMV Monitor puts DC's median sale price per square foot 25.2% below 2019, while the region overall is still slightly above it.
For a buyer comparing a DC row house with a suburban house, that gap matters more than any one year's change. For DC's top neighborhoods it doesn't hold: Spring Valley's 17.68% five-year gain beats every suburb in the comparison. What else differs, from income tax to parking, is on the cost of living in Washington DC page.
What is the outlook for the DC housing market?
We don't forecast prices. Here is what the sources say. Brookings wrote in June 2026 that further price declines are possible in core markets, DC among them. Bright MLS described September as a stalling market, with pending sales down 17.1% and rates near 7.5%. The Home Demand Index rated DC proper Slow. Nothing in those sources points to a quick rebound in condo values, and the slowing luxury index is the first sign that the house neighborhoods may stop setting records.
Which DC market are you in? A check you can run
- Find your Zillow area in the table above.
- Compare its 1-year change with DC's -1.05%. If yours is positive, the citywide decline isn't your market.
- Check the 5-year column. A negative 5-year number with a negative 1-year number means you're in a falling condo market and should price accordingly.
Then run the carrying cost. On a $1.5 million house with 20% down, the $1.2 million loan at 7.28% costs about $8,211 a month in principal and interest; on a 15-year loan at 6.60%, about $10,519. Each $100,000 borrowed on the 30-year loan adds about $684 a month, so you can redo the math with your own price. Add property tax, worked through on the DC property tax guide, and insurance.
If you're buying a house
In the top house neighborhoods, don't wait for the citywide drop to reach you; these areas are at record highs while DC sits 12.8% below its peak. The catch: luxury demand has just turned Slow, so you may get more time to negotiate than last year.
If you're buying a condo
The market favors you: price cuts are common and supply is four to five months. The catch is that values can keep falling, so buy for the building and the fee history, not for a rebound.
If you're selling
Price for a slower market than the record values suggest, with active listings up a fifth. How to set the price and time the listing is on our guide to selling a Georgetown home. I can pull the recent sales on your street.
Common questions
Are DC house prices dropping?
Citywide, slowly. Zillow's typical DC value was $570,082 in August 2026, down 1.05% in a year and 12.8% below its 2022 peak. House neighborhoods are rising: Spring Valley, Burleith and Georgetown hit all-time highs in August 2026, and five top house areas gained 3.61% on average. Condo-heavy areas such as Foggy Bottom and the Southwest Waterfront fell about 4%.
What is the outlook for the DC housing market in 2026?
Sources point to a slow market. Brookings wrote in June 2026 that further price declines are possible in core markets including DC. Bright MLS called September a stalling market, with Washington-metro pending sales down 17.1% and rates near 7.5%. Its demand index for luxury single-family homes fell from 99 to 86 in one month. We don't publish our own forecast.
Is it better to rent or buy in DC?
It depends on your numbers and how long you'll stay. Brookings reports that DC asking rents fell 10.7% from 2019 to 2025 while DC's price per square foot is 25.2% below 2019, so both are cheaper than they were. At 7.28%, each $100,000 borrowed on a 30-year loan costs about $684 a month before tax and insurance. Compare that with the rent on a similar home.
What's the housing market like in Washington DC right now?
Split. Condo-heavy neighborhoods are falling, with 41.6% of DC condo listings cutting price in June 2026, while the top house neighborhoods set record values. DC Realtors reported a $700,000 median sale price in June 2026 and called the market more balanced. In the Washington metro, active listings were up 20.1% a year and new pending sales were down 17.1% in September.
How fast does the housing market move in DC?
In the Washington metro, the median home sold in 22 days on market in September 2026, according to Bright MLS, one day slower than a year earlier. Zillow put metro days to pending at 35, up from 32. Homes sold at about list price on average, and 28.2% of metro listings had a price cut. DC-only figures for these measures aren't published in the sources we use.
How was DC affected by the housing market downturn after 2022?
DC's typical value peaked at $653,518 in June 2022 and was 12.8% lower by August 2026, according to Zillow. Brookings puts DC's price per square foot 25.2% below 2019. The decline was concentrated in condo areas: Navy Yard is 29.5% below its peak and the Southwest Waterfront 16.1%. Spring Valley, Burleith and Georgetown were at record highs by August 2026.
What is the median home price in DC?
The DC Association of Realtors reported a median sale price of $700,000 for June 2026, across 654 closed sales. Zillow's typical home value, a different measure that covers all homes rather than those sold, was $570,082 in August 2026. For the Washington metro, Bright MLS reported a $610,000 median sold price in September 2026, up 1.6% in a year.
Sources
- Zillow Home Value Index and Washington-metro market data (August 2026)
- Freddie Mac PMMS
- Bright MLS September 2026 Housing Market Report (press release, Oct 12, 2026)
- Bright MLS Home Demand Index: Washington DC, August 2026
- DC Association of Realtors: July 2026 Roundup (June 2026 DC stats)
- City Cast DC: D.C. condo sales (Aug 13, 2026)
- Brookings: A housing market on the precipice: New insights from the DMV Monitor (June 4, 2026)
Reviewed by Daryl Judy
Daryl reviewed this page for accuracy on October 13, 2026. Figures come from the sources listed above. Our research process.
Daryl Judy is a luxury real estate agent in Georgetown, Washington, DC, and an Associate Broker with Washington Fine Properties: a Realtor since 2006, ranked #2 in the District by sales volume (RealTrends Verified, 2025), with more than $1.2 billion in career sales by his own count.
- $1.2B+Career sales across more than 900 transactions, as reported by Daryl
- #2DC agent by sales volume, RealTrends Verified, 2025
- $1.93MAverage sale price in 2025, RealTrends Verified
- $6.25MHighest DC sale on record, Berkley (Georgetown ZIP 20007), 2026
- RealTrends Verified: #2 in Washington, DC by sales volume, 2025 sales data ($77.19M, 40 sides)
- Washington Fine Properties: 360 sales of $1M or more on record ($670.2M), 40 of them in Georgetown ZIP 20007
- Washingtonian: Best Real Estate Agents: 100 Best Agents, Elite Producers Platinum
Associate Broker, Washington Fine Properties, 1604 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20009. Office (202) 930-6868. District of Columbia license BR 699875. General information, not legal, tax or lending advice.
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