Rent vs buy in Capitol Hill & Navy Yard
Washington, DC · ZIP 20003 · computed from 405 active listings within about 1.5 miles on August 19, 2026
The one number that matters
Renting a 1-bedroom here costs $2,100 a month at the median. Owning a matched 1-bedroom costs about $1,784 a month all in on the homes the engine actually matches here, typically around $213,333: mortgage, taxes, insurance, maintenance, and any HOA.
The market right now
- Studio: $1,904/mo median rent
- 1-bedroom: $2,100/mo median rent
- 2-bedroom: $3,150/mo median rent
- 3-bedroom: $4,400/mo median rent
- 4-bedroom: $6,200/mo median rent
405 homes actively for sale within about 1.5 miles, spanning 26 studio, 100 1-bed, 121 2-bed, 78 3-bed, 52 4-bed, 12 5-bed, 7 6-bed. 129 of them sit inside 20003 itself.
Rent medians over 218 active rental listings in 20003.
What buying takes
- Studio: $199,900 median list price (market context, not the basis)
- 1-bedroom: $340,000 median list price (market context, not the basis)
- 2-bedroom: $599,000 median list price (market context, not the basis)
- 3-bedroom: $649,900 median list price (market context, not the basis)
- 4-bedroom: $1,100,000 median list price (market context, not the basis)
- 5-bedroom: $1,400,000 median list price (market context, not the basis)
All-in monthly to own: $1,784 for a 1-bedroom, $1,646 for a 2-bedroom, $2,056 for a 3-bedroom - mortgage, taxes, insurance, maintenance, and any HOA carried.
Cash to close on a matched 1-bedroom: about $49,067 ($42,667 down plus $6,400 closing), on the homes the engine actually matches here, typically around $213,333.
When buying pulls ahead
Buying a matched 1-bedroom here (on the homes the engine actually matches here, typically around $213,333) overtakes renting and investing the difference around year 2. By year ten the gap is about $113,593 in favor of owning.
The roommate math nobody shows you
A matched 2-bedroom here runs about $1,646 a month to own on the homes the engine actually matches here, typically around $181,330. Split two ways, that is about $823 per person. Qualifying for the same home solo takes roughly $55,000 a year at the standard 36 percent lender cap: rent splits between people, a mortgage qualification does not.
On the market in Capitol Hill & Navy Yard
| Address | Beds | Price | Cash to close |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2610 Wade Rd SE APT 205 | 1 | $150,000 | $34,500 |
| 1627 Massachusetts Ave SE #T-1 | 1 | $225,000 | $51,750 |
| 1627 Massachusetts Ave SE APT 302 | 1 | $265,000 | $60,950 |
| 1111 Orren St NE Unit 310 | 1 | $245,000 | $56,350 |
| 412 19th St NE APT 201 | 1 | $265,000 | $60,950 |
| 1245 4th St SW APT E210 | 1 | $189,000 | $43,470 |
The engine's own top matches for a typical renter here; each cash-to-close is 20 percent down plus closing on that home's price.
Buildings renters here ask about
- DC Crossing, Navy Yard · 3.9 on Google (333 reviews) · Walk Score 95
- 105 9th St SE · 5.0 on Google (1 reviews) · Walk Score 99
- 100 F St SE · 4.7 on Google (124 reviews) · Walk Score 87
Ratings and review counts powered by Google. Walk Score is a registered trademark of Walk Score, used with attribution.
What renting costs on Capitol Hill
129 homes sit for sale inside 20003 itself, part of 405 within roughly 1.5 miles of Capitol Hill and Navy Yard. Against that supply, a one-bedroom lease here runs a median $2,100 a month, and every dollar of it leaves your balance sheet the day it clears.
A one-bedroom the engine actually matches carries about $1,784 a month once taxes, insurance, upkeep and any condo fee are counted, on homes priced near $213,333. The two lines cross around year 2, and ten years out the distance between them is roughly $113,593 in favor of owning.
$49,067 is what stands between a lease and a deed here, and at $500 saved monthly that is about 8.2 years of patience. Sharing shortens it: a matched two-bedroom divided between two people costs each about $823 a month, while carrying that same home alone asks for income near $55,000. Renters already splitting rent are paying an owner's share of a building they will never hold a claim on.
Keep exploring
- Adams Morgan & U Street · own from about $1,858/mo
- Columbia Heights & Mount Pleasant · own from about $1,858/mo
- Downtown Bethesda · own from about $1,822/mo
- Downtown Silver Spring · own from about $1,792/mo
- All Washington, DC neighborhoods
- Introducing LeaseLens: how the rent-vs-buy math actually works
Common questions
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Capitol Hill & Navy Yard?
The median 1-bedroom rents for about $2,100 a month, while owning a matched 1-bedroom runs about $1,784 a month all in (mortgage, taxes, insurance, maintenance, and any HOA) at a typical price of $213,333.
How long until buying beats renting in Capitol Hill & Navy Yard?
On current figures, buying pulls ahead of renting and investing the difference around year 2 for a matched 1-bedroom here.
How much cash do I need to buy in Capitol Hill & Navy Yard?
About $49,067 covers a 20 percent down payment plus closing costs on a matched 1-bedroom. Lower down payment paths exist; this is the standard construction.
Can roommates buy together in Capitol Hill & Navy Yard?
Splitting a 2-bedroom two ways runs about $823 per person each month, while qualifying for the same home solo takes roughly $55,000 of annual income at the standard 36 percent lender cap.
Run it on your actual lease
These figures describe a typical renter. Upload your lease and LeaseLens computes the same comparison on your real rent, income, and savings, then watches the market for you.
Analyze my leaseData updated August 19, 2026.
How these numbers are computed
Every figure comes from the same engine that powers the LeaseLens comparison, run over live inventory in 20003: rent medians from active rental listings, ownership costs from the engine's top-matched-homes construction, and the crossover year from its 30-year net worth projection. The reference buyer is a solo renter with good credit, a $100k income, 20 percent down, and cash covering the close. Your own lease and finances will move every number, which is what the full comparison is for.