Vancouver WA Rental Market

Rents, vacancy, and demand across Clark County, with every area page and every market article we have written in one place.

Vancouver sits on the north bank of the Columbia River directly across from Portland, in a state with no personal income tax. That geography is the rental market in one sentence: Portland-area jobs, Washington paychecks, and lower housing costs than the Oregon side. This page collects what we know about rents, vacancy, and demand across Clark County, links every area page, and indexes the 39 articles we have written on the market.

Vancouver rents at a glance

Unit type	Median asking rent, mid-2026 (Zillow)	Durable typical range
Studio	$1,399
One bedroom	$1,463	$1,400 to $1,700
Two bedroom	$1,666	$1,700 to $2,100
Three bedroom	$2,400
Single-family home		$2,300 to $3,500 and up
All types	$1,875	about 7 percent below the U.S. average

The mid-2026 snapshot was down about $75 from a year earlier. Rents climbed steadily for years, have flattened slightly of late, and remain well above where they sat a few years ago. Single-family homes run from about $2,000 in value corridors to $3,500 and more in premium school zones, and a comparable home rents about 10 to 15 percent below similar Portland neighborhoods. Source: Vancouver market trends, rent by neighborhood.

Submarkets across Clark County

Area	Typical single-family asking rent	Days to lease	Est. vacancy
Battle Ground	$2,200 to $2,700	~18	~4%
Brush Prairie	$2,500 to $3,300	~14	~2%
Camas	$2,700 to $3,500	~12	under 3%
Cascade Park	$2,100 to $2,500	~16	~5%
Felida	$2,800 to $3,800	~14	~2%
Hazel Dell	$2,100 to $2,600	~15	~5%
Hockinson	$2,500 to $3,300	~20	~3%
La Center	$2,100 to $2,500	~22	~5%
Lake Shore	$2,200 to $2,800	~16	~4%
Mill Plain	$2,100 to $2,600	~14	~5%
Mount Vista	$2,100 to $2,600	~17	~5%
Orchards	$2,000 to $2,500	~15	~5%
Ridgefield	$2,300 to $3,000	~16	~4%
Salmon Creek	$2,300 to $2,900	~13	~3%
Washougal	$2,200 to $2,700	~20	~5%
Woodland	$2,000 to $2,400	~22	~6%

Ranges are VPMG estimates for a typical three-bedroom single-family home in each area as of the September 2026 update of our area pages, not published survey data. Each area page breaks the range down by neighborhood. Apartments and townhomes rent below these figures; acreage, waterfront, and premium school-zone homes rent above them.

Three patterns run through the table. School boundaries are the biggest driver of family rent, which is why Camas, Felida, Hockinson, and Ridgefield sit at the top. Newer north-county subdivisions in Ridgefield and Battle Ground can rent at or above similar Vancouver homes, while older Washougal and Woodland stock rents for less. And the east-side corridors along Mill Plain, Cascade Park, and Orchards draw the most applicants per listing and the steadiest cash flow. The smaller cities are also more seasonal: family moves there cluster around the school calendar, so a winter vacancy in Battle Ground takes longer to fill than one in central Vancouver. Details in Clark County market trends and school districts and rent.

What drives demand

The Portland spillover. Portland's higher prices and Oregon's income tax, which tops out near 9.9 percent, push renters and priced-out buyers north. Tens of thousands of Clark County residents commute across the river. That keeps Vancouver occupancy resilient even when regional rent growth cools. How Portland moves Vancouver rents
A job base of its own. Healthcare, education, public administration, manufacturing, logistics, and the port. PeaceHealth Southwest and Legacy Salmon Creek anchor the medical demand that supports mid-term and furnished rentals near them. Why investors choose Vancouver
New supply sets the condition bar. A 1990s house competes against brand-new units near the waterfront with in-unit laundry, smart locks, and updated finishes, so older homes win on condition and value, not on age.
Vacancy stays low. Well-kept single-family homes see the lowest vacancy and the most applicant competition. Owners generally aim to keep a stabilized home occupied 95 percent of the year or more, and a correctly priced, well-photographed listing usually draws a qualified application within one to three weeks. Reducing vacancy

What returns look like here

Vancouver is an appreciation-and-stability market more than a cash-flow market. Cap rates commonly run 4 to 6 percent, with 6 percent and above considered strong locally. Leveraged cash-on-cash returns run roughly 6 to 10 percent, with 10 percent and up excellent in the current rate climate. Single-family gross rent multipliers in the mid to high teens are normal; a $499,000 house renting for $2,400 has a GRM of about 17. At 2026 prices and rates a standard 25 percent down single-family purchase often lands right around break-even debt coverage, which is why many buyers put 30 to 40 percent down or target the value corridors. Run your own deal through the cash flow calculator, and see cap rate versus cash-on-cash, GRM, and DSCR.

Approximate 2025 to 2026 median home prices: Felida in the high $700,000s to upper $800,000s, Salmon Creek around $700,000 to $725,000, Mount Vista roughly $570,000 to $740,000, Fisher's Landing East about $600,000 to $700,000, Cascade Park near $500,000, and Vancouver citywide about $520,000. Source: the most affluent neighborhoods.

Rules that shape pricing

HB 1217 rent cap. Increases for existing tenants are limited to the lesser of 7 percent plus CPI or 10 percent per 12 months, 9.683 percent for 2026, with 90 days' notice and no increase in the first year. New tenants are not capped, and new construction is exempt for 12 years. Set the initial rent correctly; it largely sets the ceiling for the tenancy. HB 1217 guide
Vancouver rental registration. $30 per unit per year inside city limits since January 1, 2026, plus a city business license. Registration guide
Operating costs. Over the long run expenses excluding the mortgage consume about half of gross rent. Budget about 1 percent of property value a year for capital items plus 5 to 10 percent of rent for maintenance, and one vacant month per two-year tenancy, roughly a 4 percent vacancy allowance. Hidden costs
No state income tax on rental profit, and long-term residential rent is exempt from the state B&O tax. How no income tax boosts ROI

Pricing a specific home

The Clark County Rent Pricing Guide walks the comp method step by step, and the instant rental analysis returns an estimate for your address.

Area guides

Each page carries neighborhood-level rent ranges, days to lease, schools, and the tenant profile for that submarket.

Everything we have written on the Vancouver rental market

Rents and trends

Neighborhoods and cities

Investing here

Running the numbers

Income strategy

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Vancouver, WA?

Across all property types the median asking rent was $1,875 in a mid-2026 Zillow snapshot, with studios around $1,399, one-bedrooms $1,463, two-bedrooms $1,666, and three-bedrooms $2,400, about 7 percent below the national average. Single-family homes typically rent $2,300 to $3,500 and up, and neighborhood choice can swing a comparable home by $500 to $1,000 a month.

Which Vancouver-area neighborhoods have the highest and lowest rents?

Felida and Camas command the highest single-family rents, followed by Brush Prairie, Hockinson, and Ridgefield, driven by school districts, newer housing, and commute access. Hazel Dell, Orchards, and Cascade Park are the value plays inside greater Vancouver, and Woodland, La Center, and Washougal are the most affordable submarkets in the county.

Is Vancouver a landlord's or a renter's market?

It has leaned toward landlords: steady demand meets tight supply, vacancy has stayed low, and well-kept single-family homes draw the most applicant competition. Rents have flattened slightly of late, so overpricing in a market where renters have options leads to vacancy that erases the higher asking rent.

Why is rental demand in Vancouver so durable?

Renters can hold Portland-area jobs while living in a state with no personal income tax and lower housing costs, with comparable homes renting about 10 to 15 percent below similar Portland neighborhoods. Clark County adds its own job base in healthcare, education, government, manufacturing, and logistics.

How much can a Vancouver landlord raise rent each year?

Under HB 1217, increases for existing tenants are capped at the lesser of 7 percent plus CPI or 10 percent in any 12-month period, published as 9.683 percent for 2026, with 90 days' written notice and no increase in the first year. New construction is exempt for 12 years, and rent resets to market when a new tenant moves in.

How long does it take to rent a home in Vancouver?

A correctly priced, well-photographed rental usually secures a qualified application within one to three weeks, faster in spring and summer. Across our area pages typical days to lease run from about 12 in Camas to about 22 in La Center and Woodland. A $2,000 home loses about $66 for every day it sits empty.

What returns do Vancouver rentals produce?

Cap rates commonly run 4 to 6 percent, with 6 percent and above considered strong locally, and leveraged cash-on-cash returns run roughly 6 to 10 percent. Single-family gross rent multipliers in the mid to high teens are normal, and at current prices and rates a 25 percent down purchase often lands near break-even debt coverage.

What does it cost to own and manage a rental here?

Operating expenses excluding the mortgage tend to consume about half of gross rent over time, roughly $12,000 a year on a $2,000 home. Full-service management typically runs 8 to 10 percent of rent plus a leasing fee, and the City of Vancouver requires rental registration at $30 per unit per year.