What is the average Class A rent in Seattle?

Around 52 USD/sqft/yr ($52 USD) across the broader Class A index. Trophy submarkets like Downtown CBD command 20–40% above that.

How many months of rent-free are normal in Seattle?

16 months on a 10-year deal is the standard benchmark. Lease-up product or tenants with strong covenant strength can push higher.

Are rents rising or falling in Seattle?

The Seattle Class A market is currently softening. Vacancy is 26.4%, which sets the negotiating context.

Headline Class A rent in Seattle is around 52 USD/sqft/yr ($52 USD), with 16 months of typical rent-free on a 10-year term.

Headline Class A rent: 52 USD/sqft/yr ($52 USD).
Trophy submarket rents (Downtown CBD) push to roughly $65/sqft/yr.
Typical concessions on a 10-year deal: 16 months free rent.
Vacancy stands at 26.4% — market trend is softening.
Use effective rent (face minus PV of concessions), not headline, to compare deals.

Seattle Class A office rents and incentives

Headline Class A rent in Seattle is around 52 USD/sqft/yr ($52 USD), with 16 months of typical rent-free on a 10-year term.

TL;DR

Headline Class A rent: 52 USD/sqft/yr ($52 USD).
Trophy submarket rents (Downtown CBD) push to roughly $65/sqft/yr.
Typical concessions on a 10-year deal: 16 months free rent.
Vacancy stands at 26.4% — market trend is softening.
Use effective rent (face minus PV of concessions), not headline, to compare deals.

Headline rent vs. effective rent

Asking rents in Seattle are quoted in USD per sqft per year. Across the broad Class A index the figure is 52, but the trophy tier in Downtown CBD reaches roughly $65/sqft/yr. Always discount headline rent by the present value of free rent and fit-out-capex">tenant improvement allowance to land on effective rent — the only number that compares cleanly across deals.

Rent-free and TI

Standard Seattle concessions on a 10-year Class A lease run to 16 months of base-rent abatement. Trophy lease-ups can push rent-free 25–40% above that benchmark. Local cost-of-occupancy is also shaped by tax — 21% federal corporate income tax. No Washington State corporate income tax. Washington B&O tax applies to gross receipts (rates vary by activity). Seattle JumpStart payroll expense tax applies to tenants with $7M+ payroll.

Where rents land by submarket

Downtown CBD sits at the top end (~$65/sqft/yr). Pioneer Square clears around $48/sqft/yr as the prime tier. The full submarket map is on the Seattle city page.

Key facts

city	Seattle
country	United States
region	Americas
classARentLocal	52 USD/sqft/yr
classARentUsd	$52/sqft/yr
vacancy	26.4%
typicalLeaseYears	10
typicalRentFreeMonths	16
submarkets	5
primeYieldPct	6.7%
trophyRent	$65/sqft/yr
primeRent	$48/sqft/yr

Frequently asked questions

What is the average Class A rent in Seattle?: Around 52 USD/sqft/yr ($52 USD) across the broader Class A index. Trophy submarkets like Downtown CBD command 20–40% above that.
How many months of rent-free are normal in Seattle?: 16 months on a 10-year deal is the standard benchmark. Lease-up product or tenants with strong covenant strength can push higher.
Are rents rising or falling in Seattle?: The Seattle Class A market is currently softening. Vacancy is 26.4%, which sets the negotiating context.

Editorial provenance

Reviewed by Miriam Hollander — Lead market analyst. Last updated 2026-04-15. See our methodology and editorial standards.

Primary sources for this page

CBRE Marketview reports — CBRE
JLL Office Insight — JLL
Cushman & Wakefield Marketbeat — Cushman & Wakefield
Savills World Research — Savills
Colliers Global Office Outlook — Colliers

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