What is the average Class A rent in Washington DC?

Around 58 USD/sqft/yr ($58 USD) across the broader Class A index. Trophy submarkets like East End command 20–40% above that.

How many months of rent-free are normal in Washington DC?

14 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 Washington DC?

The Washington DC Class A market is currently flat. Vacancy is 19.4%, which sets the negotiating context.

Headline Class A rent in Washington DC is around 58 USD/sqft/yr ($58 USD), with 14 months of typical rent-free on a 10-year term.

Headline Class A rent: 58 USD/sqft/yr ($58 USD).
Trophy submarket rents (East End) push to roughly $75/sqft/yr.
Typical concessions on a 10-year deal: 14 months free rent.
Vacancy stands at 19.4% — market trend is flat.
Use effective rent (face minus PV of concessions), not headline, to compare deals.

Washington DC Class A office rents and incentives

Headline Class A rent in Washington DC is around 58 USD/sqft/yr ($58 USD), with 14 months of typical rent-free on a 10-year term.

TL;DR

Headline Class A rent: 58 USD/sqft/yr ($58 USD).
Trophy submarket rents (East End) push to roughly $75/sqft/yr.
Typical concessions on a 10-year deal: 14 months free rent.
Vacancy stands at 19.4% — market trend is flat.
Use effective rent (face minus PV of concessions), not headline, to compare deals.

Headline rent vs. effective rent

Asking rents in Washington DC are quoted in USD per sqft per year. Across the broad Class A index the figure is 58, but the trophy tier in East End reaches roughly $75/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 Washington DC concessions on a 10-year Class A lease run to 14 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 — Federal corporate income tax of 21% plus DC franchise tax of 8.25% drives a combined effective rate of about 27%. Class A office tenants are also subject to DC personal property tax on FF&E.

Where rents land by submarket

East End sits at the top end (~$75/sqft/yr). Central Business District clears around $60/sqft/yr as the prime tier. Georgetown & West End represents the value end at ~$58/sqft/yr. The full submarket map is on the Washington DC city page.

Key facts

city	Washington DC
country	United States
region	Americas
classARentLocal	58 USD/sqft/yr
classARentUsd	$58/sqft/yr
vacancy	19.4%
typicalLeaseYears	10
typicalRentFreeMonths	14
submarkets	6
primeYieldPct	6.3%
trophyRent	$75/sqft/yr
primeRent	$60/sqft/yr

Frequently asked questions

What is the average Class A rent in Washington DC?: Around 58 USD/sqft/yr ($58 USD) across the broader Class A index. Trophy submarkets like East End command 20–40% above that.
How many months of rent-free are normal in Washington DC?: 14 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 Washington DC?: The Washington DC Class A market is currently flat. Vacancy is 19.4%, 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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