Apartments for Rent in Vancouver, WA - 129 Rentals available

With the Columbia River curving upwards from the south to the west, Vancouver, Washington quietly runs along the southernmost tip of the state’s border. At its core, the area feels like a quieter extension of Portland, Oregon. As such, many people have migrated to Vancouver in recent years to support its peaceful suburban atmosphere and growing artistic community.

Vancouver, Washington is 9 miles north of Portland, Oregon, which means that you can easily enjoy their world-famous fine dining and shopping locales any day of the week. However, since Vancouver is also 3 times smaller and 4 times less populated than Portland, you’ll always have a quiet and cozy place to return to at the end of the day. As for other nearby major cities, the distance from Vancouver, WA to Seattle is 165 miles heading south, which is just perfect for taking day trips to the “Emerald City”. To give some frame of reference, Vancouver is about one-and-a-half times smaller than Seattle, and roughly 4 times less populated.

Vancouver weather averages in the 60s most of the time, meaning that Vancouver’s climate is basically mild and agreeable all year long. Spring averages 52°F with showers, lots of beautiful flowers and cool nights. Summer averages 67°F with warm days easing into cooler evenings. Autumn averages 55°F and can be rainy, but beautiful overall. Winters average 40°F and can become fairly cold, though the temperature almost never dips below freezing.

 C-Tran is in charge of all public transportation in Vancouver, Washington, and all routes are split into two main zones. “C-Zone” covers the Camas-Washougal area (north of Columbia River), and “All-Zone” covers a number of areas that are farther south of the Columbia River. The average cost of a bus ticket in Vancouver, WA is $2.50, with monthly passes available for $62. Children, seniors 65 and older, Medicare recipients and disabled passengers ride for a reduced fee. Overall, the commute time in Vancouver, WA is 22 minutes, 3 minutes faster than the national average.

The cost of living in Vancouver, Washington is more affordable than most of the nation in almost all respects. An inexpensive restaurant in Vancouver costs $11 (the national average is $12), a cappuccino is slightly cheaper by 3-cents, 1 pound of chicken breasts costs 50-cents less, and the monthly total for utilities in a 915-square-foot apartment is $104.11—almost $50 lower than the national average. 

Living in Vancouver is sure to heavily appeal to your intellectual side. An attractive downtown area bursting with arts and culture—along with a well-educated population—are just two pros of living in Vancouver. In fact, the city recently received national recognition from the American Institute of Certified Planners with the “Best Applications of the Planning Process” award for its various economic programs targeting downtown. At the same time, frequent rains and cloudy weather can be two cons of living in Vancouver, WA.

If you don’t feel like traveling to nearby Portland, then Vancouver, WA offers plenty of fun things to do. Aside from common chains such as Lowes, Walmart, Home Depot, and Costco, for example, the Westfield Mall (Vancouver Mall) has your shopping needs covered with well over 100 department stores.

Couples’ attractions include catching the latest flicks at the Regal Cinemas movies in luxury seats, or enjoying the best restaurants in Vancouver, WA such as Thai-Orchid (exotic foods in a trendy warehouse setting) or the Thai Terrace Strip (which offers a similar menu in a more casual setting). Black Angus is a local chain restaurant with great surf ’n’ turf cuisines, and other popular chains include IHOP, Little Caesars, and Olive Garden.

 For family attractions, try the 12 beachy acres in Wintler Community Park. It’s easily one of the most beautiful places in Vancouver, and also one of the only public parks with waterfront access. If you are looking for more things to do with kids, why not visit the historic aviation exhibits at the Pearson Air Museum? Or, if free things to do is what you are looking for, then sign-up at the YMCA, Humane Society, or Habitat for Humanity.

Vancouver’s close proximity to the Columbia River, in combination to being near two major interstates, has turned the city into a key player in the shipping and logistics industries. Subaru, for example, does a large portion of its international shipping from the Vancouver Port. City officials are heavily investing in railroad infrastructure as well so as to fully capitalize on Vancouver’s burgeoning role as a major West Coast transportation hub. Nautilus Inc., Integra, and The Management Group Inc. are three corporations headquartered in Vancouver, Washington.

The city of Vancouver is well-known for its engaging educational system. In 1981, the Mountain View High School became the second high school to be constructed in the Evergreen School District, and proudly continues to serve the community to this day. Similarly, Clark College, established in 1933, is one of the longest-standing two-year colleges in the state.

If you are moving to Vancouver from Seattle, be prepared for a much better public transit situation than you are used to. The mass transit rail lines and bus services are much more organized, faster, and have less clutter in the terminals. Vancouver is a smaller city, which means you will be spared from many of the hassles associated with living in large-scale urban environments.

When it comes to your security deposit, Washington renters’ rights are very specific. There’s no limit on how much a landlord can charge for a security deposit. However, it must be returned to you within two weeks of moving out. If you need to take your landlord to court over the deposit, then you can use small claims court as long as the deposit is no more than $5,000.