Forbes has just published its latest set of rankings—they churn 'em out constantly—which analyzes metropolitan areas on the basis of housing-associated costs. That means: Monthly mortgage or rental payments, utility bills, other property debts, real estate taxes, and various types of home insurance.
Washington D.C. comes in as fourth most expensive. New York is [...]

A Woodley Park Apartment building
Well, Houston's the exception (incidentally the last major city I lived in).
But it's true: That city and the District are the only two major urban centers nationwide where rents are increasing or staying stable, according to Forbes magazine.
I experienced this trend myself last fall when my Columbia Heights rent rose [...]