Average Rent in Madison, WI
21 apartment buildings, 431 units. Daily asking prices with rent history for every building.
Cheapest
$774/mo
43 North Apartments
Properties
21
tracked daily
Units
431
available now
Madison, WI Resident Access
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Analysis
Rent Price Breakdown
Compare pricing across all 21 properties in Madison, WI.
Average rent trend, last 3 months
All bedroom types, citywide. Choose a window above to scope the view.
Average Rent by Property
Starting Price vs Average
Rent by Bedroom Count
Price per Square Foot
Madison, WI Rent Prices
All 21 properties ranked by lowest available rent.
43 North Apartments
44 E Mifflin St #400, Madison, WI 53703, USA
McBride Companies LLC
139 W Wilson St, Madison, WI 53703, USA
Lofgren Properties
444 Hawthorne Ct, Madison, WI 53703, USA
Lark at Kohl
102 N Bedford St, Madison, WI 53703, USA
Capitol Centre Court Apartments
344 W Dayton St, Madison, WI 53703, USA
Rouse
2428 Perry St, Madison, WI 53713, USA
Hub On Campus Madison
437 N Frances St, Madison, WI 53703, USA
| # | Property | From | Avg | $/sqft | Rating | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 43 North Apartments 44 E Mifflin St #400, Madison, WI 53703, USA | $774 | $1,742 | -- | 4.7 (102) | 8 |
| 2 | McBride Companies LLC 139 W Wilson St, Madison, WI 53703, USA | $795 | $795 | $3.02 | 4.4 (45) | 1 |
| 3 | Lofgren Properties 444 Hawthorne Ct, Madison, WI 53703, USA | $1,095 | $1,919 | -- | 4 (81) | 31 |
| 4 | Lark at Kohl 102 N Bedford St, Madison, WI 53703, USA | $1,199 as of Aug 17 | $1,530 | -- | 3.5 (169) | 6 |
| 5 | Capitol Centre Court Apartments 344 W Dayton St, Madison, WI 53703, USA | $1,215 | $1,551 | -- | 4.2 (24) | 11 |
| 6 | Rouse 2428 Perry St, Madison, WI 53713, USA | $1,295 as of Aug 9 | $1,648 | -- | 4.2 (10) | 14 |
| 7 | Hub On Campus Madison 437 N Frances St, Madison, WI 53703, USA | $1,299 | $1,530 | $1.24 | 4 (465) | 30 |
Rent & Price History by Building
43 North Apartments
4.7 (102)44 E Mifflin St #400, Madison, WI 53703, USA
McBride Companies LLC
4.4 (45)139 W Wilson St, Madison, WI 53703, USA
Lofgren Properties
4 (81)444 Hawthorne Ct, Madison, WI 53703, USA
Lark at Kohl
3.5 (169)102 N Bedford St, Madison, WI 53703, USA
Capitol Centre Court Apartments
4.2 (24)344 W Dayton St, Madison, WI 53703, USA
Rouse
4.2 (10)2428 Perry St, Madison, WI 53713, USA
By Area
Madison, WI neighborhoods
Tracked buildings across 4 named neighborhoods. Pick one to see its apartments.
Madison, WI Average Rent Prices 2026
The average rent in Madison, WI is $2,202 per month, based on 431 units across 21 apartment communities. Prices range from $774 at 43 North Apartments to $4,000 at The Continental.
Average Rent by Bedroom Type
| Type | Avg Rent | Starting From | Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,937/mo | $795/mo | 72 |
| 1 Bed | $2,274/mo | $1,095/mo | 213 |
| 2 Bed | $2,476/mo | $1,295/mo | 84 |
| 3 Bed | $2,119/mo | $1,309/mo | 27 |
| 4 Bed | $1,829/mo | $774/mo | 24 |
| 5 Bed | $1,474/mo | $1,299/mo | 11 |
Every price is a real asking rent, updated that morning. Request a neighborhood we don't cover and we add it within 24 hours.
Market Context
Who rents in Madison, WI, and what they pay
Tracked one-bedroom rent in Madison, WI averages $2,274/mo, with two-bedroom units averaging $2,476/mo. At the local median household income of $76,983, that works out to 34% of gross income, above the 30 percent affordability ceiling, a stretched-budget market.
The U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 2023 release pegged median gross rent in Madison, WI at $1,364/mo. The current tracked market average runs 61% higher than that benchmark, reflecting both two to three years of rent growth and the fact that the Census figure covers all renter-occupied housing in Madison, WI while the tracked market average covers units currently listed in larger apartment communities.
Who employs renters in Madison
Demand in the Madison rental market is shaped by the metro's largest private and public employers. The following organizations anchor local hiring and influence what renters can pay:
- University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Epic Systems
- American Family Insurance
- UW Health
Mean one-way commute in Madison, WI is 19 minutes, per the Census ACS, useful context when weighing which properties sit inside reasonable reach of these employers.
What salary do I need to live comfortably in Madison, WI?
Built on the 25 to 30 percent rent-to-income guideline used by most landlords and credit-scoring models.
Minimum to afford average rent
$88,000/year
Based on the 30 percent rule, using our tracked average rent of $2,202/mo.
Comfortable income
$106,000/year
Based on the 25 percent rule, leaving more room for savings, transport, and groceries.
To afford the cheapest tracked apartment ($774/mo), you need to earn at least $31,000/year.
Median household income in Madison, WI is $76,983 , about 27% below the comfortable-living threshold.
Cost of living in Madison, WI
Overall prices in Madison, WI runs below the national average by about 4% (BEA Regional Price Parity index 95.9, where 100 equals the U.S. average). The breakdown below estimates monthly costs for a single adult, using national consumer-spending baselines from the Bureau of Labor Statistics scaled by Madison, WI's regional price parities.
| Category | Monthly estimate |
|---|---|
| Rent (market average) | $2,202 |
| Utilities | $413 |
| Groceries | $507 |
| Transportation | $983 |
| Healthcare | $480 |
| Other goods and services | $768 |
| Estimated total | $5,352/mo |
Population
275,568
Median household income
$76,983
Census median rent
$1,364/mo
Rent as % of income
29.5%
Median age
31.8
Mean commute
19 min
Methodology
Rent data
Sourced directly from each tracked apartment community and refreshed every 24 hours. Every listed unit price on this page is real and listed today.
Cost of living
Estimates combine national consumer-spending baselines from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Consumer Expenditure Survey) with the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (MARPP dataset). Both are peer-reviewed federal data releases published annually.
Salary to live comfortably
Applies the standard 25 to 30 percent rent-to-income rule on top of the listed rent. This is the same affordability guideline used by most landlords and credit-scoring models.
Demographic figures
Median household income, population, median age, commute time, Census median rent, and rent as percentage of income come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 5-year estimates, the most recent complete release.
Cost of living and demographic figures were last published in 2023.
Compare
Nearby cities in Wisconsin
How Madison, WI rent compares to other markets in the state.
| City | Avg Rent | vs Madison, WI | 30-Day Change | Properties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waukesha, WI | $1,727 | -22% | +6.5% | 16 |
| Altoona, WI | $1,510 | -31% | -1.8% | 9 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $2,199 | 0% | -0.3% | 9 |
| Kenosha, WI | $1,759 | -20% | -0.6% | 7 |
| West Allis, WI | $1,823 | -17% | -9.7% | 7 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the average rent in Madison, WI?
The average rent in Madison, WI is $2,202 per month, based on 431 units across 21 apartment buildings tracked by Average Rent. Prices are refreshed daily.
What is the median rent in Madison, WI?
The median asking rent in Madison, WI is $2,105 per month, computed from 431 live listed units and refreshed daily. The average is $2,202/mo; the median resists skew from luxury listings.
What is the cheapest apartment rent in Madison, WI?
The lowest available rent in Madison, WI starts at $774 per month. Availability changes daily and prices are refreshed each morning.
How much is a 1-bedroom apartment in Madison, WI?
1-bedroom apartments in Madison, WI average $2,274/mo. The lowest listed 1-bedroom starts at $1,095/mo across 213 units tracked.
How much is a 2-bedroom apartment in Madison, WI?
2-bedroom apartments in Madison, WI average $2,476/mo. Units start from $1,295/mo across 84 units currently listed.
Rent Trends in Madison, WI
Track how apartment prices are changing over time.
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