Rents are right about where Appleton's 10-year trend predicts.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,195 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: August 17, 2026
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Who lives here
Appleton, WI is majority owner-occupied, 38.2% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Appleton, WI has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in Appleton, WI has shifted from $971 to $1,195, up 23.1% since 2022. Median household income climbed from $68,364 to $80,483 between 2021 and 2024, a 17.7% shift. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 34.9% to 38.2% across the same window. Taken together, the five-year picture in Appleton, WI reflects how housing costs and the people paying them have evolved through a stretch that included a pandemic, a hot rental market, and a recent cooling phase.
Discussions about Appleton
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Can you afford rent in Appleton on your salary?
At $1,195/mo, how Appleton rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Appleton rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Appleton. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Appleton
Last updated: August 17, 2026
The median rent in Appleton is $1,195/mo as of August 2026. A studio apartment averages $733/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,053/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $823/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,453/mo.
At 18% of local median household income ($80,483/yr), Appleton ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 5.2% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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What percentage of Appleton residents rent vs. own?
How does Appleton rent compare to the national average?
At $1,195/mo, rent takes ~18% of Appleton's median household income ($80,483/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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