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 $1,185 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: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
Rent in Appleton is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2022.
Rent in Appleton changed +8.3% over the year to September 2026. Across the 42 Wisconsin cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +5.3%.
Rent has risen 6 months in a row, and rose in 10 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($80,483) is $2,012 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 4-bedroom ($1,493).
The priciest of 3 ZIP codes in Appleton, 54914 ($1,228/mo), costs 8% more than the cheapest, 54911 ($1,135/mo).
Bellevue, 26 miles away, rents for 13% less ($1,026/mo), about $1,900 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Appleton. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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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 $913 to $1,185, up 29.8% 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.
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Can you afford rent in Appleton on your salary?
At $1,185/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: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Appleton is $1,185/mo as of October 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 8.3% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Appleton?
Is rent going up or down in Appleton?
Which Appleton neighborhoods have the lowest rent?
How does Appleton rent compare to other cities in Wisconsin?
At $1,185/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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