Rents are 3% below what Eau Claire's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
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 $1,119 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 Eau Claire is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2022.
Rent in Eau Claire changed +4.8% over the year to September 2026. Across the 42 Wisconsin cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +5.3%.
Rent has risen 2 months in a row, and rose in 8 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($67,395) is $1,685 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 4-bedroom ($1,600).
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Eau Claire. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
Is your rent fair?
Compare your rent to the local median.
Who lives here
Eau Claire, WI is roughly split between renters and owners, skews toward younger working-age adults, 36.7% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Eau Claire, WI has changed in 5 years
Rent in Eau Claire, WI has climbed 22.8% since 2022, going from about $911 per month to roughly $1,119 today. Median household income grew from $60,562 to $67,395 between 2021 and 2024, a 11.3% shift. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 11.5 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. Headcount in the area went from 69,030 to 70,322 between 2021 and 2024, a 1.9% change. About 45.6% of households rent today, against 43.7% in 2021. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 33.6% to 36.7%. Taken together, the five-year picture in Eau Claire, 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 Eau Claire
No discussions yet. Start the conversation.
Can you afford rent in Eau Claire on your salary?
At $1,119/mo, how Eau Claire rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Eau Claire rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Eau Claire. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Eau Claire
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Eau Claire is $1,119/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $840/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,105/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $900/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,520/mo.
At 20% of local median household income ($67,395/yr), Eau Claire ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 4.8% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Eau Claire?
Is rent going up or down in Eau Claire?
Which Eau Claire neighborhoods have the lowest rent?
How does Eau Claire rent compare to other cities in Wisconsin?
Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Eau Claire?
At $1,119/mo, rent takes ~20% of Eau Claire's median household income ($67,395/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
How does this area stack up?
Pick another city or ZIP to compare.
Estimated from ZIP-level data
Be the first to submit your rent for Eau Claire.
No discussions yet.