At $1,127/mo, rent takes about 20% of the local median household income, comfortably within the 30% benchmark.
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 $1,127 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
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 11.8% since 2022, going from about $1,008 per month to roughly $1,127 today. Median household income grew from $60,562 to $67,395 between 2021 and 2024, a 11.3% shift. 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
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Can you afford rent in Eau Claire on your salary?
At $1,127/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: August 17, 2026
The median rent in Eau Claire is $1,127/mo as of August 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 7.8% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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What percentage of Eau Claire residents rent vs. own?
How does Eau Claire rent compare to the national average?
At $1,127/mo, rent takes ~20% of Eau Claire's median household income ($67,395/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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