How much rent can you afford in Madison, WI?
Run your salary against Madison's current rent, or find the income you'd need for a target rent. Powered by live RentDataNow medians.
The 30% rent rule, in Madison
At a median rent of $1,656/mo, Madison is affordable when measured against Madison median household income of $78,050/yr. Rent would consume roughly 25% of pre-tax income, and a salary of about $66,240 keeps rent at the recommended 30% threshold.
How Madison compares nearby
Median rent for the closest cities with data.
Frequently asked
How much rent can I afford in Madison?
On a $78,050 salary (the Madison median household income), the recommended ceiling is 30% of pre-tax income, or about $1,951/mo. Madison's median rent is $1,656/mo. Use the calculator on this page to run your own salary.
What salary do I need to live in Madison?
To keep Madison's $1,656/mo median rent under 30% of income, you'd need about $66,240/yr. Lower your target share (e.g. 25%) to need more, or raise it (e.g. 40%) to need less.
Is Madison affordable on the median Wisconsin income?
Madison is affordable on a $78,050 income. Rent would take 25% of pre-tax pay, inside the recommended 30% threshold.
What's the 30% rent rule?
The 30% rule is a long-standing budgeting guideline that keeps rent at or below 30% of gross (pre-tax) income. It leaves enough room for utilities, transit, savings, and debt service. In high-cost markets, many renters exceed 30%, and the Census Bureau classifies households paying more than 30% of income on rent as "cost-burdened".