Rents are 3% above what Milwaukee's 10-year trend predicts — running hotter than its own history.
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 $1,477 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: September 25, 2026
What the numbers show
November. Asking rents in Milwaukee usually run 0.7% below trend in November and 0.7% above it in June, about $21 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Milwaukee is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Milwaukee changed +5.2% over the year to August 2026. Across the 41 Wisconsin cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +5.0%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Milwaukee rose 30.1% while median household income rose 29.6% ($41,838 to $54,234). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Milwaukee is 39.3% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 36.8% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 21 months in a row, and rose in 12 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($54,234) is $1,356 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,229); a 3-bedroom is $1,524.
The priciest of 19 ZIP codes in Milwaukee, 53202 ($1,907/mo), costs 1.9 times the cheapest, 53206 ($1,011/mo).
South Milwaukee, 12 miles away, rents for 22% less ($1,148/mo), about $3,900 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Milwaukee. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. 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
Milwaukee, WI is majority renter-occupied, has a large share of families with children, has a median income below the national average, 27.4% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Milwaukee, WI has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in Milwaukee, WI paid around $1,108 a month. That figure now sits near $1,477, up 33.3% from the 2021 baseline. Household income in the area moved from $45,318 to $54,234 across the same window, up 19.7% versus 2021. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show Milwaukee, WI losing about 11,225 residents over the five-year window, down 1.9% on net. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in Milwaukee, WI look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.
Discussions about Milwaukee
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Can you afford rent in Milwaukee on your salary?
At $1,477/mo, how Milwaukee rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Milwaukee rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Milwaukee. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Milwaukee
Last updated: September 25, 2026
The median rent in Milwaukee is $1,477/mo as of September 2026. A studio apartment averages $916/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,229/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,033/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,524/mo.
At 33% of local median household income ($54,234/yr), Milwaukee ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 5.2% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Milwaukee?
At $1,477/mo, rent takes ~33% of Milwaukee's median household income ($54,234/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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