Studio Rent · July 2026

Studio Apartment Rent in Milwaukee, WI

$916/mo

Median asking rent for a studio apartment in Milwaukee, Wisconsin as of July 2026. That's +38% lower than the citywide median of $1,469 and +29% below the national studio median of $1,290.

Studio median
$916
July 2026
vs city overall
-38%
$1,469 city median
vs national
-29%
$1,290 US median
Wisconsin rank
#35
of 59 cities

Income needed for a studio in Milwaukee

Using the standard 30% rent-to-income guideline (the threshold above which households are considered rent-burdened), here's what you need to earn to comfortably afford a studio at the current median rent.

Annual income
$36,640
Monthly gross
$3,053
Hourly (full-time)
$17.62

Rent by apartment size in Milwaukee

Compare Milwaukee's median rent across every apartment size.

Studio (current)
$916
1-Bedroom
$1,033
2-Bedroom
$1,229
3-Bedroom
$1,524
4+ Bedroom
$1,665

Cheapest cities for a studio in Wisconsin

#CityStudio rent
1Stevens Point$680
2Marshfield$690
3Menomonie$709
4Manitowoc$710
5Wisconsin Rapids$715
6Superior$720
7Weston$720
8Wausau$725
9Appleton$733
10Brown Deer$734
11Oshkosh$740
12Tomah$740
13Beaver Dam$750
14Fond du Lac$760
15Mount Pleasant$760

Most expensive cities for a studio in Wisconsin

#CityStudio rent
1Monona$1,565
2Glendale$1,411
3Brookfield$1,410
4Hudson$1,250
5Verona$1,220
6Fitchburg$1,208
7Oak Creek$1,200
8Greenfield$1,147
9Madison$1,141
10Shorewood$1,140
11Menomonee Falls$1,140
12Franklin$1,130
13Kenosha$1,123
14Germantown$1,100
15Middleton$1,090

Nearby cities — studio rent

Considering nearby alternatives? 4 of these cities have cheaper studio rents than Milwaukee.

CityDistanceStudio rentvs Milwaukee
Wauwatosa, WI4.4 mi$1,035+$119 (+13%)
Glendale, WI4.5 mi$1,411+$495 (+54%)
Brown Deer, WI7.4 mi$734$-182 (-20%)
Greenfield, WI7.6 mi$1,147+$231 (+25%)
Saint Francis, WI9.1 mi$770$-146 (-16%)
Cudahy, WI10.6 mi$850$-66 (-7%)
Brookfield, WI11.4 mi$1,410+$494 (+54%)
South Milwaukee, WI12.8 mi$900$-16 (-2%)
Menomonee Falls, WI12.8 mi$1,140+$224 (+24%)
Franklin, WI13.2 mi$1,130+$214 (+23%)
Oak Creek, WI13.7 mi$1,200+$284 (+31%)
Germantown, WI15.6 mi$1,100+$184 (+20%)

Studio rent in Milwaukee — common questions

How much is a studio apartment in Milwaukee?

As of July 2026, the median studio apartment rent in Milwaukee, Wisconsin is $916 per month. This is +38% below the citywide median of $1,469.

What income do you need to afford a studio in Milwaukee?

Using the standard 30% rent-to-income rule, you would need an annual income of about $36,640 ($3,053/month gross), which works out to roughly $17.62/hour at a full-time job.

Is Milwaukee expensive for a studio compared to the rest of the US?

Milwaukee's studio median of $916 is +29% below the national studio median of $1,290. It ranks in the 21th percentile of US cities tracked.

How does Milwaukee rank for studio rent in Wisconsin?

Among the 59 cities in Wisconsin with studio data, Milwaukee ranks #35 from cheapest to most expensive.

Are there cheaper studio options near Milwaukee?

Yes — nearby cities with cheaper studio rents include Brown Deer ($734), Saint Francis ($770), Cudahy ($850).

All rent data
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Methodology: Bedroom-level rent medians come from HUD Fair Market Rent data calibrated to the Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) for Milwaukee, which serves as the citywide anchor. When the HUD bedroom values exceed the ZORI city median (a common quirk in luxury markets and small samples), bedroom values are proportionally scaled down to align. Income required uses the standard 30% rent-to-income guideline. Comparison rankings use the same data month across all cities (July 2026) and exclude cities with median rent below $400 or above $20,000.