ROIStack
Market Intelligence

Madison, WI

Updated quarterly · Data sourced from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI, Census ACS, and FHFA. · Wisconsin overview

Analyze a Madison deal

Home Value

$395k+0.0%

Median Rent

$1,620+1.3%

Per month average

Gross Yield

4.92%

Annual rent / value

Rent / Price

0.410%

1% rule benchmark

HH Income

$82,000

Median household

Owner-Occ

62.0%

Renter-Occ

38.0%

Tenant demand share

Population

680k

Metro area census

Market Analysis

The Madison, WI real estate market currently sits at a median home value of $395k with median rents around $1,620/month, producing a gross yield of 4.92%. That puts Madison in the category of compressed gross yield, primarily an appreciation play. Over the past year, home values are up 0.0%, while rents rose 1.3%, the gap between those two trends is what determines whether yield compresses or expands over time for buy-and-hold investors in Wisconsin. Madison is an owner-occupier market (62% owner-occupied) where investor competition is generally lighter, with median household income of $82,000 setting the affordability ceiling on future rent growth.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Madison, WI?
As of late 2025, the median rent in Madison is approximately $1,620 per month, with rent growth of 1.3% year over year.
Is Madison a good market for rental property investing?
Madison produces a gross rental yield of about 4.92%. That is below the 7% LTR benchmark, so investors in Madison typically combine modest cash flow with appreciation upside. Run your specific numbers in a calculator before committing capital.
What is the median home price in Madison?
The median home value in Madison, WI is approximately $395,000, up 0.0% from a year ago.
How have home prices changed in Madison over the past year?
Home values in Madison have moved 0.0% year over year, while rents have changed by 1.3%. This price-to-rent gap is the single biggest driver of long-term rental investor returns in the Wisconsin market.
What is the rent-to-price ratio in Madison?
Madison has a rent-to-price ratio of 0.410%, meaning monthly rent is about 0.410% of the home's price. The "1% rule" used by buy-and-hold investors looks for 1.0%+; this market falls short of that bar, which is typical for most large US metros today.

Nearby Wisconsin markets

Milwaukee, WI

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