County FMR · HUD FY2026
Buffalo County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Buffalo County, WI - 23% below the US average.
- $742
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $973
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +1.4%
- YoY change
- -23%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Buffalo is the 4th cheapest of 72 counties in Wisconsin by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #976 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties.
- #976
- most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #4
- cheapest of 72 in Wisconsin (2BR)
- -15%
- vs the state average
- $29,680
- income to afford it (30% rule)
General and Operations Managers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (7.9%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (31.2%); 14 of 15 common occupations here can afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding the 30% threshold; nearby Wisconsin counties range as much as 59% apart in 1-bedroom FMR, so the county line itself can matter for renters comparing options.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Buffalo County, WI. Verify with HUD →
The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Buffalo County, Wisconsin is $742 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $973/mo and a studio is $691/mo. This is 23% lower than the national average of $959 and 15% below the Wisconsin average of $872.
Rent increased1.4% from FY 2025 ($732), roughly tracking inflation. The 30% affordability floor is comparatively reachable here at $29,680/year.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Wisconsin. Population: 13,329. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+1.3%, Census ACS). That's in line with Wisconsin's statewide growth of +2.0% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area BUFFALO·COUNTY·WI·WI
Buffalo County, WI: $742/mo 1BR · #976 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA WI
- 1BR-FMR $742
- 2BR-FMR $973
- RANK-MID #976
- YOY-FLAT +1.4%
- VSUS-BELOW -23%
- VS-ST-LOW -15% WI
- INC-ROOM 13%
- POP-SMALL 13K
- PHOTO-NEAR Milwaukee County
- VOUCH-90-110 $668–$816
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Milwaukee ($377 1BR gap)
Read with: Section 8 housing guide
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $680 | $691 | +$11 (+1.6%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $732 | $742 | +$10 (+1.4%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $960 | $973 | +$13 (+1.4%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,182 | $1,184 | +$2 (+0.2%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,446 | $1,539 | +$93 (+6.4%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Buffalo County. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.
How we calculate this
Rent burden = (FMR × 12) ÷ county median household income. Required income = (FMR × 12) ÷ 0.3, the federal 30%-of-gross-income rule HUD uses to define cost burden. Median household income is from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey; FMR is from HUD's FY2026 release. See methodology.
Where Buffalo sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$973 higher than 31% of 3,145 counties
Each bar is a $0.2K-wide band; taller bars hold more counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents · FY2026
How Buffalo compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Wisconsin counties
- Dane
Dane County
$1,482 1BR FMR / mo
- Milwaukee
Milwaukee County
$1,119 1BR FMR / mo
- Waukesha
Waukesha County
$1,119 1BR FMR / mo
- Racine
Racine County
$988 1BR FMR / mo
- Outagamie
Outagamie County
$960 1BR FMR / mo
- Brown
Brown County
$931 1BR FMR / mo
- Buffalo
Buffalo County
$742 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Buffalo is highlighted. Nearby Wisconsin counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Dane County ($1,482), Milwaukee County ($1,119), Waukesha County ($1,119), Racine County ($988), Outagamie County ($960), Brown County ($931), Buffalo County (this county) ($742).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
With a below-average 1-bedroom at $742/mo, most of these Wisconsin occupations clear, or miss, the 30% affordability line.
| Occupation | WI Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| General & Operations Managers | $113,170 | 7.9% | Affordable |
| Software Developers | $103,360 | 8.6% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $86,070 | 10.3% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $78,980 | 11.3% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $78,150 | 11.4% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $75,090 | 11.9% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $60,690 | 14.7% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $57,380 | 15.5% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $56,520 | 15.8% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $45,980 | 19.4% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $43,620 | 20.4% | Affordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $36,050 | 24.7% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $35,850 | 24.8% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $33,640 | 26.5% | Affordable |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $28,500 | 31.2% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Buffalo County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Buffalo (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 26.8% overall, from $585 to $742. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 10.1% (FY 2022).
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑1.4% | $691 | $742 | $973 |
| FY 2025 ↑1.7% | $680 | $732 | $960 |
| FY 2024 ↑4.2% | $663 | $720 | $946 |
| FY 2023 ↑8.8% | $638 | $691 | $909 |
| FY 2022 ↑10.1% | $555 | $635 | $835 |
| FY 2021 ↓1.4% | $501 | $577 | $760 |
| FY 2020 | $502 | $585 | $771 |
Where Buffalo County Ranks in Wisconsin
Buffalo County is not part of any federally-designated metropolitan or micropolitan statistical area -- an independent rental market not administratively tied to a larger urban core. By 2-bedroom FMR, it ranks #4 of 72 counties in Wisconsin. Nearest by rank: Adams County ($973), Ashland County ($973), Bayfield County ($973), Buffalo County (this county) ($973), Clark County ($973), Crawford County ($973), Forest County ($973), Grant County ($973), Green Lake County ($973), Iron County ($973), Jackson County ($973), Juneau County ($973).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Buffalo County, both outside Wisconsin so the link neighborhoods are not the same-state geography lattice above. Axes stay disjoint: burden peers exclude the FMR peer set.
Similar 2-bedroom FMR
Nearest HUD 2BR Fair Market Rents outside WI (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside WI).
Nearby Counties in Wisconsin
Largest counties by population in Wisconsin
Showing the 8 largest of 71 other counties in Wisconsin.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Buffalo County? ▼
How does Buffalo County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Where does Buffalo County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Buffalo County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Buffalo County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Buffalo County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Buffalo County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Buffalo County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Buffalo County? ▼
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and HUD Fair Market Rents. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Every figure on PlainRent is rendered directly from HUD's published Fair Market Rent records, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of FY 2026.