County FMR · HUD FY2026

Dane County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Dane County, WI - 55% above the US average.

$1,482
1-bedroom FMR
$1,694
2-bedroom FMR
+15.6%
YoY change
+55%
vs US avg

The verdict

Dane is the 3rd most expensive of 72 counties in Wisconsin by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #314 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 15.6% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.

#314
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#3
most expensive of 72 in Wisconsin (2BR)
+70%
vs the state average
$59,280
income to afford it (30% rule)

General and Operations Managers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (15.7%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (62.4%).

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Dane County, WI. Verify with HUD →

Dane County, Wisconsin carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,482 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,694/mo and a studio is $1,268/mo. That's 55% above the national benchmark of $959 and 70% above the Wisconsin average of $872.

Rent increased15.6% from FY 2025 ($1,282), outpacing inflation. Clearing the 30% rule here takes $59,280/year, a high bar relative to most US counties.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Wisconsin. Population: 559,891. Population grew 6.6% over the past five years (Census ACS) - among the faster-growing counties nationally, a trend that typically adds upward pressure on rents. That's faster than Wisconsin's statewide growth of +2.0% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area DANE·COUNTY·WI·WI

Dane County, WI: $1,482/mo 1BR · #314 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA WI
  • 1BR-FMR $1,482
  • 2BR-FMR $1,694
  • RANK-UPPER #314
  • YOY-SURGE +15.6%
  • VSUS-HIGH +55%
  • VS-ST-HIGH +70% WI
  • INC-MID 20%
  • POP-MAJOR 560K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Milwaukee County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $1,334–$1,630
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Milwaukee ($363 1BR gap)

Read with: Understanding rent burden

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $797 · US avg: $893
$1,268/mo
↑ 17.4% YoY +59% vs state +42% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $872 · US avg: $959
$1,482/mo
↑ 15.6% YoY +70% vs state +55% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,097 · US avg: $1,175
$1,694/mo
↑ 15.1% YoY +54% vs state +44% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,405 · US avg: $1,525
$2,236/mo
↑ 15.6% YoY +59% vs state +47% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,572 · US avg: $1,756
$2,509/mo
↑ 16.1% YoY +60% vs state +43% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $1,080
$1,268
+$188 (+17.4%)
1 Bedroom $1,282
$1,482
+$200 (+15.6%)
2 Bedroom $1,472
$1,694
+$222 (+15.1%)
3 Bedroom $1,935
$2,236
+$301 (+15.6%)
4 Bedroom $2,161
$2,509
+$348 (+16.1%)

Rent Burden Analysis

How much of household income goes to rent in Dane County. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.

Studio
17.3%
Affordable
Need $50,720/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
20.2%
Affordable
Need $59,280/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
23.1%
Affordable
Need $67,760/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
30.5%
Burdened
Need $89,440/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
34.2%
Burdened
Need $100,360/yr for 30% rule
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.

0%100%National avg22%23.1%
Dane County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $88,108 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Wisconsin rent burden →

Where Dane sits among every US county

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties

$1,694 Top 10% higher than 90% of 3,145 counties

$600–$800: 23 counties (1%). Below this entry. $800–$1,000: 1,406 counties (45%). Below this entry. $1,000–$1,200: 723 counties (23%). Below this entry. $1,200–$1,400: 417 counties (13%). Below this entry. $1,400–$1,600: 181 counties (6%). Below this entry. $1,600–$1,800: 172 counties (5%). This entry sits in this band. $1,800–$2,000: 108 counties (3%). Above this entry. $2,000–$2,200: 29 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,200–$2,400: 40 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,400–$2,600: 13 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,600–$2,800: 9 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,800–$3,000: 15 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,000–$3,200: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,200–$3,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,400–$3,600: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,600–$3,800: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,800–$4,000: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,000–$4,200: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,200–$4,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. This county $600 $4,400 every US county, bucketed by value

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 Dane compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Wisconsin counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Dane is highlighted. Nearby Wisconsin counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Dane County (this county) ($1,482), Milwaukee County ($1,119), Waukesha County ($1,119), Racine County ($988), Outagamie County ($960), Brown County ($931), Winnebago County ($889).

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) As of FY2026

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

Against a high local FMR of $1,482/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using Wisconsin BLS wages?

Occupation WI Salary Rent Burden Verdict
General & Operations Managers $113,170 15.7% Affordable
Software Developers $103,360 17.2% Affordable
Registered Nurses $86,070 20.7% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $78,980 22.5% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $78,150 22.8% Affordable
Electricians $75,090 23.7% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $60,690 29.3% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $57,380 31% Stretched
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $56,520 31.5% Stretched
Customer Service Representatives $45,980 38.7% Stretched
Pharmacy Technicians $43,620 40.8% Stretched
Teaching Assistants $36,050 49.3% Stretched
Janitors & Cleaners $35,850 49.6% Stretched
Retail Salespersons $33,640 52.9% Unaffordable
Fast Food & Counter Workers $28,500 62.4% Unaffordable
Salaries: BLS OES (Wisconsin) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

7-year Fair Market Rent history for Dane County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Dane (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 46.0% overall, from $1,015 to $1,482. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +15.6% in FY 2026, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.

$800$1,000$1,200$1,400$1,600 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $1,482
Dane County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑15.6% $1,268 $1,482 $1,694
FY 2025 ↑8.5% $1,080 $1,282 $1,472
FY 2024 ↓0.1% $1,004 $1,182 $1,372
FY 2023 ↑9.9% $1,007 $1,183 $1,378
FY 2022 ↑3.6% $929 $1,076 $1,254
FY 2021 ↑2.4% $889 $1,039 $1,211
FY 2020 $861 $1,015 $1,186
Total change (6yr): +46.0%
Annualized: +6.5%/yr
1 BR: $1,015 → $1,482

Part of the Madison, WI Metro Area

Dane County is a central county of the Madison, WI metropolitan statistical area, alongside 3 other metro-area counties.

Dane County ranks #1 of 4 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Dane County (this county) ($1,482), Columbia County ($911), Iowa County ($890), Green County ($840).

Dane County (this county)
1 BR: $1,482/mo
Columbia County
1 BR: $911/mo
Iowa County
1 BR: $890/mo
Green County
1 BR: $840/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Dane 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).

Flathead County
MT · 2 BR $1,691/mo
Amador County
CA · 2 BR $1,698/mo
Volusia County
FL · 2 BR $1,700/mo
Lane County
OR · 2 BR $1,688/mo

Similar rent burden

Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside WI).

Roane County
WV · 23.1% of income · 2 BR $869/mo
Clinton County
MO · 23.1% of income · 2 BR $1,358/mo
Jefferson County
OK · 23.1% of income · 2 BR $937/mo
Wilbarger County
TX · 23.1% of income · 2 BR $993/mo

Nearby Counties in Wisconsin

Largest counties by population in Wisconsin

Showing the 8 largest of 71 other counties in Wisconsin.

Milwaukee County
1 BR: $1,119/mo Pop: 933,063
Waukesha County
1 BR: $1,119/mo Pop: 407,290
Brown County
1 BR: $931/mo Pop: 268,393
Racine County
1 BR: $988/mo Pop: 197,068
Outagamie County
1 BR: $960/mo Pop: 190,611
Winnebago County
1 BR: $889/mo Pop: 171,197
Kenosha County
1 BR: $1,092/mo Pop: 168,693
Rock County
1 BR: $955/mo Pop: 163,817
View all counties in Wisconsin →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Dane County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Dane County is $1,482 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,694 and a studio is $1,268.
How does Dane County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Dane County is 55% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,482 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Dane County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Dane County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,694 ranks #314 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the highest-rent tenth of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Dane County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $59,280 ($4,940/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Dane County.
Is rent going up or down in Dane County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Dane County increased by 15.6% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,282 to $1,482.
Which jobs can afford rent in Dane County? ▼
Based on Wisconsin BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like General and Operations Managers, Software Developers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $1,482/mo. 7 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Dane County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Dane County went from $1,015 in FY 2020 to $1,482 in FY 2026, a total change of +46.0% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Dane County? ▼
In Dane County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,482/mo for a 1-bedroom sets the baseline that local housing authorities use for Section 8 payment standards.
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Dane County? ▼
For Dane County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,482/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).

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.

All federal data sources used on this page
  • HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) - county-level fair-market rent estimates by bedroom count. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
  • HUD Income Limits - area median income for affordability calculations. huduser.gov/datasets/il
  • HUD Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) - rent burden and housing-cost distribution. huduser.gov/datasets/cp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - county and metro housing characteristics + median rent. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • BLS Consumer Price Index, Rent of Primary Residence - rent inflation by metro. bls.gov/cpi
  • IRS Migration Data (SOI) - interstate migration aggregates affecting county demand. irs.gov/statistics/migration
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics - state-level median wages by occupation, used for job affordability analysis. bls.gov/oes

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.