County FMR · HUD FY2026

Douglas County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Douglas County, WI - 2% above the US average.

$978
1-bedroom FMR
$1,232
2-bedroom FMR
+9.2%
YoY change
+2%
vs US avg

The verdict

Douglas is the 13th most expensive of 72 counties in Wisconsin by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #912 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 9.2% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.

#912
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#13
most expensive of 72 in Wisconsin (2BR)
+12%
vs the state average
$39,120
income to afford it (30% rule)

General and Operations Managers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (10.4%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (41.2%); 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 Douglas County, WI. Verify with HUD →

The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Douglas County, Wisconsin is $978 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $1,232/mo and a studio is $849/mo. This is 2% higher than the national average of $959 and 12% above the Wisconsin average of $872.

Rent increased9.2% from FY 2025 ($896), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $39,120/year for a 1-bedroom.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Wisconsin. Population: 44,092. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+1.8%, Census ACS). That's in line with Wisconsin's statewide growth of +2.0% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area DOUGLAS·COUNTY·WI·WI

Douglas County, WI: $978/mo 1BR · #912 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA WI
  • 1BR-FMR $978
  • 2BR-FMR $1,232
  • RANK-MID #912
  • YOY-SURGE +9.2%
  • VSUS-NEAR +2%
  • VS-ST-HIGH +12% WI
  • INC-ROOM 16%
  • POP-SMALL 44K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Milwaukee County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $880–$1,076
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Milwaukee ($141 1BR gap)

Read with: How Fair Market Rent works

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $797 · US avg: $893
$849/mo
↑ 8.6% YoY +7% vs state -5% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $872 · US avg: $959
$978/mo
↑ 9.2% YoY +12% vs state +2% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,097 · US avg: $1,175
$1,232/mo
↑ 8.1% YoY +12% vs state +5% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,405 · US avg: $1,525
$1,689/mo
↑ 9.8% YoY +20% vs state +11% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,572 · US avg: $1,756
$2,067/mo
↑ 8.0% YoY +31% vs state +18% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $782
$849
+$67 (+8.6%)
1 Bedroom $896
$978
+$82 (+9.2%)
2 Bedroom $1,140
$1,232
+$92 (+8.1%)
3 Bedroom $1,538
$1,689
+$151 (+9.8%)
4 Bedroom $1,914
$2,067
+$153 (+8.0%)

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio
14%
Affordable
Need $33,960/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
16.2%
Affordable
Need $39,120/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
20.4%
Affordable
Need $49,280/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
27.9%
Affordable
Need $67,560/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
34.2%
Burdened
Need $82,680/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%20.4%
Douglas County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $72,579 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Wisconsin rent burden →

Where Douglas sits among every US county

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

$1,232 Top 29% higher than 71% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $1,400–$1,600: 181 counties (6%). Above this entry. $1,600–$1,800: 172 counties (5%). Above this entry. $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 Douglas compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Wisconsin counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Douglas 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), Douglas County (this county) ($978), Outagamie County ($960), Brown County ($931).

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

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

How a 1-bedroom at $978/mo compares to Wisconsin salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).

Occupation WI Salary Rent Burden Verdict
General & Operations Managers $113,170 10.4% Affordable
Software Developers $103,360 11.4% Affordable
Registered Nurses $86,070 13.6% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $78,980 14.9% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $78,150 15% Affordable
Electricians $75,090 15.6% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $60,690 19.3% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $57,380 20.5% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $56,520 20.8% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $45,980 25.5% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $43,620 26.9% Affordable
Teaching Assistants $36,050 32.6% Stretched
Janitors & Cleaners $35,850 32.7% Stretched
Retail Salespersons $33,640 34.9% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $28,500 41.2% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (Wisconsin) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

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

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Douglas (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 57.2% overall, from $622 to $978. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +17.2% in FY 2023, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.

$600$700$800$900$1,000 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $978
Douglas County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑9.2% $849 $978 $1,232
FY 2025 ↑3.2% $782 $896 $1,140
FY 2024 ↑3.6% $762 $868 $1,113
FY 2023 ↑17.2% $780 $838 $1,087
FY 2022 ↑6.6% $692 $715 $936
FY 2021 ↑7.9% $654 $671 $884
FY 2020 $601 $622 $816
Total change (6yr): +57.2%
Annualized: +7.8%/yr
1 BR: $622 → $978

Part of the Duluth, MN-WI Metro Area

Douglas County is a central county of the Duluth, MN-WI metropolitan statistical area, alongside 2 other metro-area counties.

Douglas County ranks #3 of 3 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: St. Louis County ($978), Carlton County ($978), Douglas County (this county) ($978).

St. Louis County
1 BR: $978/mo
Carlton County
1 BR: $978/mo
Douglas County (this county)
1 BR: $978/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Douglas 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).

Forsyth County
NC · 2 BR $1,232/mo
St. Louis County
MN · 2 BR $1,232/mo
Grant County
WA · 2 BR $1,232/mo
Stokes County
NC · 2 BR $1,232/mo

Similar rent burden

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

Rowan County
KY · 20.4% of income · 2 BR $911/mo
Audubon County
IA · 20.4% of income · 2 BR $919/mo
Wirt County
WV · 20.4% of income · 2 BR $928/mo
Houston County
TN · 20.4% of income · 2 BR $925/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
Dane County
1 BR: $1,482/mo Pop: 559,891
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
View all counties in Wisconsin →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Douglas County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Douglas County is $978 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,232 and a studio is $849.
How does Douglas County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Douglas County is 2% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $978 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Douglas County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Douglas County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,232 ranks #912 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the middle half of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Douglas County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $39,120 ($3,260/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Douglas County.
Is rent going up or down in Douglas County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Douglas County increased by 9.2% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $896 to $978.
Which jobs can afford rent in Douglas 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 $978/mo. 11 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Douglas County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Douglas County went from $622 in FY 2020 to $978 in FY 2026, a total change of +57.2% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Douglas County? ▼
In Douglas County, the FY 2026 FMR of $978/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 Douglas County? ▼
For Douglas County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($978/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.