County FMR · HUD FY2026
Milwaukee County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Milwaukee County, WI - 17% above the US average.
- $1,119
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,338
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +6.0%
- YoY change
- +17%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Milwaukee is the 8th most expensive of 72 counties in Wisconsin by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #692 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 6.0% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.
- #692
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #8
- most expensive of 72 in Wisconsin (2BR)
- +28%
- vs the state average
- $44,760
- income to afford it (30% rule)
General and Operations Managers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (11.9%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (47.1%); nearby Wisconsin counties range as much as 67% apart in 1-bedroom FMR, so the county line itself can matter for renters comparing options.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Milwaukee County, WI. Verify with HUD →
HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Milwaukee County, Wisconsin at $1,119 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,338/mo and a studio is $1,027/mo. This is 17% higher than the national average of $959 and 28% above the Wisconsin average of $872.
Rent increased6.0% from FY 2025 ($1,056), outpacing inflation. A household needs about $44,760/year to stay under the 30% rent-to-income line.
Observed renter burden: 45.6% of the 195,285 renter households counted by ACS paid at least 30% of income in gross rent. This ACS 2023 household measure is distinct from HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent benchmark above.
Market slack: The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 6.2%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
Local labor market: The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 4.2% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Wisconsin. Population: 933,063. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-2.8%, Census ACS). That's slower than Wisconsin's statewide growth of +2.0% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area MILWAUKEE·COUNTY·WI·WI
Milwaukee County, WI: $1,119/mo 1BR · #692 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA WI
- 1BR-FMR $1,119
- 2BR-FMR $1,338
- RANK-MID #692
- YOY-SURGE +6.0%
- VSUS-ABOVE +17%
- VS-ST-HIGH +28% WI
- INC-MID 22%
- POP-MAJOR 933K
- PHOTO-NEAR Dane County
- VOUCH-90-110 $1,007–$1,231
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Dane ($363 1BR gap)
Read with: Understanding rent burden
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $939 | $1,027 | +$88 (+9.4%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $1,056 | $1,119 | +$63 (+6.0%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,257 | $1,338 | +$81 (+6.4%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,558 | $1,648 | +$90 (+5.8%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,701 | $1,784 | +$83 (+4.9%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Milwaukee 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 Milwaukee sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,338 Top 22% higher than 78% 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 Milwaukee 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
- Winnebago
Winnebago County
$889 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Milwaukee is highlighted. Nearby Wisconsin counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Dane County ($1,482), Milwaukee County (this county) ($1,119), Waukesha County ($1,119), Racine County ($988), Outagamie County ($960), Brown County ($931), Winnebago County ($889).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
Against a high local FMR of $1,119/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 | 11.9% | Affordable |
| Software Developers | $103,360 | 13% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $86,070 | 15.6% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $78,980 | 17% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $78,150 | 17.2% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $75,090 | 17.9% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $60,690 | 22.1% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $57,380 | 23.4% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $56,520 | 23.8% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $45,980 | 29.2% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $43,620 | 30.8% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $36,050 | 37.2% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $35,850 | 37.5% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $33,640 | 39.9% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $28,500 | 47.1% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Milwaukee County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Milwaukee (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 47.0% overall, from $761 to $1,119. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 9.9% (FY 2023).
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑6.0% | $1,027 | $1,119 | $1,338 |
| FY 2025 ↑7.9% | $939 | $1,056 | $1,257 |
| FY 2024 ↑7.7% | $845 | $979 | $1,170 |
| FY 2023 ↑9.9% | $766 | $909 | $1,092 |
| FY 2022 ↑3.0% | $687 | $827 | $999 |
| FY 2021 ↑5.5% | $663 | $803 | $973 |
| FY 2020 | $628 | $761 | $922 |
Part of the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
Milwaukee County is a central county of the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metropolitan statistical area, alongside 3 other metro-area counties.
Milwaukee County ranks #4 of 4 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Waukesha County ($1,119), Washington County ($1,119), Ozaukee County ($1,119), Milwaukee County (this county) ($1,119).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Milwaukee 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 Milwaukee County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Milwaukee County is $1,119 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,338 and a studio is $1,027.
How does Milwaukee County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Milwaukee County is 17% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,119 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Milwaukee County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Milwaukee County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,338 ranks #692 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the upper-rent quarter of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Milwaukee County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $44,760 ($3,730/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Milwaukee County.
Is rent going up or down in Milwaukee County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Milwaukee County increased by 6.0% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,056 to $1,119.
Which jobs can afford rent in Milwaukee 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 $1,119/mo. 10 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Milwaukee County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Milwaukee County went from $761 in FY 2020 to $1,119 in FY 2026, a total change of +47.0% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Milwaukee County?
In Milwaukee County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,119/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 Milwaukee County?
For Milwaukee County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,119/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Milwaukee County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 6.2%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
What is the unemployment rate in Milwaukee County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 4.2% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Milwaukee's FY2026 Fair Market Rent as HUD's affordability benchmark, not a single market quote.
- Budget to roughly 30% of income: the FY2026 1-bedroom FMR of $1,119 implies about $44,760/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Wisconsin counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Dane
- See where Milwaukee ranks nationally on rent. National rankings
Fair Market Rent is HUD's 40th-percentile policy benchmark used to set Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. Actual asking rents can run higher or lower, and HUD updates FMRs once a year. This site is informational and not financial or relocation advice.
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.