Metro FMR · CBSA 48140 · HUD FY2026

Wausau, WI MSA Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for the Wausau, WI MSA metro area - 7% below the US average.

$889
1-bedroom FMR
$1,147
2-bedroom FMR
+22.6%
YoY change
-7%
vs US avg

The verdict

A 2-bedroom in the Wausau, WI MSA area rents at $1,147 under HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent - 2% below the US average, lower than 73% of the 387 metro areas HUD tracks.

#105
most affordable of 387 US metros (2BR)
-2%
vs the US 2-bedroom average
$45,880
income to afford it (30% rule)
+22.6%
1BR change, FY2025→2026

Affordability & income context

Wausau: #105 most affordable nationally · income context

At the metro's ACS median household income of $76,185, this 1-bedroom FMR takes 14.0% of annual income. It is well below the 30% affordability guide for a median-income household.

The 2-bedroom figure places Wausau in the middle half of HUD metro areas, using the same FY2026 HUD schedule as the national comparison.

With 137,820 residents, this is a smaller-metro benchmark rather than a single-neighborhood rent quote.

Its 2-bedroom FMR sits in the middle half of HUD metro areas, so the local-income comparison is more informative than the national rank alone.

The studio-through-two-bedroom FMR bands stay below 30% of recorded median income here; the larger-bedroom rows show where that headroom narrows.

Observed renter burden: 40.1% of the 15,119 renter households counted by ACS paid at least 30% of income in gross rent. This ACS 2023 household measure is distinct from the FY2026 HUD FMR benchmark.

ACS median household income lags the FY2026 HUD FMR schedule. The income share is a same-metro cross-source read (Census ACS B19013 vs HUD FMR), not a same-vintage ratio.

Studio

$791/mo

12.5% of median income

1 Bedroom

$889/mo

14.0% of median income

2 Bedroom

$1,147/mo

18.1% of median income

3 Bedroom

$1,511/mo

23.8% of median income

4 Bedroom

$1,519/mo

23.9% of median income

FMR filing desk

CBSA CBSA·48140

Wausau: $889/mo 1BR · #105 of 387 metros (2BR) · FY2026 CBSA 48140

  • CBSA 48140
  • 1BR-FMR $889
  • 2BR-FMR $1,147
  • RANK-MID #105
  • YOY-SURGE +22.6%
  • VSUS-NEAR -7%
  • IN-ST-LOW #4 WI
  • INC-ROOM 14%
  • POP-MID 138K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Appleton
  • VOUCH-90-110 $800–$978
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Appleton ($71 1BR gap)

Read with: Understanding rent trends

Where Wausau sits among every US metro

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 387 HUD metro areas

$1,147 higher than 27% of 387 metro areas

$800–$1,000: 28 metro areas (7%). Below this entry. $1,000–$1,200: 114 metro areas (29%). This entry sits in this band. $1,200–$1,400: 95 metro areas (25%). Above this entry. $1,400–$1,600: 52 metro areas (13%). Above this entry. $1,600–$1,800: 41 metro areas (11%). Above this entry. $1,800–$2,000: 26 metro areas (7%). Above this entry. $2,000–$2,200: 9 metro areas (2%). Above this entry. $2,200–$2,400: 5 metro areas (1%). Above this entry. $2,400–$2,600: 5 metro areas (1%). Above this entry. $2,600–$2,800: 5 metro areas (1%). Above this entry. $2,800–$3,000: 4 metro areas (1%). Above this entry. $3,000–$3,200: 2 metro areas (1%). Above this entry. $3,200–$3,400: 0 metro areas (0%). Above this entry. $3,400–$3,600: 0 metro areas (0%). Above this entry. $3,600–$3,800: 0 metro areas (0%). Above this entry. $3,800–$4,000: 0 metro areas (0%). Above this entry. $4,000–$4,200: 0 metro areas (0%). Above this entry. $4,200–$4,400: 1 metro areas (0%). Above this entry. This metro $800 $4,400 every US metro, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $0.2K-wide band; taller bars hold more metro areas. 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

Wausau studio–4BR schedule (FY2026) · 2BR #105 most affordable

1BR $889 (-7% vs US, +22.6% YoY). Each bedroom band below is FY2026 HUD FMR for CBSA 48140.

Studio
$791
US avg $893
↑12.0% YoY -11% vs US
1 Bedroom
$889
US avg $959
↑22.6% YoY -7% vs US
2 Bedroom
$1,147
US avg $1,175
↑22.9% YoY -2% vs US
3 Bedroom
$1,511
US avg $1,525
↑15.6% YoY -1% vs US
4 Bedroom
$1,519
US avg $1,756
↑9.2% YoY -13% vs US

How Wausau compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other WI metro areas

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Wausau highlighted among 5 peers · FY2026 1BR HUD FMR.

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

Wausau: out-of-state FMR & burden peers

PlainRent pairs Wausau with the 4 nearest HUD 2BR schedules and 4 nearest burden matches outside WI (burden peers exclude the FMR set; pop ≥50k).

2BR FMR · outside WI

Nearest schedules by 2BR delta (FY2026).

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway
AR · 2 BR $1,147/mo
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island
IA · 2 BR $1,143/mo
Rocky Mount
NC · 2 BR $1,143/mo
Michigan City-La Porte
IN · 2 BR $1,152/mo

Burden % · outside WI

Nearest 2BR FMR ÷ ACS median income (FY2026).

Cheyenne
WY · 18.1% of income · 2 BR $1,174/mo
Lyon County
NV · 18% of income · 2 BR $1,272/mo
Provo-Orem-Lehi
UT · 18.1% of income · 2 BR $1,460/mo
Decatur
AL · 18% of income · 2 BR $961/mo

Wausau: quick answers

What is the average rent in the Wausau, WI MSA metro area? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Wausau, WI MSA is $889 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,147 and a studio is $791.
How does Wausau, WI MSA rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in the Wausau, WI MSA metro area is 7% below the national average. A 1-bedroom costs $889 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Wausau rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
HUD's FY 2026 2-bedroom FMR of $1,147 ranks #105 most affordable among 387 US metro areas (the middle half of HUD metro areas).
What income do I need to afford rent in Wausau, WI MSA? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $35,560 ($2,963/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in the Wausau, WI MSA area.

Compare Wausau vs Appleton →

Data as of FY 2026. Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Fair Market Rents. Population and demographic data from U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS).

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

FY 2026 HUD FMR $889/mo · 1BR WI

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.