How many renters in Madison, WI pay more than 30% of their income on rent?
50.3% (±1.9 points) of renting households in Madison, WI spend 30% or more of their household income on gross rent (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
40.7% spend 35% or more.
The median renting household spends 30.1% of its income on rent.
Figures last updated on .
- Paying 30% or more
- 50.3% (±1.9 points)
- Paying 35% or more
- 40.7% (±1.7 points)
- Median share of income
- 30.1% (±0.9 points)
Rent as a share of income in Madison
| Share of income spent on rent | Madison | Dane County | Wisconsin | United States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Less than 15% | 10.9% (±1.2 points) | 11.1% | 16.7% | 12.6% |
| 15% to 19.9% | 13.2% (±1.4 points) | 14.1% | 14.9% | 12.2% |
| 20% to 24.9% | 13.6% (±1.2 points) | 14.5% | 13.5% | 12.6% |
| 25% to 29.9% | 12.0% (±1.1 points) | 12.4% | 11.3% | 11.5% |
| 30% to 34.9% | 9.6% (±0.8 points) | 9.3% | 8.7% | 9.2% |
| 35% or more | 40.7% (±1.7 points) | 38.6% | 35.0% | 41.9% |
Households whose income could not be measured against their rent (for example, those reporting no income) are left out of these shares, as the Census Bureau leaves them out.
Madison against Dane County, its state and the nation
| Madison | Dane County | Wisconsin | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paying 30% or more | 50.3% (±1.9 points) | 47.9% (±1.6 points) | 43.7% (±0.6 points) | 51.1% |
| Paying 35% or more | 40.7% (±1.7 points) | 38.6% (±1.4 points) | 35.0% (±0.5 points) | 41.9% |
| Median share of income | 30.1% (±0.9 points) | 29.1% (±0.6 points) | 27.2% (±0.2 points) | 30.6% |
| Median renter household income | $52,502 (±$2,096) | $56,374 (±$1,531) | $48,374 (±$478) | $52,966 |
| Median gross rent | $1,413 (±$20) | $1,398 (±$17) | $1,087 (±$4) | $1,413 |
In Madison, the share of renters paying 30% or more of income is not measurably different from Dane County (47.9%).
It is also higher than in Wisconsin (43.7%).
It is not measurably different from the national figure (51.1%).
In Dane County, Madison ranks 12 of 59 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest share of renters paying 30% or more of income.
Statewide, it ranks 355 of 1,813.
Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.
Renters paying 30% or more of income in places near Madison
| Place | Distance | Renters paying 30% or more of income | Compared with this place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madison | — | 50.3% (±1.9 points) | — |
| Shorewood Hills | 1.1 mi | 54.7% (±15.7 points) | Not measurably different |
| Maple Bluff | 3.6 mi | 56.1% (±29.4 points) | Not measurably different |
| Middleton | 4.1 mi | 39.6% (±6.5 points) | Lower |
| Monona | 5.4 mi | 47.8% (±9.0 points) | Not measurably different |
| Town of Westport | 5.5 mi | 43.2% (±25.4 points) | Not measurably different |
| Waunakee | 6.6 mi | 36.9% (±15.4 points) | Not measurably different |
| Town of Blooming Grove | 6.9 mi | 15.3% (±11.8 points) | Lower |
| Fitchburg | 7.1 mi | 49.5% (±6.2 points) | Not measurably different |
Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Middleton, WI (39.6%), Town of Blooming Grove, WI (15.3%).
Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.
Renters paying 30% or more of income across Dane County, place by place
| Rank | Place | Renters paying 30% or more of income |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Oregon | 57.3% (±17.8 points) |
| 7 | Town of Montrose | 56.2% (±39.7 points) |
| 8 | Maple Bluff | 56.1% (±29.4 points) |
| 9 | Shorewood Hills | 54.7% (±15.7 points) |
| 10 | Town of Vienna | 53.5% (±37.4 points) |
| 11 | Brooklyn | 52.1% (±24.6 points) |
| 12 | Madison | 50.3% (±1.9 points) |
| 13 | Rockdale | 50.0% (±78.5 points) |
| 14 | Fitchburg | 49.5% (±6.2 points) |
| 15 | Town of Berry | 49.4% (±37.2 points) |
| 16 | Town of Burke | 48.8% (±37.4 points) |
| 17 | Cross Plains | 47.9% (±15.6 points) |
| 18 (tie) | Monona | 47.8% (±9.0 points) |
Showing 13 of 59 places in Dane County, ranked from highest to lowest.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates).
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
What you can do on Seayora in Madison
One account for renting, owning, managing and fixing homes, with these figures beside you.
Looking for a place to rent?
Browse homes for rent near Madison, save the ones you like and apply online.
Browse rentals · Create a renter account
Own or manage a rental?
List it, sign the lease and collect rent online, with the figures for Madison beside you.
Create a landlord account · See what landlords get
Do repairs, renovations or maintenance?
Get found by owners and renters near Madison, and send estimates and invoices from your phone.
Questions about Madison
Are renters in Madison rent-burdened?
50.3% of renting households in Madison pay 30% or more of their income in gross rent, the share housing researchers usually call rent-burdened (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What share of income do renters in Madison spend on rent?
The median renting household in Madison, WI spends 30.1% (±0.9 points) of its household income on gross rent.
Sources
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Madison city, Wisconsin
- Median Gross Rent as a Percentage of Household Income (B25071), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Madison city, Wisconsin
- Median Household Income by Tenure (B25119), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Madison city, Wisconsin
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) and detailed tables (acs/acs5) for Madison city, Wisconsin (place:48000, in state:55).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The API needs a free key.
DP04_0136E, DP04_0136M, DP04_0137PE, DP04_0137PM, DP04_0138PE, DP04_0138PM, DP04_0139PE, DP04_0139PM, DP04_0140PE, DP04_0140PM, DP04_0141PE, DP04_0141PM, DP04_0142PE, DP04_0142PM, B25071_001E, B25071_001M, B25119_003E, B25119_003M
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .
Related
- Housing in Madison at a glance
- Median rent in Madison
- Rent by bedrooms in Madison
- Renters and owners in Madison
- Income and affordability in Madison
- Home values in Madison
- Homeowner costs in Madison
- Property taxes in Madison
- Types of homes in Madison
- Bedrooms in Madison
- Age of homes in Madison
- Vacancy rate in Madison
- Heating fuel in Madison
- Commute and cars in Madison
- Population growth in Madison
- How long people stay in Madison
- Crowding and facilities in Madison
- Wisconsin landlord and tenant rules
- Housing across Dane County
- Wisconsin places ranked by rent burden
- Housing data for every place in Wisconsin