Madison housing market
Typical home value
$446K
▲ 3.1% 1 yr
Typical rent
$1,780/mo
▲ 2.1% 1 yr
12-month forecast
+3.6%
#75 of 546 metros
Gross rent yield
4.8%
#433 of 546 · U.S. 6.3%
Days to pending
34 days
■ 0 days 1 yr
Listings with a price cut
30%
▲ +8.4 pts 1 yr
Key takeaways
- 1The typical home is worth $445,747, up 3.1% in a year and up 29% over five years.
- 2Zillow forecasts home values rising 3.6% over the next 12 months (U.S.: +1.1%).
- 3Typical rent is $1,780/mo (+2.1% YoY), a 4.8% gross yield, below the U.S. 6.3%.
- 4At 7.32% with 20% down, the typical home costs $2,450/mo in principal and interest, $670 more than renting.
- 5Homes go under contract in 34 days (0 days vs last year); 30% of listings have had a price cut.
Market temperature
Neutral market
Buyer'sNeutralSeller's
Zillow Market Heat Index: 52/100, #109 hottest of 546 metros. Below 44 favors buyers; above 55 favors sellers.
Home values and rent
How fast homes are selling
For saleNew listings
Affordability
To buy (20% down)To rent
Source: Zillow Research (ZHVI, ZORI and market activity data).
How Madison compares
| Measure | Madison | United States | Rank of 546 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home value, 1-yr change | +3.1% | +1.2% | #193 |
| Home value, 5-yr change | +28.8% | +19.7% | |
| 12-month forecast | +3.6% | +1.1% | #75 |
| Rent, 1-yr change | +2.1% | +2.7% | #396 |
| Gross rent yield | 4.8% | 6.3% | #433 |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 20.9 | 15.8 | |
| Mortgage P&I on typical home | $2,450 | $2,012 | |
| Income needed to buy | $112,990 | $100,902 | |
| Days to pending | 34 | 56 |
Cities in the Madison metro
6 cities with home value and rent data.
| Madison | $425K | ▲ 2.5% | $1,837 | ▲ 1.8% | 5.2% |
| Sun Prairie | $442K | ▲ 3.6% | $1,636 | ▲ 6.6% | 4.4% |
| Fitchburg | $504K | ▲ 0.8% | $1,661 | ▲ 0.9% | 4.0% |
| Middleton | $614K | ▲ 2.3% | $1,584 | ■ 0.0% | 3.1% |
| Verona | $591K | ▲ 1.3% | $1,992 | ▲ 4.5% | 4.0% |
| De Forest | $449K | ▲ 3.1% | $1,741 | ▲ 1.6% | 4.7% |
Run the numbers
Rental property calculator
Cash flow on a typical Madison rental ($446K, $1,780/mo), pre-filled.
Mortgage calculator
Monthly payment on a typical Madison home.
Rent vs buy
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Madison?
Other Wisconsin metros
Milwaukee, WI
$384K home$1,549 rent4.8% yield
▲ 5.3% 1 yr
Green Bay, WI
$346K home$1,119 rent3.9% yield
▲ 5.4% 1 yr
Appleton, WI
$349K home$1,197 rent4.1% yield
▲ 5.2% 1 yr
Racine, WI
$315K home$1,460 rent5.6% yield
▲ 5.8% 1 yr
Oshkosh, WI
$304K home$1,278 rent5.0% yield
▲ 4.6% 1 yr
Eau Claire, WI
$322K home$1,147 rent4.3% yield
▲ 3.1% 1 yr
Wausau, WI
$271K home$960 rent4.3% yield
▲ 8.8% 1 yr
Janesville, WI
$297K home$1,292 rent5.2% yield
▲ 6.2% 1 yr
Gross yield = 12 × typical rent ÷ typical home value, before expenses. Mortgage estimate: 20% down, 30-year fixed at the current Freddie Mac average, principal and interest only. Forecast: Zillow Home Value Forecast. Data refreshed Oct 26, 2026.