Average Rent in Milwaukee, WI (2026)

Typical asking rent in Milwaukee is $1,337. Across the 20 ZIP codes with data it runs from $994 to $1,912, so which side of town you buy on matters as much as the city average. Data as of September 2026.

Median rent
$1,337
Average rent
$1,374
Lowest ZIP
$994
Highest ZIP
$1,912

Rent by ZIP code in Milwaukee

ZIP codeCountyTypical rentvs city median
53202Milwaukee County$1,912+43%
53207Milwaukee County$1,714+28%
53223Milwaukee County$1,650+23%
53203Milwaukee County$1,602+20%
53205Milwaukee County$1,521+14%
53204Milwaukee County$1,503+12%
53209Milwaukee County$1,458+9%
53222Milwaukee County$1,404+5%
53224Milwaukee County$1,398+5%
53219Milwaukee County$1,371+3%
53208Milwaukee County$1,302-3%
53218Milwaukee County$1,301-3%
53216Milwaukee County$1,268-5%
53221Milwaukee County$1,238-7%
53225Milwaukee County$1,230-8%
53212Milwaukee County$1,227-8%
53210Milwaukee County$1,206-10%
53233Milwaukee County$1,106-17%
53215Milwaukee County$1,072-20%
53206Milwaukee County$994-26%

Rent by bedroom count in Milwaukee

Zillow's index above blends every unit size into one number. For a bedroom level view, these are HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rents for Milwaukee County. They include utilities and sit near the 40th percentile of the market, so treat them as the low side of what a typical unit lists for.

Unit sizeFY2027 Fair Market RentChange from FY2026
Studio$985-4.1%
1 bedroom$1,060-5.3%
2 bedroom$1,263-5.6%
3 bedroom$1,553-5.8%
4 bedroom$1,664-6.7%

Source: HUD Fair Market Rents. Updates when HUD publishes a new fiscal year.

Is rent going up or down in Milwaukee?

Typical rent across Milwaukee County is $1,507 as of September 2026. That is up 5.2% from a year earlier and up 27.8% over five years.

YearTypical rent, Milwaukee CountyChange
2021$1,212+8.4%
2022$1,285+6.0%
2023$1,355+5.4%
2024$1,411+4.1%
2025$1,451+2.8%
2026 (through September)$1,507+3.9%

Zillow Observed Rent Index for the county, all home types, last published month of each year. Each row is compared with the end of the year before it.

Milwaukee rent questions

What is the average rent in Milwaukee, WI?
Typical asking rent in Milwaukee is $1,337 a month as of September 2026, across 20 ZIP codes. By ZIP code it runs from $994 to $1,912.
How much is rent for a 2 bedroom in Milwaukee?
HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two bedroom in Milwaukee County is $1,263 a month including utilities. A one bedroom is $1,060 and a three bedroom is $1,553. Fair Market Rent is set near the 40th percentile, so a typical unit lists somewhat higher.
Is rent going up or down in Milwaukee?
Rent is rising. Typical rent in Milwaukee County is $1,507 as of September 2026, up 5.2% from a year earlier.
What is the cheapest ZIP code to rent in Milwaukee?
ZIP 53206 has the lowest typical asking rent in Milwaukee at $994 a month, compared with $1,337 for the city overall.
How much income do you need to rent in Milwaukee?
Most landlords look for gross income of about three times the rent. At the typical Milwaukee rent of $1,337, that is about $4,011 a month, or $48,132 a year. This is a common screening rule of thumb, and individual landlords set their own.

How to use these numbers

These are Zillow Observed Rent Index values, a smoothed measure of typical asking rent for single family homes, condos, and apartments in each ZIP code. They describe what units are listed for, not what any specific unit will get. Condition, bedroom count, and the exact block all move the number.

If you are underwriting a purchase, use the ZIP figure rather than the city median, and then verify against live listings for the same bedroom count before you commit. Milwaukee sits in the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro area.

Other Wisconsin cities

Would a rental in Milwaukee cash flow?

Start the analyzer with the Milwaukee median rent of $1,337 and add a real purchase price to see cash flow, cap rate, and cash-on-cash return.