Rent by ZIP code in Waukesha
| ZIP code | County | Typical rent | vs city median |
|---|---|---|---|
| 53189 | Waukesha County | $1,770 | +7% |
| 53188 | Waukesha County | $1,657 | 0% |
| 53186 | Waukesha County | $1,321 | -20% |
Rent by bedroom count in Waukesha
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 Waukesha 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. Waukesha County uses Small Area FMRs, and the two bedroom figure runs from $1,370 to $1,520 depending on the Waukesha ZIP code.
| Unit size | FY2027 Fair Market Rent | Change 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 Waukesha?
Typical rent across Waukesha County is $1,845 as of August 2026. That is up 5.4% from a year earlier and up 30.8% over five years.
| Year | Typical rent, Waukesha County | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $1,455 | +8.7% |
| 2022 | $1,537 | +5.7% |
| 2023 | $1,637 | +6.5% |
| 2024 | $1,713 | +4.6% |
| 2025 | $1,779 | +3.8% |
| 2026 (through August) | $1,845 | +3.7% |
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.
Waukesha rent questions
- What is the average rent in Waukesha, WI?
- Typical asking rent in Waukesha is $1,657 a month as of August 2026, across 3 ZIP codes. By ZIP code it runs from $1,321 to $1,770.
- How much is rent for a 2 bedroom in Waukesha?
- HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two bedroom in Waukesha 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 Waukesha?
- Rent is rising. Typical rent in Waukesha County is $1,845 as of August 2026, up 5.4% from a year earlier.
- What is the cheapest ZIP code to rent in Waukesha?
- ZIP 53186 has the lowest typical asking rent in Waukesha at $1,321 a month, compared with $1,657 for the city overall.
- How much income do you need to rent in Waukesha?
- Most landlords look for gross income of about three times the rent. At the typical Waukesha rent of $1,657, that is about $4,971 a month, or $59,652 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. Waukesha sits in the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro area.