Section 8 in Milwaukee, WI, WI: Rent Limits and Housing Authorities

Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro area. FY2026 Fair Market Rents, active voucher counts, the housing authorities that run the program here, and whether landlords can legally refuse a voucher. Every figure comes straight from HUD data.

2-bedroom FMR (FY2026)
$1,338
HUD
Active vouchers
11,769
81% utilized
Housing authorities
6
serving this metro
Voucher protection
Unknown

Fair Market Rent by bedroom count

HUD-published metro FMR for FY2026. Payment standards, the amount a PHA actually pays, are set between 90% and 110% of FMR at each PHA's discretion.

BedroomsFMRPayment standard (90 to 110%)
Efficiency (studio)$1,027$924 to $1,130
1-bedroom$1,119$1,007 to $1,231
2-bedroom$1,338$1,204 to $1,472
3-bedroom$1,648$1,483 to $1,813
4-bedroom$1,784$1,606 to $1,962

Example: at 100% of FMR, a 2-bedroom voucher in Milwaukee covers up to $1,338 in gross rent, before the tenant's utility allowance. Across the full range a PHA may set: $1,204 to $1,472.

Voucher demand in this metro

Active vouchers
11,769
Occupied
9,523
Utilization
81%

Aggregated from HUD Public Housing Authority data (FY2026). High utilization means most vouchers issued here are already placed in a unit, so landlords who accept vouchers fill vacancies from a deep, reliable applicant pool.

Housing authorities serving Milwaukee

6 PHAs administer vouchers in this metro. Apply with (or contact) the PHA that covers the specific address.

  • Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee

    Milwaukee , WI · WI002 · 7,653 HCV units

    Status unknown
    4142865678
  • Milwaukee Co Dhhs - Housing Division

    Milwaukee , WI · WI218 · 2,147 HCV units

    Status unknown
    4142896542
  • Waukesha Housing Authority

    Waukesha , WI · WI142 · 1,331 HCV units

    Status unknown
    2625422262
  • Cda of the City of West Allis

    West Allis , WI · WI201 · 638 HCV units

    Status unknown
    4143028430
  • South Milwaukee Housing Auth.

    South Milwaukee , WI · WI008

    Status unknown
    4147624114
  • West Bend Housing Authority

    West Bend , WI · WI083

    Status unknown
    2623380771

Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Milwaukee, WI?

Source-of-income protection status for Wisconsin is not yet in our database. Check with local legal aid or the state civil-rights office before assuming either way.

Informational only, not legal advice. Laws change, so verify current status before acting on a rejection or making a leasing decision.

Counties in the Milwaukee metro

County pages show the local voucher count, the housing authorities that serve it, and ZIP-level rent limits where HUD publishes them.

Frequently asked questions

How much does Section 8 pay for a 2-bedroom in Milwaukee?
In the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro, the FY2026 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent is $1,338 per month. A housing authority usually sets its Section 8 payment standard between 90% and 110% of that, roughly $1,204 to $1,472 in gross rent before the tenant's utility allowance.
What are the FY2026 Fair Market Rents in Milwaukee?
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rents for the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro, by bedroom size: studio $1,027, 1-bedroom $1,119, 2-bedroom $1,338, 3-bedroom $1,648, 4-bedroom $1,784. Section 8 payment standards are based on these figures.
How do I apply for Section 8 in Milwaukee?
Section 8 in Milwaukee is administered by Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee, Milwaukee Co Dhhs - Housing Division, Waukesha Housing Authority and other local housing authorities. Apply through the authority whose jurisdiction covers the address, as each runs its own waitlist. Once you have a voucher, search voucher-friendly units and apply on VoucherMatch.

Find Section 8 apartments in Milwaukee

VoucherMatch connects voucher holders with landlords who accept Section 8, and it is free for renters. Landlords: listings here reach applicants whose voucher already covers the rent above.

Rent limits from HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent data. Investor running the numbers? The RentalCalcs voucher analyzer uses this same dataset.