Section 8 in Dane County, WI
7,106 active Housing Choice Vouchers in Dane County, 76% utilized. 4 housing authorities serve this county. Voucher data as of 2026.
HUD Fair Market Rents in Dane County (FY2027)
HUD rent benchmarks for FY2027, effective October 1, 2026. These are not adopted housing-authority payment standards or household subsidy amounts. The illustration shows 90% to 110% of FMR; ZIP-based schedules, approved exceptions and Moving to Work rules can differ.
| Bedrooms | FMR | Illustration: 90% to 110% of FMR |
|---|---|---|
| Efficiency (studio) | $1,196 | $1,076 to $1,316 |
| 1-bedroom | $1,375 | $1,238 to $1,513 |
| 2-bedroom | $1,565 | $1,409 to $1,722 |
| 3-bedroom | $2,047 | $1,842 to $2,252 |
| 4-bedroom | $2,264 | $2,038 to $2,490 |
The two-bedroom HUD benchmark for Dane County is $1,565. Multiplying by 90% and 110% gives $1,409 to $1,722, not an approval range. Gross rent includes the applicable allowance for tenant-paid utilities. Your agency must calculate assistance using its adopted standard, your household and the proposed unit.
What changed from FY2026 to FY2027 in Dane County
HUD's two-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Dane County, WI fell from $1,694 in FY2026 to $1,565 in FY2027, a change of -$129 a month (-7.6%). FY2027 figures took effect on October 1, 2026.
| Bedrooms | FY2026 | FY2027 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Efficiency (studio) | $1,268 | $1,196 | -$72 (-5.7%) |
| 1-bedroom | $1,482 | $1,375 | -$107 (-7.2%) |
| 2-bedroom | $1,694 | $1,565 | -$129 (-7.6%) |
| 3-bedroom | $2,236 | $2,047 | -$189 (-8.5%) |
| 4-bedroom | $2,509 | $2,264 | -$245 (-9.8%) |
The FMR is not what the voucher pays. Each housing authority sets its own payment standard. The basic range is 90% to 110% of the applicable FMR or SAFMR, with exceptions and Moving to Work policies that may differ. A HUD effective date is not a household rent-change notice. Confirm the adopted schedule and its application to your lease or reexamination with your agency.
Already renting with a voucher in Dane County? Under standard HCV rules, a lower payment standard does not cut your subsidy right away. Moving to Work agencies may use different policies. The housing authority may keep your current payment standard for as long as you stay in the same unit. If it decides to lower it, the reduction cannot start sooner than two years after the decrease takes effect, and only after it sends you the required notice (24 CFR 982.505(c)(3)). Families who are new to the program, or who move to a different unit, get the schedule in effect at that time.
Source: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 and FY2027, huduser.gov.
Section 8 income limits in Dane County (FY2026)
To qualify for a Housing Choice Voucher, a household's gross annual income generally has to be at or below the very low income limit for its size. In Dane County that is $67,650 a year for a family of four, about $5,630 a month before taxes. HUD's area median family income here is $135,300.
| Household size | Extremely low | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $28,450 | $47,400 | $74,800 |
| 2 people | $32,500 | $54,150 | $85,450 |
| 3 people | $36,550 | $60,900 | $96,150 |
| 4 people | $40,600 | $67,650 | $106,800 |
| 5 people | $43,850 | $73,100 | $115,350 |
| 6 people | $47,100 | $78,500 | $123,900 |
| 7 people | $50,350 | $83,900 | $132,450 |
| 8 people | $55,720 | $89,300 | $141,000 |
Which column applies to you. The middle column is the eligibility line for most applicants (24 CFR 982.201). The low income column only applies in special cases, such as families already receiving federal housing assistance. Federal rules generally require at least 75% of admissions from the waiting list each year to be extremely low income families. This does not predict selection or waiting time. For a family of four here, that threshold is $40,600 or less.
Income is counted before taxes and covers the whole household. The housing authority verifies it when your name is reached on the waiting list, so what counts is your income at that point. Being under the income limit is only one part of eligibility and does not guarantee admission.
Compare your household income with Section 8 limits and see how monthly income becomes an annual estimate.
Source: HUD FY2026 Section 8 Income Limits for the Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area, huduser.gov.
Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Dane County?
In most of the state, yes. Wisconsin has no statewide source-of-income protection, so landlords in Dane County can decline Section 8 applications unless a local ordinance says otherwise.
Wis. Stat. §106.50 (lawful source of income)
Interpreted in Knapp v. Eagle Property Management (7th Cir. 1995) to exclude Section 8 rent assistance. Milwaukee County's ordinance covers rental assistance. PRRAC Appendix B (March 2026).
View statute →Informational only, not legal advice. Laws change, so verify current status before acting on a rejection or making a leasing decision.
Dane County in the Madison metro
Dane County is one of the counties inside the Madison, WI core-based statistical area. The metro-level view aggregates voucher activity across every housing authority in the CBSA.
See Madison metro rent limits and PHA breakdown →Landlord and investor tools for Dane County
RentalCalcsFree calculators and guides from RentalCalcs, built by the VoucherMatch team, for landlords deciding whether to accept vouchers.
- Dane County rental market dataRents, home prices, cap rates and cash flow estimates for investors.
- Section 8 rent analyzerHUD rent benchmarks and modeled comparisons for Wisconsin ZIP codes. Confirm adopted amounts with the agency.
- Compare HUD benchmarks with market rent in WisconsinExplore modeled ZIP comparisons; these do not establish an approved rent or agency payment.
- Average rent in WisconsinMarket rent versus HUD fair market rent by city and bedroom count.
- How Section 8 rent is calculatedFair market rent, payment standards and rent reasonableness, step by step.
- Section 8 landlord math for 2026What the payment standard changes mean for cash flow this year.
Housing authorities serving Dane County
Each PHA sets its own payment standard, runs its own waitlist, and does its own inspections. Confirm the administering agency on your voucher and whether it can serve the proposed address; a ZIP code alone does not settle jurisdiction or portability.
Wisconsin Housing & Economic Development Authority
Madison · PHA code WI901
3,604 Section 8 unitsMadison Community Development Authority
Madison · PHA code WI003
2,101 Section 8 unitsDane County Housing Authority
Madison · PHA code WI214
1,401 Section 8 unitsDeforest Housing Authority
Deforest · PHA code WI249
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Frequently asked questions
- What is the income limit for Section 8 in Dane County?
- For FY2026, the very low income screening threshold in Dane County, WI is $47,400 for one person, $54,150 for two, $60,900 for three and $67,650 for a family of four. Limits vary by household size. The agency also checks other eligibility requirements and any applicable exceptions.
- What counts as extremely low income in Dane County?
- HUD's FY2026 extremely low income limit in Dane County is $28,450 for one person and $40,600 for a family of four. Housing authorities must give at least 75% of the vouchers they issue from the waiting list each year to families at or below this level.
- How much does Section 8 pay for a 2-bedroom in Dane County?
- The FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Dane County is $1,565 per month. For illustration, 90% to 110% of the benchmark is roughly $1,409 to $1,722. This is not a household rent limit. ZIP-based schedules, approved exceptions and Moving to Work rules may differ; ask your agency for its adopted standard and the unit's utility allowance.
- Who runs Section 8 in Dane County?
- Housing Choice Vouchers in Dane County are administered by Wisconsin Housing & Economic Development Authority, Madison Community Development Authority, Dane County Housing Authority and other local housing authorities. Each authority keeps its own waiting lists and eligibility preferences. Check each official application notice; applying to one agency does not apply to the others.
Find Section 8 apartments in Dane County
VoucherMatch connects voucher holders with landlords who accept Section 8, and it is free for renters. The administering housing authority must approve the actual unit, rent and household assistance calculation.
Nearby Wisconsin counties
Voucher counts aggregated from HUD PHA jurisdiction data. Population 559,891 · FIPS 55025.