Section 8 in Madison, WI: Rent Limits and Housing Authorities
Madison, WI metro area. FY2027 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.
Fair Market Rent by bedroom count
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 Madison 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 Madison
HUD's two-bedroom Fair Market Rent for the Madison, WI metro 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 Madison? 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.
Voucher demand in this metro
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 Madison
7 PHAs administer vouchers in this metro. Apply with (or contact) the PHA that covers the specific address.
- Status unknown
Wisconsin Housing & Economic Development Authority
Madison , WI · WI901 · 3,604 HCV units
6082667884 - Status unknown
Madison Community Development Authority
Madison , WI · WI003 · 2,101 HCV units
6082664675 - Status unknown
Dane County Housing Authority
Madison , WI · WI214 · 1,401 HCV units
6082243636 - Status unknown
Dodgeville Housing Authority
Dodgeville , WI · WI091 · 83 HCV units
6087841381 - Status unknown
Deforest Housing Authority
Deforest , WI · WI249
6088464082 - Status unknown
Monroe Housing Authority
Monroe , WI · WI028
6083252949 - Status unknown
Albany Housing Authority
Albany , WI · WI055
6088623424
Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Madison, WI?
In most of the state, yes. Wisconsin has no statewide source-of-income protection, so landlords in Madison, WI 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.
Counties in the Madison 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 Madison?
- In the Madison, WI metro, the FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent is $1,565 per month. For illustration, 90% to 110% of that benchmark is roughly $1,409 to $1,722. This is not an adopted payment standard or subsidy quote. ZIP schedules, approved exceptions and Moving to Work rules may differ. Gross rent includes the applicable allowance for tenant-paid utilities.
- What are the FY2027 Fair Market Rents in Madison?
- HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rents for the Madison, WI metro, by bedroom size: studio $1,196, 1-bedroom $1,375, 2-bedroom $1,565, 3-bedroom $2,047, 4-bedroom $2,264. These are HUD benchmarks, not household subsidy amounts. Confirm whether your agency uses ZIP-based standards and which schedule applies to your unit.
- Did Section 8 rent limits change in Madison for FY2027?
- The two-bedroom Fair Market Rent for the Madison, WI metro went from $1,694 in FY2026 to $1,565 in FY2027, a decrease of $129 a month. FY2027 Fair Market Rents took effect on October 1, 2026. HUD's effective date does not automatically change a household's assistance. Ask your administering agency which adopted schedule and effective date apply to a new lease, move or reexamination.
- How do I apply for Section 8 in Madison?
- Section 8 in Madison is administered by Wisconsin Housing & Economic Development Authority, Madison Community Development Authority, Dane County Housing Authority and other local housing authorities. Each agency has its own application process, waiting lists and preferences. You may apply to more than one agency when eligible lists are open; a listing inquiry is not a voucher application. If you already have a voucher, confirm the receiving agency and any portability requirements for the proposed address.
Find Section 8 apartments in Madison
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.
Other Section 8 markets in WI
Rent limits from HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rent data. Investor running the numbers? The RentalCalcs voucher analyzer uses this same dataset.