Section 8 in Madison, WI, WI: Rent Limits and Housing Authorities
Madison, 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.
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.
| Bedrooms | FMR | Payment standard (90 to 110%) |
|---|---|---|
| Efficiency (studio) | $884 | $796 to $972 |
| 1-bedroom | $890 | $801 to $979 |
| 2-bedroom | $1,168 | $1,051 to $1,285 |
| 3-bedroom | $1,535 | $1,382 to $1,689 |
| 4-bedroom | $1,959 | $1,763 to $2,155 |
Example: at 100% of FMR, a 2-bedroom voucher in Madison covers up to $1,168 in gross rent, before the tenant's utility allowance. Across the full range a PHA may set: $1,051 to $1,285.
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?
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 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 FY2026 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent is $1,168 per month. A housing authority usually sets its Section 8 payment standard between 90% and 110% of that, roughly $1,051 to $1,285 in gross rent before the tenant's utility allowance.
- What are the FY2026 Fair Market Rents in Madison?
- HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rents for the Madison, WI metro, by bedroom size: studio $884, 1-bedroom $890, 2-bedroom $1,168, 3-bedroom $1,535, 4-bedroom $1,959. Section 8 payment standards are based on these figures.
- 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. 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 Madison
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.
Other Section 8 markets in WI
Rent limits from HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent data. Investor running the numbers? The RentalCalcs voucher analyzer uses this same dataset.