Rental market data · 2024 Census estimates

Madison, WI rental yield and cash flow

In the Madison, WI metro, the median owner-occupied home was valued at $415,500 and the median gross rent was $1,437 a month in 2024. That is a gross rent yield of 4.15%, rank 77 of the 100 largest metros we track.

$415,500Median home value (±$6,190)

$1,437Median gross rent / mo (±$30)

4.15%Gross rent yield

24.1Price-to-rent ratio

1.44%Median taxes ÷ median value

42%Renter-occupied homes

0.35%Monthly rent ÷ price (1% rule)

0.71MMetro population

Does the median home cash flow at today's rate?

We priced a hypothetical rental at the metro medians: $415,500 purchase, $1,437 rent, 25% down, a 30-year loan at 7.28% (Freddie Mac's 30-year average for the week of October 1, 2026), $5,977 in annual property taxes, insurance at 0.5% of price, and 5% vacancy, 10% repairs and 8% management.

At these assumptions the median-priced home runs about $1,697 a month short of covering its costs (DSCR 0.20). Rent would need to reach about $3,641, 153% above the median, to break even, or the price would need to be near $89,062 for a 1.25 DSCR. Net operating income is about $5,223 a year, a 1.26% cap rate, against $25,586 of annual debt service.

Investment-property loans usually price above the owner-occupant average this survey reports, and your insurance quote, tax bill and rent will differ from a metro median. Change any input below.

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How Madison compares

Metros with the nearest gross yields among the 100 we track. * Cash flow uses the same assumptions as above.

Rank	Metro	Median value	Median rent	Gross yield	Price-to-rent	Cash flow / mo*
74	Milwaukee, WI	$331,100	$1,177	4.27%	23.4	-$1,284
75	Knoxville, TN	$351,400	$1,219	4.16%	24.0	-$1,119
76	Riverside, CA	$579,500	$2,006	4.15%	24.1	-$2,012
77	Madison, WI	$415,500	$1,437	4.15%	24.1	-$1,697
78	Fayetteville, AR	$362,500	$1,222	4.05%	24.7	-$1,222
79	Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV	$604,800	$2,037	4.04%	24.7	-$2,240
80	Boise City, ID	$484,000	$1,628	4.04%	24.8	-$1,612

What these numbers leave out

Census gross rent includes utilities when the tenant pays them, so it can overstate what a landlord collects. Median value describes owner-occupied homes, not the rental stock, and a metro median hides wide neighborhood differences. Treat this page as a screen, then underwrite the specific property.

Sources

U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 American Community Survey 1-year estimates, table B25064 (median gross rent)
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 American Community Survey 1-year estimates, table B25077 (median value, owner-occupied housing units)
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 American Community Survey 1-year estimates, table B25103 (median real estate taxes paid)
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 American Community Survey 1-year estimates, table B25003 (housing tenure)
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 American Community Survey 1-year estimates, table B01003 (total population)
Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (30-year fixed average, week of October 1, 2026)

Data snapshot October 7, 2026. Methodology: all metros.