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Madison, WI housing market

Data through September 2026 · updated 2026-11-07 · free, from Zillow, Realtor.com, the Census Bureau and other public sources

Typical home value$445,747+3.1% YoY · prices are rising fast
Market right nowBalanced, leaning buyersMore homes for sale than last year, 21% have cut their price
Income needed to buy, per year$96,629About 1.1× the local median income ($90,075): a stretch for a typical household
Days on market60 daysSlower than a year ago: buyers have time to negotiate
Next 12 months+3.6%Zillow expects prices to rise slightly

The typical home in Madison, WI is worth $445,747, up 3.1% from a year ago. That is well above what local incomes have historically supported: fair value is about $384,607, so the area is 15.9% overvalued. It is a balanced market, leaning toward buyers: homes take about 60 days to sell, listings are up 18% from a year ago, 21% of listings have had a price cut. Zillow expects prices to rise about 3.6% over the next year. A household needs about $96,629 a year to afford the typical home here at today's 7.18% mortgage rate (20% down, payment at 30% of income); the median household earns $90,075. Typical rent is $1,780 a month, or $2,804 for a house. In the latest IRS figures, 452 more people moved in than out.

Home value over time

$0K$100K$200K$300K$400K19801990200020102020
Solid: typical home value · dashed: fair value (household income × the 20-year average price-to-income ratio). Sources: FHFA, Zillow, U.S. Census Bureau.

Prices and affordability

Typical home value$445,747
Change in 1 year+3.1%
Overvalued %+15.9%
Show 7 more
Fair home value$384,607
Change in 5 years+28.8%
Zillow forecast, next 12 months+3.6%
Home value to income4.9×
Monthly mortgage payment (20% down)$2,416
Income needed to afford it$96,629
Property tax rate1.59%

Rent and investing

Typical rent$1,780
Typical rent for houses$2,804
Price-to-rent ratio20.9×
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HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedrooms$1,485
Gross rental yield4.79%
Cap rate (estimate)3.11%

Market activity

Listings vs a year ago+17.6%
Days on market60
Listings with a price cut21.4%
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Homes for sale1,505
Pending sales per 100 listings50
Asking price per sq ft$238

People and jobs

Median household income$90,075
Population change (1 year)+0.6%
Unemployment rate2.5%
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Population709,685
Income adjusted for cost of living$92,575
Net moves in (IRS)+452
Cost of living (US = 100)97.3

Schools, risk and environment

School rating (1 to 10)6.3
FEMA hazard risk score (0 to 100)88.0
Unhealthy air days a year6
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Flood risk score88.0
Wildfire risk score55.8
Walkability (1 to 20)10.4
Road, rail and air noise54 dB

Questions people ask

Is Madison, WI overvalued?
Home prices in Madison, WI are well above what local incomes have historically supported: fair value is about $384,607, so the area is 15.9% overvalued.
Is Madison, WI a buyer's or seller's market?
Madison, WI is a balanced market, leaning toward buyers: homes take about 60 days to sell, listings are up 18% from a year ago, 21% of listings have had a price cut.
Are home prices going down in Madison, WI?
Home values in Madison, WI are up 3.1% over the last year. Zillow's forecast for the next 12 months is +3.6%.
How much do you need to earn to buy a home in Madison, WI?
A household needs about $96,629 a year to afford the typical home in Madison, WI at today's 7.18% mortgage rate (20% down, payment at 30% of income); the median household earns $90,075.

Counties in this metro

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