Section 8 in Madison, WI: FMR & Landlord Guide
Madison, WI metro area (CBSA 31540). FY2026 Fair Market Rents, active voucher counts, housing authorities and wait-list status, and source-of-income law. Every figure below links back to its source.
Fair Market Rent by bedroom count
HUD-published metro FMR for FY2026. Payment standards (what a PHA actually pays) are set between 90% and 110% of FMR at PHA discretion.
| Bedrooms | FMR | Payment standard (90–110%) |
|---|---|---|
| Efficiency (studio) | $884 | $796 – $972 |
| 1-bedroom | $890 | $801 – $979 |
| 2-bedroom | $1,168 | $1,051 – $1,285 |
| 3-bedroom | $1,535 | $1,382 – $1,689 |
| 4-bedroom | $1,959 | $1,763 – $2,155 |
Example: at 100% of FMR, a 2-bedroom voucher in Madison, WI covers up to $1,168 in gross rent (before the tenant’s utility allowance). Between the low and high end of the range: $1,051–$1,285.
Voucher demand in this metro
Aggregated from HUD Public Housing Authority data (FY2026). High utilization means voucher holders are placed and reliably paying rent, a stable but competitive tenant pool for accepting landlords.
Housing authorities serving Madison, WI
7 PHAs administer vouchers in this metro. Contact the PHA that covers the specific address you’re considering.
- Status unknown
Wisconsin Housing & Economic Development Authority
Madison, WI · WI901 · 3,604 HCV units
- Status unknown
Madison Community Development Authority
Madison, WI · WI003 · 2,101 HCV units
- Status unknown
Dane County Housing Authority
Madison, WI · WI214 · 1,401 HCV units
- Status unknown
Dodgeville Housing Authority
Dodgeville, WI · WI091 · 83 HCV units
- Status unknown
DeForest Housing Authority
Deforest, WI · WI249 · 0 HCV units
- Status unknown
Monroe Housing Authority
Monroe, WI · WI028 · 0 HCV units
- Status unknown
Albany Housing Authority
Albany, WI · WI055 · 0 HCV units
Source-of-income law in WI
WI state law explicitly preempts local ordinances requiring voucher acceptance. Landlords may legally decline Section 8 tenants.
Wis. Act 317 · view statute →
Informational only, not legal advice. Laws change; verify current status before making a leasing decision.
Analyze a specific Madison, WI property
Look up the address’s SAFMR (ZIP-level rent), plug the numbers into the voucher-vs-market analyzer, and check the HQS pre-inspection list before scheduling.