Rent Tracker
Rent Inflation in Madison, WI
The average asking rent in Madison, WI is $1,649/month as of 2026-07. That is +2.5% compared to a year ago.
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) | zillow.com/research
Current Avg Rent
$1,649/mo
as of 2026-07
Year-over-Year Change
+2.5%
24-Month Rent Trend
Monthly ZORI index values for Madison, WI.
| Month | Avg Asking Rent | Change from Prior Month |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-07 | $1,649 | -0.18% |
| 2026-06 | $1,652 | +0.00% |
| 2026-05 | $1,652 | +0.24% |
| 2026-04 | $1,648 | +0.55% |
| 2026-03 | $1,639 | +0.68% |
| 2026-02 | $1,628 | +0.74% |
| 2026-01 | $1,616 | +0.00% |
| 2025-12 | $1,616 | -0.49% |
| 2025-11 | $1,624 | +0.00% |
| 2025-10 | $1,624 | +0.62% |
| 2025-09 | $1,614 | +0.44% |
| 2025-08 | $1,607 | -0.12% |
| 2025-07 | $1,609 | -0.12% |
| 2025-06 | $1,611 | +0.25% |
| 2025-05 | $1,607 | +0.25% |
| 2025-04 | $1,603 | +0.56% |
| 2025-03 | $1,594 | +0.38% |
| 2025-02 | $1,588 | +0.63% |
| 2025-01 | $1,578 | -0.13% |
| 2024-12 | $1,580 | +0.51% |
| 2024-11 | $1,572 | +0.38% |
| 2024-10 | $1,566 | +0.77% |
| 2024-09 | $1,554 | +0.06% |
| 2024-08 | $1,553 | — |
Why Rent Inflation Matters
Shelter is the single largest component of the official CPI, accounting for roughly one-third of the index. But the BLS shelter index tends to lag real-market rent changes by 12–18 months because it measures rents paid by all tenants — including long-term renters locked into old leases. ZORI measures asking rents for new leases, making it a timelier signal of where CPI shelter inflation is headed.
When ZORI is rising sharply in your city, it is a leading indicator that official shelter inflation — and therefore overall CPI — will remain elevated in coming months.
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Data Source
Rent data uses the Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI), a smoothed measure of typical market-rate asking rents updated monthly by Zillow Research. ZORI covers single-family homes, condos, and co-ops and reflects asking rents for new leases — making it a more timely indicator than the lagged BLS shelter index. zillow.com/research | Money & Prices