Waukesha County, WI: Fair Market Rent 2027 and Income Limits

Official HUD figures for landlords and renters, effective October 1, 2026 (rents) and May 1, 2026 (income limits).

$1,2632-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$1,0601-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$86,70080% income limit, family of 4 (FY2026)

$108,400Median family income (FY2026)

The FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit in Waukesha County is $1,263 a month, down 5.6% from $1,338 in FY2026. Waukesha County belongs to the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA FMR area, so the same figures apply across that area. FMRs are gross rents: rent plus all tenant-paid utilities except phone, cable and internet.

Fair market rent in Waukesha County by bedroom count

Unit size	FY2027 FMR	FY2026 FMR	Change	Payment standard range (90–110%)
Studio	$985	$1,027	−4.1%	$887 – $1,083
1 bedroom	$1,060	$1,119	−5.3%	$954 – $1,166
2 bedrooms	$1,263	$1,338	−5.6%	$1,137 – $1,389
3 bedrooms	$1,553	$1,648	−5.8%	$1,398 – $1,708
4 bedrooms	$1,664	$1,784	−6.7%	$1,498 – $1,830

Source: HUD Fair Market Rents FY2027 (effective October 1, 2026) and FY2026 (revised file), details.

What can a landlord charge a Section 8 tenant here?

The FMR is not a cap on what you can ask on the open market. For a Housing Choice Voucher tenant, the local housing authority sets a payment standard, normally between 90% and 110% of the FMR (or of the ZIP-level Small Area FMR where those apply). For a two-bedroom unit in Waukesha County that is typically $1,137 to $1,389 including utilities. You can charge more than the payment standard if the rent passes the housing authority's rent-reasonableness test and, at move-in, the tenant's share stays within 40% of their adjusted monthly income. Ask the housing authority for its current payment standard schedule.

Can local renters afford the fair market rent?

$58,282median income of renter households

$1,356Median gross rent, all units

28%Rent-to-income ratio (median rent ÷ median renter income)

45%of renter households pay 30% or more of income on rent

At the 30% rule, a renter household earning the local median of $58,282 can afford about $1,457 a month including utilities. The FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,263 is $194 (13.3%) less than that. To rent a two-bedroom at the FMR, a household needs $50,520 a year under the 30% rule, or $45,468 under the common landlord rule that income must be three times the rent.

Waukesha County, ACS 2020–2024	Estimate ± MOE
Median gross rent (rent + utilities)	$1,356 ±$22
Median income of renter households	$58,282 ±$2,941
Renters paying 30% or more of income (cost-burdened)	44.8% ±2.5
Renters paying 50% or more (severely cost-burdened)	23.3% ±2.0
Renter households (where the share can be computed)	38,944

Change since 2015–2019

	ACS 2015–2019	ACS 2020–2024	Change
Median gross rent	$1,046	$1,356	+29.6%
Median renter household income	$47,911	$58,282	+21.6%
Renters paying 30%+ of income	41.5%	44.8%	+3.3 pts

Rent-to-income calculator: does an applicant qualify? → · Most affordable counties to rent in this state →

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates 2020–2024 and 2015–2019 (tables B25064, B25119, B25070). ± = margin of error at 90% confidence. Dollar figures are not adjusted for inflation.

Small Area FMRs by ZIP code (FY2027)

In metro areas HUD also publishes ZIP-level Small Area Fair Market Rents. Housing authorities in designated areas must use them for voucher payment standards; others may opt in. Here the two-bedroom SAFMR ranges from $1,210 to $1,890 depending on the ZIP code.

All 100 ZIP codes in this FMR area

ZIP	0 BR	1 BR	2 BR	3 BR	4 BR
53002	$930	$1,010	$1,210	$1,490	$1,610
53004	$930	$1,010	$1,210	$1,490	$1,610
53005	$1,470	$1,590	$1,890	$2,320	$2,490
53007	$930	$1,010	$1,210	$1,490	$1,610
53008	$1,150	$1,230	$1,470	$1,810	$1,940
53010	$930	$1,010	$1,230	$1,570	$1,740
53012	$940	$1,020	$1,210	$1,490	$1,610
53013	$930	$1,010	$1,270	$1,520	$1,710
53017	$1,190	$1,280	$1,530	$1,880	$2,010
53018	$1,370	$1,480	$1,760	$2,160	$2,320
53021	$930	$1,010	$1,210	$1,490	$1,610
53022	$1,150	$1,240	$1,480	$1,820	$1,950
53024	$1,000	$1,070	$1,280	$1,570	$1,690
53027	$930	$1,010	$1,210	$1,490	$1,610
53029	$1,010	$1,090	$1,300	$1,600	$1,710
53033	$1,340	$1,440	$1,720	$2,110	$2,270
53036	$950	$1,080	$1,360	$1,830	$1,850
53037	$1,010	$1,090	$1,300	$1,600	$1,710
53040	$930	$1,010	$1,210	$1,490	$1,610
53045	$1,470	$1,590	$1,890	$2,320	$2,490
53046	$1,150	$1,230	$1,470	$1,810	$1,940
53051	$1,210	$1,300	$1,550	$1,910	$2,040
53052	$1,150	$1,230	$1,470	$1,810	$1,940
53056	$1,150	$1,230	$1,470	$1,810	$1,940
53058	$1,220	$1,310	$1,560	$1,920	$2,070
53060	$980	$1,060	$1,260	$1,550	$1,660
53064	$1,150	$1,230	$1,470	$1,810	$1,940
53066	$1,090	$1,180	$1,410	$1,750	$1,860
53069	$1,140	$1,230	$1,470	$1,810	$1,930
53072	$1,190	$1,280	$1,530	$1,880	$2,020
53074	$930	$1,010	$1,210	$1,490	$1,610
53075	$930	$1,010	$1,210	$1,490	$1,610
53076	$1,110	$1,190	$1,420	$1,750	$1,870
53080	$930	$1,010	$1,210	$1,490	$1,610
53086	$940	$1,010	$1,210	$1,490	$1,610
53089	$1,160	$1,250	$1,490	$1,830	$1,960
53090	$990	$1,070	$1,270	$1,560	$1,670
53091	$930	$1,010	$1,210	$1,490	$1,610
53092	$1,470	$1,590	$1,890	$2,320	$2,490
53095	$940	$1,020	$1,210	$1,490	$1,610
53097	$1,180	$1,270	$1,510	$1,860	$1,990
53103	$940	$1,020	$1,210	$1,490	$1,610
53108	$1,150	$1,280	$1,590	$2,030	$2,460
53110	$930	$1,010	$1,210	$1,490	$1,610
53118	$1,120	$1,210	$1,440	$1,790	$1,910
53119	$930	$1,010	$1,210	$1,490	$1,770
53122	$1,450	$1,560	$1,860	$2,290	$2,450
53126	$980	$1,100	$1,360	$1,740	$2,100
53127	$1,050	$1,130	$1,340	$1,650	$1,760
53129	$1,050	$1,130	$1,350	$1,660	$1,780
53130	$1,160	$1,250	$1,490	$1,830	$1,960
53132	$1,250	$1,340	$1,600	$1,970	$2,110
53146	$1,050	$1,130	$1,350	$1,660	$1,780
53149	$990	$1,060	$1,270	$1,570	$1,770
53150	$1,100	$1,180	$1,410	$1,740	$1,870
53151	$1,330	$1,430	$1,710	$2,100	$2,250
53153	$1,010	$1,090	$1,300	$1,600	$1,710
53154	$1,340	$1,440	$1,720	$2,110	$2,270
53172	$930	$1,010	$1,210	$1,490	$1,610
53178	$930	$1,040	$1,310	$1,770	$1,790
53183	$1,230	$1,330	$1,580	$1,940	$2,080
53185	$1,050	$1,170	$1,450	$1,850	$2,240
53186	$1,120	$1,200	$1,430	$1,760	$1,880
53187	$1,150	$1,230	$1,470	$1,810	$1,940
53188	$1,190	$1,280	$1,520	$1,870	$2,000
53189	$1,070	$1,150	$1,370	$1,680	$1,800
53201	$960	$1,030	$1,230	$1,510	$1,620
53202	$1,470	$1,590	$1,890	$2,320	$2,490
53203	$1,470	$1,590	$1,890	$2,320	$2,490
53204	$930	$1,010	$1,210	$1,490	$1,610
53205	$930	$1,010	$1,210	$1,490	$1,610
53206	$930	$1,010	$1,210	$1,490	$1,610
53207	$1,030	$1,110	$1,320	$1,620	$1,740
53208	$930	$1,010	$1,210	$1,490	$1,610
53209	$930	$1,010	$1,210	$1,490	$1,610
53210	$930	$1,010	$1,210	$1,490	$1,610
53211	$1,220	$1,310	$1,560	$1,920	$2,050
53212	$970	$1,040	$1,240	$1,520	$1,630
53213	$1,120	$1,200	$1,430	$1,760	$1,880
53214	$970	$1,040	$1,240	$1,520	$1,630
53215	$930	$1,010	$1,210	$1,490	$1,610
53216	$930	$1,010	$1,210	$1,490	$1,610
53217	$1,340	$1,440	$1,720	$2,110	$2,270
53218	$930	$1,010	$1,210	$1,490	$1,610
53219	$930	$1,010	$1,210	$1,490	$1,610
53220	$1,000	$1,070	$1,280	$1,570	$1,690
53221	$1,030	$1,110	$1,320	$1,620	$1,740
53222	$930	$1,010	$1,210	$1,490	$1,610
53223	$980	$1,060	$1,260	$1,550	$1,660
53224	$1,010	$1,080	$1,290	$1,590	$1,700
53225	$930	$1,010	$1,210	$1,490	$1,610
53226	$1,180	$1,270	$1,510	$1,860	$1,990
53227	$1,020	$1,100	$1,310	$1,610	$1,730
53228	$1,120	$1,200	$1,430	$1,760	$1,880
53233	$930	$1,010	$1,210	$1,490	$1,610
53234	$960	$1,030	$1,230	$1,510	$1,620
53235	$930	$1,010	$1,210	$1,490	$1,610
53237	$960	$1,030	$1,230	$1,510	$1,620
53278	$960	$1,030	$1,230	$1,510	$1,620
53295	$970	$1,040	$1,240	$1,520	$1,630

Source: HUD FY2027 Small Area FMRs (effective October 1, 2026).

HUD income limits for Waukesha County (FY2026)

Income limits decide who qualifies for Section 8 vouchers, public housing and most HUD-assisted units. The area median family income is $108,400 (FY2025: $110,700, −2.1%). Small figures under each limit show the change from FY2025.

Household size	1 person	2 people	3 people	4 people	5 people	6 people	7 people	8 people
Extremely low income (30%)	$22,750 −2.2%	$26,000 −2.3%	$29,250 −2.2%	$33,000 −0.6%	$38,680 +2.7%	$44,360 +2.8%	$50,040 +2.9%	$55,720 +2.9%
Very low income (50%)	$37,950 −2.1%	$43,400 −2.0%	$48,800 −2.1%	$54,200 −2.1%	$58,550 −2.1%	$62,900 −2.1%	$67,250 −2.0%	$71,550 −2.1%
Low income (80%)	$60,700 −2.1%	$69,400 −2.0%	$78,050 −2.1%	$86,700 −2.1%	$93,650 −2.1%	$100,600 −2.1%	$107,550 −2.1%	$114,450 −2.1%

The 30% limit is HUD's “extremely low income” limit: the higher of 30% of median income or the federal poverty guideline, but never above the 50% limit. That is why it can rise faster than 30% of median for larger households. Tax-credit (LIHTC) properties use separate Multifamily Tax Subsidy Project limits.

Source: HUD Section 8 Income Limits FY2026 (effective May 1, 2026) and FY2025, details.