Cheap Apartments for Rent in Madison, WI from $400 (561 Rentals)

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Search the lowest-cost Apartments available for rent right now in Madison.

property at 3315 Harvey St

3315 Harvey St

MadisonWI53705
property at 3311 Harvey St

3311 Harvey St

MadisonWI53705
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Madison, WI Local Guide

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Written By:
Justin Habersaat
Editing Staff

Cheapest Neighborhoods for Apartments in Madison, WI

Pricing Updated: 04/13/2025

Current apartment rentals in the Madison, WI area range in price from $549 to $10,000 with an overall median price of $3,490. The three Madison neighborhoods with the lowest median rent pricing are North Lake Mendota at $975, West Side at $646, and Orchard Ridge at $625. Here is today’s list of the top 10 neighborhoods with the lowest median pricing for Madison Apartments for rent:

NeighborhoodMedian PriceMin PriceAvailable Units
North Lake Mendota$1,650$97529
West Side$1,795$646177
Orchard Ridge$1,800$625195
South Madison$1,850$890145
Shorecrest$1,889$1,02062
Meadowood$1,900$625252
Eastmorland$1,911$950161
East Side$1,911$99998
Gateway Dane$1,925$1,08795
Hawthorne$1,949$875279

Cheapest Available Madison Apartments for Rent

 

The cheapest available apartment rental in Madison, WI is a 1 Bed unit found at The Canyons in the Glen Oak Hills neighborhood priced from $625. University Park Commons in the West Side neighborhood has the second lowest priced unit, which is a 1 Bed apartment currently listed from $646. Here is today’s list of the most affordable Madison apartments for rent:

Apartment ListingModel NameBed/BathPriced From
The CanyonsOne Bedroom Income Restricted-StyleB1BR,1BA$625
University Park CommonsL1BR,1BA$646
Prairie Creek1x1 Senior Apartment1BR,1BA$656
Hub on Campus Madison3X5D33BR,3BA$730
Pres House ApartmentsBedroom A,B,C,D (Individual)4BR,2BA$750
The Limerick Townhomes & Senior ApartmentsApartments 55+ 2bd/2bth-D2BR,2BA$784
The ShieldA11BR,1BA$791
Hellenbrand ApartmentsStudio--111 S BassettStudio,1BA$850
Vivo Living MadisonThe HenryStudio,1BA$879
The Life at Madison Grove1 BED 1 BATH1BR,1BA$925

Best Value Apartments for Rent in Madison, WI

As of April 13, 2025 the best value apartment in the Madison area is the $1.20 price per square foot Parkland Model at Prentice Park in the in the East Side neighborhood starting from $1,499. The second greatest value Madison apartment is the Bedroom A,B,C,D (Individual) Model at Pres House Apartments starting at $750 with a $0.64 price per square foot in the Downtown Madison neighborhood. Here is today’s list of the best values for Madison apartments based on price per square foot:

Apartment ListingModel NameBed/BathPrice Per Sq.Ft.
Prentice ParkParkland2BR,2BA$1.20
Pres House ApartmentsBedroom A,B,C,D (Individual)4BR,2BA$0.64
The Element on MainThree Bedroom3BR,1BA$0.99
Northern BluffsSandstone3BR,1BA$1.16
The Limerick Townhomes & Senior ApartmentsApartments 55+ 2bd/2bth-D2BR,2BA$0.76
Kestrel Apartments1x11BR,1BA$1.19
Mardelle ApartmentsOne Bedroom1BR,1BA$1.22
Executive East Apartments1 Bedroom/1 Bathroom1BR,1BA$1.16
Freedom Park1 Bed/ 1 Bath1BR,1BA$1.19
Prairie Creek1x1 Senior Apartment1BR,1BA$0.88

Quick Rent Budget Calculator

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The common "Rule of Thumb" is that rent should be no more than 30% of your income. How much is that? Enter your monthly income and click "Calculate My Budget" to find out.

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Madison Overview

It is hard to find a more All-American city than Madison, beautifully situated on an isthmus between Lake Mendota and Lake Monona. Madison is the second largest city in Wisconsin, behind Milwaukee, and is the state capital as well as home of the well-respected University of Wisconsin-Madison. Madison is clean and well-laid out with a low unemployment rate and low crime rate that makes it a great place to live and work for both families and young professionals. From farmers markets to festivals to sports to arts and recreation Madison offers something for everybody to enjoy. More than half a million people live in homes and apartments in Madison and the surrounding metro area.

Why live in Madison, WI?

"In Madison you get the best of two worlds with the city the center of Wisconsin state politics and also the benefits of living in a ""college town"". Both the state government and the University of Wisconsin-Madison provide good job opportunities to residents. Madison has one of the highest concentrations of college grads in the country making it a ""smart city"" to live in. Madison promotes a healthy lifestyle with year-round recreation activities from ice skating and cross-country skiing in the winter to boating and hiking in the summer. Madison is home to a vibrant music and performing arts scene. No matter what you like to do for fun and adventure, Madison apartments make an excellent place to call home!"

Pet Friendly Lifestyle
Madison, WI

Ranked #1

Among cities in Wisconsin for Apartment listings with Pet Friendly Amenities

Pet Friendliness Lifestyle Score

2.5
Pet Friendly

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Remember the 3 Rules of Real Estate:
Location, Location, Location!

Explore Madison, WI Rentals by Map

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See the most popular apartments and homes in Madison, WI

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Getting Around Madison, WI

Walk Score®

59 / 100

Somewhat Walkable

Some errands can be accomplished on foot

Bike Score®

69 / 100

Bikeable

Some bike infrastructure

Transit Score®

35 / 100

Some Transit

A few nearby public transportation options

What Are Walk Score®, Transit Score®, and Bike Score® Ratings?

  • Walk Score® measures the walkability of any address.
  • Transit Score® measures access to public transit.
  • Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.

Frequently Asked Questions about Cheap Madison Apartments

What is a cheap apartment in Madison?

A cheap apartment is any apartment up to the 30% percentile of cost for the area, which in Madison is under $925.

What is the price of a cheap apartment in Madison?

The cheapest apartment in Madison is The Canyons which is listed at $625, while the average apartment in Madison costs $3,490.

What types of apartments are the cheapest in Madison?

Student, low-income, and by-the-bed apartments are typically the cheapest rentals in most cities, though they require qualifying criteria to rent. There are 4,331 regular apartments in Madison that we think qualify as ‘cheap apartments’ that do not have special requirements to apply to rent.

How do the prices of cheap apartments compare to the average apartment in Madison?

Cheap apartments in Madison have an average cost of $417 which is $3,073 cheaper than the average rent for all rentals in Madison.

Expert Rental Resources

Helpful Apartment Articles, How-To's and Tips

The rental experts at ApartmentHomeLiving.com provide you with top advice, tools, and tips for understanding the leasing process and finding the perfect rental. Here are a few helpful rental and leasing articles from our experts to guide you on your search.

decorative image for Understanding Amenity Fees: Know Where You Might Be Able to Save Money article

Understanding Amenity Fees: Know Where You Might Be Able to Save Money

Written by: Amber Kanuckel

With the rising costs of housing, a lot of renters are asking this question: Is it possible to opt out of various amenities that your rental property offers so that you can avoid paying the fees.

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Renting Smart: Lease Basics Every Renter Needs

Written by: Christine Leonard, Esq.

Often, in the excitement of finding a new place to live, there’s a rush to make it happen, and - too often - a new tenant signs a lease without reading it carefully.

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Battling the Butts: Your Guide to the Reality of Smoke-Free Renting

Written by: Andrea Lee Negroni, JD

While many apartment buildings are “no smoking” properties, it’s hard to know exactly how many. In 2017, the National Apartment Association reported more than half of rental properties had smoke free policies.

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How Your Move-In Inspection Can Protect Your Security Deposit

Written by: Christine Leonard, Esq.

If you’re anything like most people, housing costs represent a huge chunk of your monthly budget. On top of that, moving can be both a stressful and expensive affair.