An internationally-ranked public research university, the University of Wisconsin at Madison was founded in 1848. The University of Wisconsin at Madison, often shortened to UW Madison, is considered a Public Ivy and offers over 130 undergraduate majors. Rooted in the Wisconsin Idea that education should benefit people’s lives outside of the classroom, UW Madison has almost 900 student organizations. It’s also home to the First Wave Learning Community, the first university program in the United States centered on urban arts, spoken word, and hip-hop culture. There’s plenty of Badger pride at UW Madison. The football team plays at Camp Randall Stadium and competes in the NCAA Division I Big Ten Conference. Students can catch live music, outdoor movies, and sunsets over Lake Mendota at Memorial Union Terrace. There are several museums to explore on UW Madison’s campus, including the Geology Museum, Chazen Museum of Art, Zoological Museum, and L. R. Ingersoll Physics Museum.
Bascom Hall was built in 1857
Fountain at UW's Library Mall
Cheering on the Badgers at Kohl Center
The education building on Bascom Hill
As of February 2026, the average apartment rent in Madison, WI is $1,254 for a studio, $1,508 for one bedroom, $1,853 for two bedrooms, and $2,312 for three bedrooms. Apartment rent in Madison has increased by 1.7% in the past year.
Studio
462 sq ft
Average Sq Ft
$1,254/month
Average Rent
1 BR
712 sq ft
Average Sq Ft
$1,508/month
Average Rent
2 BR
1,029 sq ft
Average Sq Ft
$1,853/month
Average Rent
3 BR
1,276 sq ft
Average Sq Ft
$2,312/month
Average Rent
Discover easy steps to find off-campus housing in Madison, WI. Get tips on locations, budgeting, and more on the Apartments.com blog.
Somewhat Walkable
out of 100 WalkScore® Rating
You might be able to get out and walk when living in this area. Some errands can be accomplished on foot, but for others you’ll need a car.
Some Transit
out of 100 TransitScore® Rating
You'll likely want a car when living in this area since it has few transit options.
Very Bikeable
out of 100 BikeScore® Rating
This area is very bikeable. You’ll find a variety of bike paths and lanes.
Public
Grades K-5
431 Students
Public
Grades PK-5
381 Students
Public
Grades 3-5
311 Students
Public
Grades 3-5
149 Students
Public
Grades PK-5
493 Students
Public
Grades 6-8
725 Students
Public
Grades 6-8
452 Students
Public
Grades 6-8
256 Students
Public
Grades 6-8
263 Students
Public
Grades 6-8
623 Students
Public
Grades 9-12
2,147 Students
Public
Grades 9-12
2,025 Students
Public
Grades 9-12
1,649 Students
Public
Grades 9-12
1,482 Students
Public
Grades 4-12
19 Students
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
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3,466
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953,670
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893
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727
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235
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† Our analysis of utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, home prices, and other goods and services is sourced from the Cost of Living Index, a respected benchmark published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) that provides a thorough overview of living expenses across different regions.
Rent data is provided by CoStar Group’s Market Trend reports. As the industry leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, and news, CoStar conducts extensive research to produce and maintain a comprehensive database of commercial real estate information. We combine this data with public record to provide the most up-to-date rental information available.
Consumer goods, services, and home prices are sourced from the Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). The data on this page is updated quarterly. It was last published in February 2026.
