What is the typical home value in Madison - WI?

The typical home in Madison - WI, WI is worth $445,747 as of the most recent Zillow Home Value Index reading. Year over year the value has changed by +3.1%.

How long do homes stay on the market in Madison - WI?

The median days to pending (time on market before a sale) in Madison - WI is currently 15 days. Shorter days on market indicate a seller's market; longer days indicate more buyer leverage.

Are sellers cutting prices in Madison - WI?

29.6% of active listings in Madison - WI have had a price reduction. This is a signal of softening seller expectations relative to buyer demand.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Madison - WI?

The price-to-rent ratio in Madison - WI is 20.9x (typical home value divided by a year of typical rent), which puts it in renting territory on the Rent vs Buy Index. Typical rent is $1,780 a month versus a principal-and-interest mortgage payment of about $2,469 on the typical home at 7.4% with 20% down.

What income do you need to buy a home in Madison - WI?

About $129,700 a year in household income, assuming 20% down ($89,149), a 30-year fixed mortgage at 7.4%, property tax and insurance, and a 28% payment-to-income cap. The monthly payment works out to about $3,026.

Is Madison - WI a buyer's or seller's market?

Based on days-on-market, price-cut share, and year-over-year appreciation, Madison - WI is currently a balanced market. Buyers should watch days-on-market and price-cut trends monthly.

WI · Metro #88

Madison - WI housing market

The Madison metro has a typical home value of $445,747, up 3.1% from a year ago. Homes are moving fast at 15 days on market, a strong seller's market. 30% of listings have had a price cut. Data from Zillow Research, updated monthly.

Typical home value

$445,747

+3.1% vs. year ago

Median sale price

$421,988

+3.7% YoY

Median list price

$449,967

Sale-to-list ratio

100.3%

Selling above ask

Days on market

15d

Listings w/ price cut

29.6%

New listings / mo

699

+2.3% YoY

Homes for sale

1,823

-12.2% YoY

Typical rent

$1,780/mo

+2.3% YoY

Income needed to buy

$129,700

$3,026/mo · #152 of 195

Rent vs buy

20.9x

Renting territory · #40 of 195

October 2026 report · Zillow data through September 2026

Madison housing market, October 2026

The typical Madison home is worth $445,748 as of September 2026, up 0.4% from the prior month, up 0.8% over three months, and up 3.1% from a year ago. Over the past two years values have ranged from $422,642 to $445,748.

Homes are going pending in about 15 days, the same as the 15 days seen three months earlier. There are roughly 1,823 homes for sale, 12% fewer than a year ago. 29.6% of listings have taken a price cut (up from 15.9% three months ago).

Typical rent is $1,780 a month, up 2.3% year over year, which puts the price-to-rent ratio at 20.9.

At this week's 7.40% mortgage rate with 20% down ($89,149), the typical Madison home costs about $3,026 a month including tax and insurance, which needs a household income of roughly $129,700 to stay under a 28% payment-to-income ratio.

Typical home value, 24 months

Days to pending, 24 months

Homes for sale, 24 months

Income needed to buy assumes 20% down, a 30-year fixed mortgage at 7.4% (Freddie Mac weekly average), property tax at 1.1% and insurance at 0.4% of value per year, and a 28% payment-to-income cap. Local taxes and insurance vary; treat it as a comparison figure across metros, not a lender's answer. All metros ranked →

Context

How to read this data

The typical home value ($445,747) is the Zillow Home Value Index for the Madison - WI metro area: a smoothed, seasonally adjusted estimate of the typical value for middle-tier homes (33rd to 67th percentile) across single-family and condo properties.

Prices are up 3.1% over the past year. In Madison - WI, that means a home worth $432,344 last year is now worth roughly $445,747.

The median sale price, what homes actually close for, is $421,988. Homes are selling at 100.3% of list price, meaning buyers are typically paying at or above asking.

Homes listed in Madison - WI sit on the market for roughly 15 days before going pending. Shorter = seller's market; longer = buyer's market.

About 29.6% of current listings have had at least one price cut. High price-cut shares signal sellers are adjusting expectations downward.

Roughly 699 new listings hit the market each month in Madison - WI. There are currently 1,823 homes for sale, down 12.2% from a year ago.

The typical monthly rent in Madison - WI is $1,780, up 2.3% year over year. On the Rent vs Buy Index that is a price-to-rent ratio of 20.9x, renting territory (#40 of 195 metros). The mortgage on a typical home here, 20% down at today's 7.4% 30-year rate, runs about $2,469 a month in principal and interest, $689 more than renting before taxes, insurance and upkeep. The two break even at a 4.37% rate.