Real Estate Investing in Madison, Wisconsin (53705)

Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.

Dane County • Population: 25,045 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 53705 (Madison, WI)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
MIXED
Grade C (61/100)

Mixed — home prices are stretched relative to local incomes. Run the math on your specific situation.

📈 For Investors
MIXED
3.0 / 5 (47/100)

A middle-of-the-road market. Workable, but the best opportunities may be nearby ZIPs rather than this one.

⚠️ Risks to Know
CLEAN

No major risk flags on the data we track.

What’s happening in Madison, WI (53705)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

3.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

3.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $567,874
Avg Monthly Rent $1,902
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $79,253
% Renters 51.0%

Market Analysis: 53705 Madison

The 53705 ZIP covers a section of Madison that demands careful diligence. Prices near $568K look accessible, but the work to make a deal cash flow is real.

Rent of $1,902/mo on a $568K basis reads well until vacancy, delinquency, and capex enter the model. The honest cap rate in 53705 sits below the stated 0.0% once reality is priced in.

The gap between 53705 and stronger Madison ZIPs is not closing quickly. Investors should weight long-horizon assumptions accordingly.

The 53705 ZIP's population of 25,045 has faced economic pressure over the last decade. That pressure shows up in rent delinquency patterns that comes in at the need for careful underwriting.

Experienced landlords with local relationships tend to find 53705 workable. Turnkey investors from out of state usually find the numbers do not hold up in practice.

Explore the Data — Click a Tab Below
🏦 Current 30-yr Fixed Mortgage Rate: 6.76% as of Sep 10 Source: Freddie Mac PMMS

Here's what matters if you're considering buying a home in Madison:

C+ Average
Buy Confidence Score: 63/100
Affordability
5/25
Appreciation
22/25
Stability
13/20
Timing
8/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Expensive
Homes cost 7.2× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+6.5%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,902/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
BALANCED
Even conditions for buyers and sellers
Bottom Line: Mixed signals in this market. Research specific properties carefully and be prepared to negotiate.
⚖️
BALANCED MARKET
Madison, WI Metro Area
Even conditions for buyers and sellers
36 days
Average time to sell
Average
10.5%
Listings with price cuts
Few Cuts
0.0%
Sale price vs asking
Below Ask
0.0%
Income needed for mortgage
Affordable
📅 Market conditions as of August 29, 2026 — updated weekly from Madison, WI metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 53705

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
1BR
4.5% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
5BR
+8.8% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
5BR
$161,830/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
1BR $240,384 $1,500 4.5% +7.5% $240,384
2BR $392,635 $1,720 3.2% +8.3% $196,318
3BR $542,229 $2,270 3.0% +7.9% $180,743
4BR $692,906 $2,550 2.6% +8.6% $173,227
5BR $809,148 +8.8% $161,830

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$601K$521K$441K$361K$281K$201KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

Rent History (with trend line)

$2,164$2,083$2,001$1,920$1,839$1,757Nov 2023Mar 2025Jul 2026

📊 How Does 53705 Compare?

Metric 53705 Madison Madison, WI Wisconsin
Home Value $567,874 $306,543 N/A $320,446
5-Year CAGR 6.4% 5.6% N/A 7.3%
Avg Rent $1,902 $1,679 N/A -
Cap Rate 2.6% 2.8% - -
💡 Why Invest in 53705? Click to expand

With a 3/5 investability rating, this ZIP shows solid fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

51% of households rent in this area, creating consistent tenant demand for landlords.

📊 See where this ZIP ranks in our Best-of lists →
A great house in the wrong ZIP is still a bad deal — screen every market by cash flow & cap rate.
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Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 53705 (Madison, WI). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Property managers serving Dane County

Manage rentals here? List your business →

Evans Property Management Services, LLC (PRIMA™) offers pet-friendly apartments and rentals in and around Madison, WI. summary from their website

Small multifamily
Unclaimed — is this your business? Claim it free

Kader Property Management offers residential and multi-family property management services in Madison. summary from their website

Single-familySmall multifamily
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Madison Property offers apartments and housing for rent in Madison, WI. summary from their website

Small multifamily
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Listings are shown for convenience — Repit doesn’t endorse or vet these companies. Ratings shown come only from email-verified visitors.

Investability
Good
Cap Rate
2.6%
Low
5yr Growth
+6.4%
Strong

📉 Market Crash Risk Index

Based on Madison, WI metro

0/10
Low Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
0/3
32%
Days Pending
0/2
36 days

View all metro crash risk rankings →

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $567,874
Monthly Rent $1,902
Price-to-Rent 24.9:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 4.0%
Cap Rate 2.6%
5-Year IRR 9.0%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +6.5% ▲
3-Year CAGR +5.8% ▲
5-Year CAGR +6.4% ▲
10-Year CAGR +6.5% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year -7.4% ▼
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 2.6%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (2.6%). Financing reduces your cash-on-cash return below the cap rate. Markets like this may still make sense as IRR plays — factoring in appreciation, depreciation, and a future refinance when rates drop.

Run an IRR Analysis →

⚠️ Risk Signals

Composite view of factors that can impact a ZIP's stability and your downside risk.

Vacancy
4.3%
Low risk
Landlord Climate
5.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+6.4%
Growing
Eviction process: Fast Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 53705

Population: 25,045

💰 Median Household Income
$79,253
This area
$79,253
State
$73,177
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
51.0%
This area
51.0%
State
22.0%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
1.4%
This area
1.4%
State
-1.8%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
75.5%
This area
75.5%
State
17.1%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
35.0 years
This area
35.0 years
State
35.3 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
4.3%
This area
4.3%
State
17.1%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 73.4%
Asian 14.6%
Other/Mixed 9.1%
Hispanic/Latino 4.1%
Black/African American 2.8%
👶 Under 18
18.1%
This area
18.1%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
17.1%
This area
17.1%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
5.5%
This area
5.5%
USA
11.5%

Crime & Safety

🚧

Crime & Safety Data Coming Soon

We're integrating comprehensive crime statistics including violent crime rates, property crime, and safety scores to help you make informed investment decisions.

Expected: Q1 2025

🎓 Schools in 53705

A+ Avg School Grade
8 Schools
12.5:1 Avg Class Size
$20,303 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A+ Excellent

Stephens Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
482 Students
👨‍🏫
11.6:1 Class Size
💰
$20,303 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Muir Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
418 Students
👨‍🏫
12.3:1 Class Size
💰
$20,303 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Shorewood Hills Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
382 Students
👨‍🏫
12.4:1 Class Size
💰
$20,303 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Crestwood Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
287 Students
👨‍🏫
12.3:1 Class Size
💰
$20,303 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Spring Harbor Middle

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
270 Students
👨‍🏫
13.0:1 Class Size
💰
$20,303 Per Student
A Very Good

Hamilton Middle

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
768 Students
👨‍🏫
15.3:1 Class Size
💰
$20,303 Per Student
A Very Good

Van Hise Elementary

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
421 Students
👨‍🏫
15.5:1 Class Size
💰
$20,303 Per Student
A Very Good

Capital High

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
123 Students
👨‍🏫
7.6:1 Class Size
💰
$20,303 Per Student

Nearby Schools (4 more)

Schools in adjacent ZIP codes that may serve this area

A+ Excellent

Ezekiel Gillespie Middle School

📚 06 – 08 Middle
📍 101 S Gammon Rd, Madison
👥
436 Students
👨‍🏫
12.8:1 Class Size
💰
$20,303 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Randall Elementary School

📚 03 – 05 Elementary
📍 1802 Regent St, Madison
👥
316 Students
👨‍🏫
14.0:1 Class Size
💰
$20,303 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Vel Phillips Memorial High School

📚 09 – 12 High School
📍 201 S Gammon Rd, Madison
👥
2,005 Students
👨‍🏫
16.8:1 Class Size
💰
$20,303 Per Student
B+ Above Average

West High

📚 09 – 12 High School
📍 30 Ash St, Madison
👥
2,137 Students
👨‍🏫
16.5:1 Class Size
💰
$20,303 Per Student
About Repit School Scores

Traditional school ratings rely heavily on standardized test scores, which often reflect family income more than school quality. Repit takes a different approach.

We evaluate schools based on factors that research shows actually impact educational outcomes:

  • Class Size — Smaller classes mean more individual attention
  • School Funding — Resources available for programs, staff, and facilities
  • Community Factors — Neighborhood characteristics that influence student success
  • School Environment — Size, type, and structure

Scores are updated annually using federal education data.

🎓 Nearby Colleges & Universities

8 Nearby 7,911 Off-Campus Students
C
East-West Healing Arts Institute
44 students · 1.9 mi
C
Academy of Beauty Professionals
65 students · 1.9 mi
D
Paul Mitchell the School-Madison
52 students · 2.2 mi
C
Edgewood College
2,001 students · 2.3 mi
D
University of Wisconsin-System Administration
0 students · 2.8 mi
B+
University of Wisconsin-Madison
49,605 students · 2.9 mi
C+
Aveda Institute-Madison
85 students · 3.2 mi
C+
Madison Area Technical College
13,281 students · 7.5 mi

Investor Insight: With 7,911 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

How expensive is real estate in Madison, WI?

The median home value in Madison, WI is roughly $568K. That puts it reasonable relative to the WI statewide average.

How landlord-friendly is Madison, WI?

Landlord-friendliness in Madison, WI is landlord-friendly. Eviction timelines and lease enforcement are considered reasonable by most property managers.

What approach is best for Madison, WI real estate?

The best-fit strategy in Madison, WI is careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management. That approach the rent and price profile of the market.

Can I live-in-and-rent in Madison, WI?

The house hack math a challenging in Madison, WI. Owner-occupant buyers benefit from the $1,902/mo rents and $568K home values.

Is Madison, WI a good market for buy-and-hold investors?

Our data puts Madison, WI at 3.0/5 for investability. Home prices of $568K and rents around $1,902/mo create a solid backdrop for investor activity.

You know 53705 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 53705 compares to every other market. Investor ($19/mo) screens every U.S. ZIP by cap rate, the 1% rule, vacancy and landlord climate, and exports your shortlist.

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How 53705 ranks in Madison, WI

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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