Cheap Apartments for Rent in the Downtown Madison Neighborhood of Madison, WI from $400 (259 Rentals)

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

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The Post
Rent Specials
$759 - $1,950
Total Monthly Price

Total Monthly Price

Base Rent
$759 - $1,950
Total Monthly Price
$759 - $1,950
Studio to 1 Bedroom Apartments Available Now

The Post

131 E Lakeside StMadison, WI 53715
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1706 Jefferson St
$795 - $865
Total Monthly Price

Total Monthly Price

Base Rent
$795 - $865
Total Monthly Price
$795 - $865
1 Bedroom Apartment Available Jan 1, 2027

1706 Jefferson St

1706 Jefferson StMadison, WI 53711
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636 State St
$1,000 - $1,300
Total Monthly Price

Total Monthly Price

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$1,000 - $1,300
Total Monthly Price
$1,000 - $1,300
Studio to 1 Bedroom Apartment Available Now

636 State St

636 State StMadison, WI 53703
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Madison's Best Affordable Neighborhoods

Learn about Madison and the best places to live with original content written by our Local Expert Mike Heuer

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Courtyard Apartments
Rent Specials
$1,080 - $1,300
Total Monthly Price

Total Monthly Price

Base Rent
$1,080 - $1,300
Total Monthly Price
$1,080 - $1,300
Studio Apartments Available Now

Courtyard Apartments

102 N Franklin StMadison, WI 53703
Corporate Housing
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Renters Insurance 101: What It Is, What It Covers, and Why You Need It

From theft to fire to water damage, the unexpected can happen to any renter. Discover why renters insurance is one of the smartest and most affordable investments you can make as a tenant.

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Constellation
$1,199 - $2,799
Total Monthly Price

Total Monthly Price

Base Rent
$1,199 - $2,799
Total Monthly Price
$1,199 - $2,799
Studio to 3 Bedroom Apartments Available Now

Constellation

10 N Livingston StMadison, WI 53703
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How I Find the Perfect Rental for My Clients: A Real Estate Pro's Guide

Finding the right apartment starts with three things: location, cost, and amenities. Get the insider perspective from a real estate professional on how to nail all three.

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Downtown Madison, Madison, WI Local Guide

Cheapest Available Downtown Madison Apartments for Rent

 

The cheapest available apartment rental in the Downtown Madison area of Madison, WI is a 1 Bed unit found at The Post priced from $759. 45 N Orchard St has the second lowest priced unit, which is a Studio apartment currently listed from $782. Here are the most affordable Downtown Madison apartments for rent in Madison, WI:

Apartment ListingModel NameBed/BathPriced From
The PostOne Bedroom1BR,1BA$759
45 N Orchard St0x1-200Studio,1BA$782
The ShieldA21BR,1BA$842
126-128 S Franklin St1 BR1BR,1BA$929
106 S Hancock StStudioStudio,1BA$990
Allen House Apartments0x1-361Studio,1BA$995
502 E Main StEfficiencyStudio,1BA$999
1315 Spring St1BR/1.0BA1BR,1BA$999
Axton5BR/5BA - The Five C ADA5BR,5BA$1,049

Best Value Apartments for Rent in Downtown Madison, WI

As of July 28, 2026 the best value apartment in the Downtown Madison area is the $1.59 price per square foot 2BR/2.0BA Model at Wingra West Apartments in the in the Downtown Madison neighborhood starting from $2,300. The second greatest value Downtown Madison apartment is the Bedroom (Shared) Model at Pres House Apartments starting at $1,700 with a $1.37 price per square foot in the Downtown Madison neighborhood. Here is today’s list of the best values for Downtown Madison apartments based on price per square foot:

Apartment ListingModel NameBed/BathPrice Per Sq.Ft.
Wingra West Apartments2BR/2.0BA2BR,2BA$1.59
Pres House ApartmentsBedroom (Shared)4BR,2BA$1.37
916 E Gorham St3BR/1.0BA3BR,1BA$1.41
Park Cedar ApartmentsTwo Bedroom, One Bath2BR,1BA$1.47
SEVEN27 at the Yards1 Bedroom1BR,1BA$1.46
The GraaskampUnit U-E12BR,2BA$1.67
Lincoln SchoolOne Bedroom1BR,1BA$1.68
8Twenty Park1 Bed- 50%1BR,1BA$1.48
Humbucker Apartments2x1-7902BR,1BA$1.39
The ShieldA21BR,1BA$1.18

Lakeshore to Lecture Hall: Finding Your Perfect Student Apartment in Madison, WI

Discover the best student housing neighborhoods for renting in Madison, Wisconsin! This guide covers apartments near the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Edgewood University, Herzing University, and Madison Area Technical College, detailing locations like Regent, Shorewood Hills, Dudgeon-Monroe, and more for your perfect college home.

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Don't Settle: How to Negotiate Your Apartment Lease and Save Money

Discover the insider tips from an attorney and real estate agent on how to negotiate your next apartment lease. Find out what's on the table and what's not, so you can save money and get the best terms possible.

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Real Estate and Rental Term Glossary | ApartmentHomeLiving.com Renter University

From the letter A all the way to the letter Z, the Real Estate and Rental Term Glossary from the content team at ApartmentHomeLiving.com provides our visitors and shoppers with a little clarity and helpful guidance in navigating the real estate world through definitions and explainers for the top subjects and terms that someone may come across during the leasing, buying, or selling process.

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Pet Friendly Lifestyle
Downtown Madison, Madison, WI

Ranked #6

Among cities in Wisconsin for Apartment listings with Pet Friendly Amenities.

Pet Friendliness Lifestyle Score

4.0
Pet Friendly

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Lifestyle Ratings

ApartmentHomeLiving brings you our detailed rental search system called 'Lifestyle ratings', composed of rentals in cities across the United States, including Madison. Lifestyle Ratings show you the best fit for your needs and interests. This takes in many factors including filtering automatically for convenient access to the outdoors, luxury housing options, kid and pet-friendly communities, availability of transit options, and how walkable or bikeable each community and area is. These search options are in the site filters at the top of this page.

Frequently Asked Questions about Cheap Downtown Madison Apartments

What is a cheap apartment in Downtown Madison?

A cheap apartment is any apartment up to the 30% percentile of cost for the area, which in Downtown Madison is under $1,049.

What is the price of a cheap apartment in Downtown Madison?

The cheapest apartment in Downtown Madison is The Post which is listed at $759, while the average apartment in Downtown Madison costs $4,050.

What types of apartments are the cheapest in Downtown 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 140 regular apartments in Downtown 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 Downtown Madison?

Cheap apartments in Downtown Madison have an average cost of $699 which is $3,351 cheaper than the average rent for all rentals in Downtown Madison.

Expert Rental Resources

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.

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