What’s the average rent in Kenosha, WI?
Each year, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) estimates something called Fair Market Rent (FMR) for every region in the country, including Kenosha. These numbers represent the estimated cost of rent plus basic utilities (like water, heat, and gas) for standard-quality rental housing.
Fair Market Rent is not the maximum or average price exactly. It’s meant to reflect the 40th percentile of rents in the area, meaning 40% of units in Kenosha should rent at or below this amount.
| Unit Style | FY 2025 FMR |
|---|---|
| Efficiency |
$1,098
|
| One Bedroom |
$1,111
|
| Two Bedroom |
$1,208
|
| Three Bedroom |
$1,398
|
| Four Bedroom |
$1,400
|
if you're looking for a 1-bedroom in Kenosha, HUD estimates you’ll need around $1,111/month to cover both rent and utilities.
Kenosha Rent Trends: What’s Changing?
Fair market rents have increased by 10.8% year over year in Kenosha on efficiency units and 6.5% on four bedroom units.
Here’s a five year picture of how fair market rents have evolved in Kenosha:
After relatively modest increases from 2021 to 2022, rent in Kenosha surged in 2023 and 2024, with the biggest spike in FY 2024—efficiency units jumped over 30%, and most other unit types rose by more than 20%.
Rent growth has slowed in FY 2025, prices are still climbing—up 3–11% depending on unit size.
How Much Do You Need To Earn To Afford Rent in Kenosha?
The 30% rule is a common guideline used by housing experts, landlords, and public housing programs. It suggests that you should spend no more than 30% of your gross monthly income (your income before taxes) on rent.
Going over that limit can make it harder to cover other essentials like food, transportation, healthcare, or savings. While it’s not a strict rule, many landlords use it when reviewing rental applications.
Based on current fair market rents in Kenosha for studio and one-bedroom apartments, you'd need to earn at least $44,440 annually (about $3,703/month) to afford the average rent without exceeding that 30% threshold.
That means a renter earning between $44,000 and $55,000 per year can typically afford many of the most common rental options in the city—especially one-bedrooms and smaller units.
Affordable Housing and Rent Support in Kenosha
Affordable housing generally refers to rental units priced so that tenants spend no more than 30% of their gross income on housing costs (including utilities). These units may be available through:
- Income-restricted properties (which limit eligibility based on your income)
- Government-supported programs like the Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8)
Many affordable housing units are reserved for renters earning less than a certain percentage of the Area Median Income (AMI).
AMI stands for Area Median Income, which is the midpoint income for a region, meaning half of households earn more, and half earn less. Affordable housing programs often use AMI to determine eligibility.
For example:
- If a program serves households making 60% of AMI, it means you must earn 60% or less of Kenosha’s median income to qualify.
You can learn more about how AMI impacts eligibility - and see where you fall - by using our Kenosha Affordable Housing Eligibility tool.
Explore affordable housing listings in Kenosha here.