Public housing in Wisconsin
Data from November 2026
Public housing agencies in Wisconsin
115 public housing agencies administer 35,078 Section 8 vouchers and 9,833 public housing units in Wisconsin. Each one takes applications and runs its own waiting list.
Key numbers in Wisconsin
- Agencies
- 115
- take applications and keep their own waiting lists
- Section 8 vouchers
- 35,078
- total they manage, not openings
- Public housing units
- 9,833
- total they manage, not openings
How it works
How they work
There are two main kinds of help: the voucher to rent in the private market and public housing. You apply for both at the agency for your area in Wisconsin.
- Step 1
Section 8 (Housing Choice Vouchers)
The family finds a home on the private market. The agency pays part of the rent directly to the landlord and the family pays the difference.
- Step 2
Public housing
Homes the agency itself manages. Rent is set from the family’s income.
- Step 3
How to apply
Apply at the agency for your area. They check income and family size, and may close their waiting list when it is full: ask whether it is open and how long it takes.
According to HUD: Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8)· HUD: public housing program
Mixed-status families Section 8 and mixed-status families: how it works How the Section 8 voucher works, how aid is prorated in a mixed-status family, how to apply through your housing agency and what HUD proposed. Read the guideHUD’s list
Every agency in Wisconsin
Largest first. Search by name or county.
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Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Milwaukee County
7,653 vouchers · 2,310 public housing units
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Madison Community Development Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Dane County
2,106 vouchers · 731 public housing units
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Waukesha Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Waukesha County
1,331 vouchers · 261 public housing units
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Dane County Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Dane County
1,406 vouchers · 86 public housing units
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City of Appleton Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Outagamie County
641 vouchers · 212 public housing units
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La Crosse Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · La Crosse County
199 vouchers · 593 public housing units
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Beloit Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Rock County
605 vouchers · 131 public housing units
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Wausau Community Development Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Marathon County
604 vouchers · 46 public housing units
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Housing Authority of Winnebago County, WI
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Winnebago County
484 vouchers · 84 public housing units
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Fond du Lac County Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Fond du Lac County
436 vouchers · 43 public housing units
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Housing Authority of the City of Superior
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Douglas County
184 vouchers · 266 public housing units
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Wisconsin Rapids Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Wood County
315 vouchers · 130 public housing units
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Sheboygan Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Sheboygan County
304 vouchers · 135 public housing units
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Sauk County Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Sauk County
385 vouchers · 40 public housing units
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Eau Claire County Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Eau Claire County
368 vouchers · 15 public housing units
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Marshfield Community Development Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Wood County
99 vouchers · 209 public housing units
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Housing Authority of the City of Oshkosh, WI
Public housing · Winnebago County
306 public housing units
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Trempealeau County Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Trempealeau County
226 vouchers · 60 public housing units
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Ashland Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Ashland County
65 vouchers · 167 public housing units
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Shawano Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Shawano County
52 vouchers · 146 public housing units
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Rhinelander Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Oneida County
144 vouchers · 50 public housing units
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Mauston Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Juneau County
117 vouchers · 50 public housing units
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New London Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Waupaca County
101 vouchers · 62 public housing units
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Tomah Public Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Monroe County
89 vouchers · 28 public housing units
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Washburn Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Bayfield County
76 vouchers · 36 public housing units
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Ashland County Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Ashland County
71 vouchers · 40 public housing units
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Lafayette County Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 vouchers · Lafayette County
55 vouchers
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Housing Authority of the City of New Richmond
Public housing · St. Croix County
40 public housing units
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Housing Authority of the City of Shell Lake
Public housing · Washburn County
29 public housing units
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None match your search.
HUD’s official list exactly as published, retrieved November 6, 2026. Vouchers and units are totals each agency administers, not vacancies. Source: Public Housing Agencies (HUD) Retrieved November 6, 2026 Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (external site)
Frequently asked questions
What is a Section 8 voucher?
A Housing Choice Voucher from HUD’s federal program: the family rents on the private market and the housing agency pays part of the rent to the landlord. The family pays the difference.
How do I apply for a voucher or public housing in Wisconsin?
At the housing agency for your area; Wisconsin has 115. Each one has its own application and waiting list, and may close it when it is full. Call or check its site to see whether it is open.
How many Section 8 vouchers are there in Wisconsin?
The agencies in Wisconsin administer 35,078 Section 8 vouchers and 9,833 public housing units, according to HUD’s list retrieved November 6, 2026. They are program totals, not available vacancies.