After exhaustive research, Rental Review Source has compiled our list of the 10 Best Luxury Apartments for Rent in Downtown Madison, WI.
Before we dive into the rankings, it’s worth noting that where exactly “Downtown Madison” starts and stops is up for a some level of interpretation. For the purposes of our Rental Review Source Power Rankings, we are defining the Downtown Madison area to be anything between Blair Street to the east of the state capitol, and to Park Street on the west side of the isthmus (with the obvious north and south borders being Lake Mendota and Lake Monona, respectively).
Additionally, we are only considering market rate luxury rental communities in these RRS Power Rankings, and have excluded any luxury rental communities which dedicate a majority of their marketing and outreach towards students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
If you would like to see us compile a list of luxury apartments for rent in Madison which are oriented in part or in whole towards students, let us know by dropping a comment below.
Ranking Criteria
When compiling the RRS Power Rankings, we take into consideration the complete package being offered by the apartment community: apartment design, property style, resident amenities, and building location. We’ll provide an overview for our reasoning for each property’s rank on this list, but be sure to check out the full review for each apartment community (or by checking out Madison, WI on our list of Cities for our entire collection of extensive reviews).
Disclaimer: the properties below are ranked entirely at the discretion of the Rental Review Source writing team, and is not sponsored by any developers, apartment buildings, management companies, brokerages, or anyone else who has a vested interest in seeing a specific property ranked on this list. That being said, if you disagree with our rankings or think we’re missing any properties that should be on our best-of-the-best list, let us know down in the comments!
Let’s get into it!
10. 151 East Wilson
Coming in at #10 on our list is 151 East Wilson. Chosen in large part for its prime location in Madison’s First Settlement neighborhood, 151 East Wilson is right at the base of King Street, which features numerous dining and entertainment options just steps away from their front door.
Although the on-site fitness center offers sufficient equipment for most people to get a decent workout in, the lack of communal spaces besides a small patio overlooking Lake Monona feels like a real missed opportunity.
Despite the absence of amenities, the apartments impress with high-quality finishes, including quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances, and spacious layouts. However, some units may have less desirable views or limited natural light due to their positioning relative to the neighboring Marina condo building.
Even though its lack of any real common area amenities limited how high they could rank on our Top 10 list, 151 East Wilson does succeed in offering upscale living with its well-appointed apartments and nearly unbeatable location.
More Information about 151 East Wilson
Pricing*: Studios ($1,350 – $1,500/mo), 1-Bedrooms ($1,650 – $2,235/mo), 2-Bedrooms ($2,470 – $3,850/mo), 2-Bedroom + Den ($2,900 – $4,350/mo), and 3-Bedrooms ($3,500 – $4,950/mo).
Full Rental Review Source Review: “Lake Views and Downtown Living? 151 East Wilson In Downtown Madison Has It All”
Link: 151 East Wilson
*Pricing listed above was pulled from the property’s website in March 2024, but may not be an accurate reflection of current pricing.
9. Seven27 at The Yards
Seven27 at The Yards stands out with its distinctive exterior design featuring rotated upper volumes which cantilever out over the lower units, offering a visually striking presence for residents and passersby alike.
While it’s further from the State Capitol than any other property on our list, its sits at a junction near Lake Monona which gives its residents quick and easy access to Madison’s main arterial roadways. Although the immediate vicinity lacks the same density of dining and entertainment options as others on this list, Seven27 offers a quieter, more serene atmosphere away from downtown’s hustle and bustle.
Despite being developed and built in 2013, well before the amenity arms race began to accelerate, it provides essential amenities like a spacious fitness center, a functional club room, and an outdoor terrace with grills.
While some additional amenity spaces would have been welcomed, the apartments impress with their varied interior finishes, though opinions may differ on the almost orange honey-oak flooring color choice in the main living areas of each apartment.
More Information about Seven27 at The Yards
Pricing*: Studios and Alcoves (pricing unavailable), 1-Bedrooms ($1,765 – $2,180/mo), and 2-Bedrooms (pricing unavailable).
Full Rental Review Source Review: Coming Soon!
Link: Seven27 at The Yards
*Pricing listed above was pulled from the property’s website in March 2024, but may not be an accurate reflection of current pricing.
8. 306 West
306 West is a centrally located luxury apartment community on the West Washington Avenue side of Downtown Madison, which is extremely close to various amenities such as Capitol Square, Overture Arts Center, State Street, and Lake Monona. With this prime location, residents can easily access Madison’s numerous downtown attractions, making it a highly walkable and bikeable area.
The apartments offer two finish packages with condo-grade appliances and fixtures, though there are limited common area amenities besides an outdoor courtyard and fitness center. Despite the lack of extensive amenities, 306 West excels in providing high-quality apartment finishes, making it a suitable choice for those prioritizing apartment quality over communal spaces.
The major shortcoming preventing 306 West from landing a higher ranking is its lack of amenities. The fitness center is adequate, but there just isn’t much else to write home about on their common areas.
More Information about 306 West
Pricing*: 1-Bedrooms ($1,850 – $2,000/mo), and 2-Bedrooms ($2,800 – $3,900/mo).
Full Rental Review Source Review: “306 West In Downtown Madison Has The Condo-Quality Finishes You’ve Been Looking For”
Link: https://306west.com/
*Pricing listed above was pulled from the property’s website in March 2024, but may not be an accurate reflection of current pricing.
7. The Pressman
The Pressman holds two distinctions on our list: 1) it’s the smallest by unit count, boasting just 80 total apartments, and 2) at one short block away, its the closest luxury rental community to the State Capitol building of any on our list.
The Pressman’s amenities are quite robust for its size, and are the main reason they were able to beat out the larger buildings in spots 10 through 8. The amenities on offer for Pressman residents are a club room with a connected but private billiards and media space, an outdoor terrace, and a well-equipped fitness center, all of which felt perfectly proportioned to the building itself.
The interior finishes feature high-end details like waterfall edge quartz countertops and under-island tiling, along with modern shaker-style cabinets which come in a chocolate brown walnut to go with the stainless steel appliances.
Notably, bathroom designs and tilework in the shower surround were among our favorites on this list. While only 10% of the units have balconies facing the Capitol, we were pleasantly surprised by how much we also liked the lower floor views of the surrounding streets.
More Information about The Pressman
Pricing*: 1-Bedrooms ($1,860 – $2,335/mo), and 2-Bedrooms ($3,450 – $3,705/mo).
Full Rental Review Source Review: Coming Soon!
Link: The Pressman
*Pricing listed above was pulled from the property’s website in March 2024, but may not be an accurate reflection of current pricing.
6. Avenir
Opened in 2022, Avenir stands out as one of the newest additions to the West Washington Avenue corridor. Despite being further from the heart of Downtown Madison (5 blocks from the State Capitol), the area still boasts notable dining options, including the Nitro Beverage Lounge – a moody but highly accessible contemporary cocktail bar in the building’s attached street level commercial space.
The building’s amenities include a club room, outdoor terrace with gas grills and fire pit, conference meeting room, and fitness center. Though it’s one of the smaller luxury communities on our list with 96 apartments, there’s a lot to love with the common area amenities in the building.
The apartment interiors blend classic and modern elements seamlessly, featuring stylish kitchen designs and warm vinyl plank flooring. Additionally, Avenir’s penthouse units were quite impressive and are contenders for being our favorites in the entire city, with oversized private terraces that provide exceptional indoor-outdoor living opportunities.
More Information about Avenir
Pricing*: Studios and Alcoves ($1,355 – $1,700/mo), 1-Bedrooms ($1,615 – $2,455/mo), 2-Bedrooms ($2,690 – $3,700/mo), and 3-Bedrooms ($3,935/month).
Full Rental Review Source Review: Coming Soon!
Link: Avenir
*Pricing listed above was pulled from the property’s website in March 2024, but may not be an accurate reflection of current pricing.
5. Ovation 309
In Downtown Madison, there are perhaps there are no two more iconic landmarks than the State Capitol and State Street, and Ovation 309 certainly won’t let you forget just how fantastic of a location they have. At just half a block off of State Street, the energy of the property’s location feeds into every aspect of living at Ovation 309. Were we ranking purely on the combination of neighborhood energy and location alone, it might just be the best of the bunch on our list.
The Sky Lounge and attached outdoor terrace offer literal million dollar views of State Street, overlooking the Overture Arts Center across the block and further down to the State Capitol building itself. Complete with multiple gas barbeque grills outside on the terrace, this combined indoor-outdoor amenity space is an entertainer’s dream.
The amenity package is rounded out nicely with a well-equipped 24-hour fitness center, a Finnish-style sauna, an outdoor rooftop dog run, and a slate of furnished 1- and 2-bedroom guest suites for current and former Ovation 309 residents to reserve by the night.
The apartment interiors show very well, using a range of complementary colors and textures which is especially pronounced in the kitchen. The dark flat-panel walnut cabinets could easily feel overpowering in the space, but the lighter oak wood-look vinyl plank flooring, greige stone countertops, and a unique stacked tile backsplash all come together to forms a balanced and comfortable living space.
All things considered, we’re a bit surprised they weren’t able to fit a pool or hot tub on the premises. Had they managed to do so, they would have very likely been within striking distance of the top spot on our list.
More Information about Ovation 309
Pricing*: 1-Bedrooms ($2,000 – $3,400/mo), and 2-Bedrooms ($3,455 – $4,950/mo).
Full Rental Review Source Review: Coming Soon!
Link: https://ovation309.com/
*Pricing listed above was pulled from the property’s website in March 2024, but may not be an accurate reflection of current pricing.
4. Domain
If you’re looking for luxury apartment living with access to… well, just about everything in Downtown Madison, Domain’s location is about as good as it gets. At a whopping 326 apartments across 12 stories, you’ll find yourself 1 block away from State Street, 3 blocks from the State Capitol and the capitol square farmer’s market, and only a few minutes walk or bike ride away from the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus.
The pool deck and outdoor terrace are some of the nicest we’ve seen on the Madison isthmus, and the views from the top floor lounge and roof deck are absolutely incredible. The on-site fitness center exceeds expectations as well, but at its core, we think the true value proposition of Domain is all about the exterior amenities and the location.
Inside of the apartments, you’ll get a clean and cohesive finish package which skews slightly on the darker side. Flat-front walnut kitchen cabinets are topped with darker grey speckled stone countertops, all of which is accompanied by a suite of stainless steel appliances and brushed nickel hardware. The more golden tones of the hard luxury vinyl plank flooring in the living areas brightens up and evens everything out nicely.
The only think keeping Domain from snagging a spot in the Top 3 on our list is its lack of truly top tier amenities. A hot tub, golf simulator, movie theater, sauna, or work-from-home office spaces would have really helped push it further up this list. And yet, even without these amenities, you barely miss a beat.
More Information about Domain
Pricing*: Studios ($1,495 – $1,710/mo), Alcoves ($1,795/mo), 1-Bedrooms ($1,795 – $2,295/mo), 1-Bedroom + Den ($2,195/mo), and 2-Bedrooms ($2,895 – $3,995/mo).
Full Rental Review Source Review: Coming Soon!
*Pricing listed above was pulled from the property’s website in March 2024, but may not be an accurate reflection of current pricing.
3. NoVo
NoVo, situated in Madison’s First Settlement neighborhood, opened in 2021 and offers top-tier downtown luxury living. With its prime location just one block from the State Capitol, residents have easy access to popular Madison staples, with the likes of Johnny Delmonico’s and Merchant literally right across East Doty Street, as well as the Great Dane Brewpub one block to the east.
The property boasts impressive amenities including a lobby coffee bar, a 4th-floor club room, CrossFit-inspired fitness center, yoga studio, billiards lounge, and second yoga terrace with fenced-in dog run.
Each apartment comes in one of two distinct finish packages, one featuring kitchens and bathroom cabinetry in a slightly faded dark walnut, and the other having a combination of darker grey lower cabinets and white upper cabinets. Both look crisp, with the walnut version slightly edging out the dark grey/white combo for our favorite of the pair.
While we love the amenity areas NoVo provides, we think there would have been potential to add in a few higher-end amenities such as a top floor observation deck or sky lounge, golf simulator, sauna, or pool/hot tub. This is ultimately what kept NoVo from claiming the top spot on our list.
More Information about NoVo
Pricing*: Studios ($1,305 – $1,475/mo), Alcoves ($1,220 – $1,495/mo), 1-Bedrooms ($2,165 – $2,300/mo), 1-Bedroom + Den ($2,750/mo), and 2-Bedrooms ($2,700 – $3,650/mo).
Full Rental Review Source Review: “Are NoVo’s Luxury Apartments The Pinnacle of Downtown Madison Living?”
*Pricing listed above was pulled from the property’s website in March 2024, but may not be an accurate reflection of current pricing.
2. The Continental
As the lone representative from the “east side of the state capitol but still technically downtown” contingent of properties, The Continental offers a decidedly more refined living experience for its residents.
While still only 3 blocks from the Capitol Square, The Continental is also only 3 blocks away from James Madison Park and Lake Mendota. 4 blocks to the east along East Washington Avenue will put you at The Sylvee and High Noon Saloon, two fantastic music venues with some world-class performances on their respective resumés, and 1 block further will get you to Breese Stevens Field, home of Forward Madison FC (#UpTheMingos!) soccer club and the Madison Radicals (#MadRad!) ultimate frisbee team.
The Continental’s amenities for residents are exceptional in the Madison market. Two separate club rooms – the larger of the two located on the top floor with views towards Lake Mendota, and the other labeled as their Pub Room which features a golf simulator, shuffleboard table, and other assorted gaming delights.
Then you have four separate private terraces – one garden level courtyard with a fenced-in pet area, the second on floor 6, the third on floor 7, and the most spectacular views on the floor 10 off of the top floor club room. The gym is outfitted with a full range of equipment, including multiple Echelon spin bikes and an Echelon Connect touchscreen fitness-on-demand mirror trainer.
With two different finish packages to choose from, the only discernable difference is in the cabinet colors (seen above). When we’re touring a luxury property with multiple finish packages, there is almost always one version that stands out in our minds as preferable to the other. That simply isn’t the case with The Continental, as both the light and the dark packages go equally well with the rest of the finishes in the unit.
With 4 separate outdoor terraces and multiple different club rooms and lounges, as well as being the only property on our list with a golf simulator, the sheer volume of amenity spaces helped propel The Continental to a Top 3 spot on our power rankings.
More Information about The Continental
Pricing*: Studios and Alcoves ($1,800 – $2,100/mo), 1-Bedrooms ($2,100 – $2,800/mo), and 2-Bedrooms ($3,400 – $3,500/mo).
Full Rental Review Source Review: Coming Soon!
*Pricing listed above was pulled from the property’s website in March 2024, but may not be an accurate reflection of current pricing.
1. The Adria
Claiming the top spot on our 2024 Downtown Madison Power Rankings is The Adria, one of the cities newest and, in our professional opinion, best luxury apartment communities in the city. While arguments could be made for the amenities or interior unit designs of other buildings we reviewed, The Adria was the finest of the bunch, and not by a particularly narrow margin.
At only 3 blocks away from the Capitol Square, you might be tempted to think that The Adria’s best asset is its proximity to the main downtown area. You would be 100% correct in this assumption, right up until the moment you saw the views of Lake Monona from any vantage point in or around the property.
The amenities at your disposal at The Adria are almost too numerous to count. The fitness center is the best we’ve encountered of any on this list – lots of cardio machines, two squat racks, a separate yoga area. They are the only property we’ve seen anywhere in the city that has not one, but two infrared saunas, as well as a dedicated co-working space and solarium.
Then you have the lounge, the game room, and the main club room, all located off of the pool terrace on the second floor. Travel up to the rooftop deck and you’ll find two separated viewing lawns overlooking the lake, a fenced in dog run and adjacent lawn (both of which have real grass), as well as more patio and lounge seating on the opposite end of the roof.
The apartments are clean and modern, with three different finish packages in various combinations of cabinets, quartz countertops, and hardware to choose from. You also get a gas range in every apartment, yet one more upgrade seldom seen at other comparable rentals.
At The Adria though, it all comes back to the views, and there’s not a bad one in the house. Every unit in the building has an attached balcony, giving you a private outdoor space to enjoy the amazing vantage you have of Lake Monona or Downtown Madison.
More Information about The Adria
Pricing*: Studios ($1,715/mo), Alcoves ($1,840/mo), 1-Bedrooms ($2,125 – $2,750/mo), 1-Bedroom + Den ($2,750 – $3,200/mo), and 2-Bedrooms ($3,425 – $3,935/mo).
Full Rental Review Source Review: “9 Reasons Why The Adria Is Madison’s Most Elite Luxury Rental Community”
Link: https://liveadria.com/
*Pricing listed above was pulled from the property’s website in March 2024, but may not be an accurate reflection of current pricing.
