What is the rental yield in Lake Forest, Madison, Wisconsin?

The gross yield in Lake Forest, Madison, Wisconsin is 6.8. Prices are about 20% below the city median and 8% below the state median, while the price trend is down 7.0% over the past year.

How have prices changed in Lake Forest, Madison, Wisconsin over the past year?

Prices in Lake Forest, Madison, Wisconsin are down 7.0% over the past year. The neighborhood is priced about 20% below the city median and 8% below the state median, with a gross yield of 6.8 and a Red Flag score of 63.

How does Lake Forest compare with Madison and Wisconsin?

Lake Forest in Madison, Wisconsin is priced about 20% below the city median and 8% below the state median. It has a gross yield of 6.8, walkability of 81, education in the 38th percentile, and a Red Flag score of 63.

What are the walkability and education scores in Lake Forest, Madison, Wisconsin?

Lake Forest in Madison, Wisconsin has walkability of 81 and education in the 38th percentile. Those numbers sit alongside a gross yield of 6.8, prices about 20% below the city median and 8% below the state median, and a Red Flag score of 63.

Neighborhood

Lake Forest

Madison, Wisconsin US

Lake Forest in Madison, Wisconsin is a lower-priced, moderate-yield market with prices about 20% below the city median and 8% below the state median. Gross yield is 6.8, while prices have fallen 7.0% over the past year. The Red Flag score of 63 indicates moderate overall risk. Walkability is 81, and education is in the 38th percentile.

AI Summary•Updated May 2026

Area

0.05 mi²

ZIP Code

53713

County

Dane County

State

Wisconsin

Redfin — median sale & volumeZillow ZORI — asking rentFEMA National Risk Index v1.20OpenStreetMap — POIFBI UCR — state crimeEPA — radon zonesWashU ACAG — satellite PM2.5EPA FRS / BTS — hazard screeningUS Census ACS / TIGER 2024

Verified Price · Median Sale

$261,472

YoY-7.0%

Gross Rental Yield

6.8%

Listed rent · ZORI annualized

Red Flag Index

High

63 / 100

Walkability Score

Very Walkable

OpenStreetMap POI density · national percentile

Education Score

38 / 100

Limited · better than 38% of U.S. districts

Pre-pandemic SEDA (2018/19) · district proxy

AI Score

Fair

DistrictScore attractiveness · national model

Lake Forest Property Prices & Rental Yield

Verified Redfin sale data and Zillow ZORI asking rent for Lake Forest, Madison.

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Market Economics Snapshot

May 2026

Metric	Value	YoY
Median Sale Price	$261,472	-7.0%
Price / Sq Ft (Verified)	$198/sqft	-7.4%
Asking Rent (Median)	$1,491/mo	+3.7%
Gross Rental Yield	6.8%	—
Liquidity Score	16 / 100	Low
Homes Sold (Period)	25	-30.6%

Is Lake Forest Safe? Natural-Hazard Risk

FEMA National Risk Index composite across eight hazards, plus inherited Wisconsin crime context.

Red Flag Breakdown

63 / 100

High Risk

Composite is weighted by expected impact — frequent low-damage hazards (hail, wind) weigh less than flood or wildfire.

Tornado100Very High

Hail100Very High

Heat80Very High

Strong Wind80Very High

Flood60High

Earthquake60High

Wildfire40Moderate

Hurricane40Moderate

8/8 hazards scored · FEMA NRI v1.20

Crime (state-level): Wisconsin averaged 14.3 crimes and 2.8 violent per 1,000 residents (-6.2% YoY) in 2024(FBI UCR). Compare the state to the country, not states as a ranking — full Safety & Crime data lives on the state page.

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Tract-level hazard heatmap & parcel detail with Pro

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What Stands Out AI Insight

Above-average gross rental yield at 6.8%

Highly walkable neighborhood — score 81/100

Tornado risk is Very High (100/100)

Hail risk is Very High (100/100)

Insights are generated from Lake Forest's live DistrictScore metrics.

Lake Forest Environment & Safety

Satellite PM2.5 air-quality history, FBI UCR crime trend (Wisconsin-level, the finest official aggregation), EPA radon potential and point-source hazard screening.

Air Quality — PM2.5

2015–2024

7.3 µg/m³ Meets EPA, above WHO guideline-14.8% since 2015

EPA 9WHO 5

20152024

Annual mean fine-particle (PM2.5) concentration at the Lake Forest centroid, satellite-derived (ACAG). References: WHO guideline 5 µg/m³ · EPA annual standard 9 µg/m³. Latest year ranks worse than 86% of U.S. neighborhoods.

Wisconsin Crime Trend

FBI UCR

20132024

All crimes / 1k

Violent / 1k

Year	Crimes / 1k	Violent / 1k	YoY
2024	14.3	2.8	-6.2%
2023	15.4	3.0	-7.6%
2022	16.7	3.0	-10.0%
2021	18.6	3.3	+3.8%
2020	18.1	3.2	+2.3%
2019	17.7	3.0	—

Reported at the state level — the finest official US crime aggregation; Lake Forest inherits the Wisconsin figures.

Radon Potential

EPA

Zone 1

Zone 1 — Highest potential · Lake Forest

EPA radon zones estimate indoor radon potential county-wide (Zone 1 highest, Zone 3 lowest). Testing is recommended in all zones.

Environmental Hazards

EPA / BTS

Superfund (NPL)5.0 kmModerate

Industrial odor1 nearbyModerate

Point-source screening near Lake Forest: EPA Superfund National Priorities List & Facility Registry (2026), BTS aviation noise (2020, 24-hour average level). Superfund shows distance to the nearest listed site; odor shows detected sources within the screening radius. Only detected sources are listed; the bar shows severity vs. all U.S. neighborhoods.

Walkability & Amenities in Lake Forest

Amenity density and pedestrian access from OpenStreetMap points of interest.

Walkability & Amenities

OpenStreetMap POI

81

Very Walkable

Walkability Score

2

Grocery

0

Dining

0

Schools

0

Universities

0

Hospitals

1

Pharmacies

2

Parks

0

Rail Transit

0

Coworking

POI counts are amenities within Lake Forest's boundary plus a 400 m walk buffer. Rail transit excludes bus stops.

Lake Forest vs Madison vs Wisconsin

How Lake Forest benchmarks against its city and state medians.

Benchmark vs City & State

In Lake Forest, the median sale price sits about 20% below the median for Madison neighborhoods and about 7% below the statewide median. Gross rental yield is 6.8%, against 4.4% for Madison neighborhoods and 4.8% statewide. Over the past 12 months, prices fell 7.0%. Transaction liquidity sits below the median for Madison neighborhoods and below the statewide median.

Area	Median / Sq Ft	Gross Yield	Liquidity
Lake Forest	$198/sqft	6.8%	16
Madison	$248/sqft	4.4%	29
Wisconsin	$213/sqft	4.8%	29

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Buying Property in the US as a Foreigner

Federal & Wisconsin tax facts for non-resident buyers, plus the latest local market news.

Buying as a Foreigner

US Tax & Ownership

Applies to everyone7

Capital Gains (Federal)

Long-term capital gains taxed federally at 0/15/20%, plus a 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax on higher incomes (2026).

Property Tax

Property tax: ~1.19% average effective rate (statewide average; set and collected locally).

State Income Tax

State income tax up to 7.65%; rental income is taxed at these rates.

State Capital Gains

Capital gains taxed as income, with a 30% exclusion for long-term gains.

Transfer Tax

Real estate transfer tax: $3 per $1,000.

Assessment Cap

No Proposition 13-style assessment cap; property is reassessed at market value.

Mansion Tax / Rent Control

No statewide mansion tax or statewide rent control.

US citizens & tax residents7

Primary-Home Exclusion

Selling your main home: exclude up to $250k of gain (single) / $500k (married) if you owned and lived there 2 of the last 5 years.

1031 Like-Kind Exchange

A 1031 like-kind exchange defers capital gains tax on investment property; 45 days to identify, 180 to close. Real estate only.

Depreciation Recapture

Residential rentals depreciate over 27.5 years; on sale, recaptured depreciation is taxed up to 25% (Section 1250).

Mortgage Interest Deduction

Mortgage interest is deductible on up to $750k of home debt. The SALT cap rose to $40,000 for 2025-2029 (reverts to $10k in 2030).

Opportunity Zones

Opportunity Zones are now permanent (2025): reinvested capital gains get deferral plus a basis step-up, and are tax-free after 10 years.

Rental Income (Resident)

Rental income is reported on Schedule E; passive-loss rules (Section 469) limit deducting rental losses against other income.

1031 State Conformity

The state conforms to the federal 1031 like-kind exchange rules.

Foreign buyers (non-residents)5

FIRPTA (Foreign Sellers)

FIRPTA: the buyer withholds 15% of the gross sale price when a nonresident sells US property. It is an advance deposit, not the final tax.

Non-Resident Capital Gains

Nonresident sellers pay US capital gains tax (generally 15-20%) on the net gain via Form 1040-NR; FIRPTA withholding is credited.

Non-Resident Rental Tax

Nonresident rental income is taxed at 30% of gross by default, or on net income at graduated rates via a Section 871(d) election (W-8ECI).

Estate Tax (Non-Resident)

Nonresidents get only a $60,000 US estate-tax exemption (vs $13.99M for residents); US property above it is taxed up to 40%. Treaties may help.

ITIN Requirement

Nonresidents without an SSN need an ITIN (Form W-7) to file US tax returns, claim FIRPTA refunds, and report rental income.

Talk to a US real-estate tax advisor

FIRPTA, ITIN & Wisconsin property-tax guidance for foreign buyers

Latest Madison Real-Estate News

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Guaranteed Rate • Jun 18, 2026

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Eye On Housing • Jun 18, 2026

U.S. commercial property prices hit record as deal patterns shift

Altus Group • Jun 18, 2026

Lake Forest Real Estate FAQ

Lake Forest in Madison, Wisconsin shows a gross yield of 6.8 with prices about 20% below the city median and 8% below the state median. The Red Flag score is 63, and prices are down 7.0% over the past year, so the profile mixes lower entry pricing with softer recent momentum.

Neighborhoods near Lake Forest

Compare Lake Forest with nearby neighborhoods in Madison.

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