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Average Rent in Michigan
Rent in Michigan runs from a 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,014 a month in Alcona to $1,804 in Washtenaw — a spread of 1.8× inside one state. The table below is the complete FY2027 HUD schedule for Michigan: every county (or county-equivalent) with its Fair Market Rent for each unit size, efficiency through four bedrooms. For context, the Census Bureau's American Community Survey measured Michigan's median gross rent — what renter households actually reported paying — at $1,168 a month in 2024.
FY2027 Fair Market Rents by county in Michigan
| County | HUD rent area | Efficiency | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alcona County | Alcona County, MI | $723 | $822 | $1,014 | $1,363 | $1,426 |
| Alger County | Alger County, MI | $759 | $813 | $1,064 | $1,268 | $1,496 |
| Allegan County | Allegan County, MI | $984 | $991 | $1,296 | $1,586 | $1,862 |
| Alpena County | Alpena County, MI | $723 | $775 | $1,014 | $1,247 | $1,695 |
| Antrim County | Antrim County, MI | $882 | $965 | $1,159 | $1,381 | $1,711 |
| Arenac County | Arenac County, MI | $706 | $790 | $1,014 | $1,351 | $1,695 |
| Baraga County | Baraga County, MI | $723 | $775 | $1,014 | $1,208 | $1,333 |
| Barry County | Barry County, MI HUD Metro FMR Area | $1,034 | $1,041 | $1,362 | $1,704 | $2,061 |
| Bay County | Bay City, MI MSA | $830 | $835 | $1,055 | $1,429 | $1,537 |
| Benzie County | Benzie County, MI HUD Metro FMR Area | $937 | $943 | $1,234 | $1,635 | $1,874 |
| Berrien County | Niles, MI MSA | $802 | $887 | $1,152 | $1,512 | $1,514 |
| Branch County | Branch County, MI | $964 | $984 | $1,093 | $1,479 | $1,503 |
| Calhoun County | Battle Creek, MI MSA | $863 | $1,032 | $1,233 | $1,469 | $1,653 |
| Cass County | Cass County, MI HUD Metro FMR Area | $869 | $974 | $1,095 | $1,393 | $1,830 |
| Charlevoix County | Charlevoix County, MI | $798 | $855 | $1,119 | $1,549 | $1,619 |
| Cheboygan County | Cheboygan County, MI | $788 | $844 | $1,104 | $1,315 | $1,490 |
| Chippewa County | Chippewa County, MI | $726 | $863 | $1,042 | $1,242 | $1,369 |
| Clare County | Clare County, MI | $743 | $797 | $1,042 | $1,242 | $1,464 |
| Clinton County | Lansing-East Lansing, MI MSA | $1,036 | $1,054 | $1,323 | $1,685 | $1,739 |
| Crawford County | Crawford County, MI | $764 | $867 | $1,097 | $1,307 | $1,542 |
| Delta County | Delta County, MI | $770 | $775 | $1,014 | $1,347 | $1,688 |
| Dickinson County | Dickinson County, MI | $723 | $879 | $1,014 | $1,258 | $1,469 |
| Eaton County | Lansing-East Lansing, MI MSA | $1,036 | $1,054 | $1,323 | $1,685 | $1,739 |
| Emmet County | Emmet County, MI | $1,015 | $1,021 | $1,336 | $1,592 | $1,756 |
| Genesee County | Flint, MI MSA | $792 | $939 | $1,133 | $1,391 | $1,613 |
| Gladwin County | Gladwin County, MI | $723 | $775 | $1,014 | $1,404 | $1,568 |
| Gogebic County | Gogebic County, MI | $706 | $816 | $1,014 | $1,404 | $1,495 |
| Grand Traverse County | Grand Traverse County, MI HUD Metro FMR Area | $1,181 | $1,188 | $1,436 | $1,883 | $1,928 |
| Gratiot County | Gratiot County, MI | $726 | $778 | $1,018 | $1,344 | $1,454 |
| Hillsdale County | Hillsdale County, MI | $712 | $781 | $1,022 | $1,274 | $1,343 |
| Houghton County | Houghton County, MI | $801 | $806 | $1,033 | $1,430 | $1,727 |
| Huron County | Huron County, MI | $723 | $855 | $1,014 | $1,293 | $1,333 |
| Ingham County | Lansing-East Lansing, MI MSA | $1,036 | $1,054 | $1,323 | $1,685 | $1,739 |
| Ionia County | Ionia County, MI HUD Metro FMR Area | $862 | $946 | $1,238 | $1,579 | $1,930 |
| Iosco County | Iosco County, MI | $894 | $916 | $1,014 | $1,404 | $1,695 |
| Iron County | Iron County, MI | $808 | $865 | $1,132 | $1,349 | $1,488 |
| Isabella County | Isabella County, MI | $883 | $888 | $1,059 | $1,385 | $1,428 |
| Jackson County | Jackson, MI MSA | $896 | $984 | $1,201 | $1,576 | $1,578 |
| Kalamazoo County | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI MSA | $885 | $1,013 | $1,158 | $1,545 | $1,637 |
| Kalkaska County | Kalkaska County, MI HUD Metro FMR Area | $813 | $818 | $1,014 | $1,404 | $1,426 |
| Kent County | Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI HUD Metro FMR Area | $1,306 | $1,365 | $1,630 | $2,113 | $2,417 |
| Keweenaw County | Keweenaw County, MI | $723 | $775 | $1,014 | $1,283 | $1,426 |
| Lake County | Lake County, MI | $763 | $817 | $1,069 | $1,418 | $1,775 |
| Lapeer County | Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area | $1,047 | $1,167 | $1,459 | $1,777 | $1,929 |
| Leelanau County | Leelanau County, MI HUD Metro FMR Area | $1,308 | $1,316 | $1,500 | $1,787 | $1,971 |
| Lenawee County | Lenawee County, MI | $832 | $913 | $1,195 | $1,504 | $1,571 |
| Livingston County | Livingston County, MI HUD Metro FMR Area | $1,168 | $1,291 | $1,477 | $2,045 | $2,366 |
| Luce County | Luce County, MI | $723 | $775 | $1,014 | $1,208 | $1,403 |
| Mackinac County | Mackinac County, MI | $803 | $808 | $1,057 | $1,287 | $1,486 |
| Macomb County | Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area | $1,047 | $1,167 | $1,459 | $1,777 | $1,929 |
| Manistee County | Manistee County, MI | $761 | $822 | $1,067 | $1,360 | $1,402 |
| Marquette County | Marquette County, MI | $835 | $1,012 | $1,199 | $1,429 | $1,696 |
| Mason County | Mason County, MI | $774 | $859 | $1,085 | $1,430 | $1,437 |
| Mecosta County | Mecosta County, MI | $758 | $863 | $1,063 | $1,323 | $1,644 |
| Menominee County | Menominee County, MI | $745 | $817 | $1,014 | $1,404 | $1,426 |
| Midland County | Midland, MI MSA | $920 | $936 | $1,205 | $1,498 | $1,790 |
| Missaukee County | Missaukee County, MI | $723 | $863 | $1,014 | $1,273 | $1,333 |
| Monroe County | Monroe, MI MSA | $908 | $997 | $1,304 | $1,595 | $2,153 |
| Montcalm County | Montcalm County, MI HUD Metro FMR Area | $822 | $1,001 | $1,181 | $1,450 | $1,560 |
| Montmorency County | Montmorency County, MI | $723 | $931 | $1,014 | $1,404 | $1,426 |
| Muskegon County | Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI MSA | $937 | $982 | $1,285 | $1,534 | $1,689 |
| Newaygo County | Newaygo County, MI | $733 | $786 | $1,028 | $1,423 | $1,445 |
| Oakland County | Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area | $1,047 | $1,167 | $1,459 | $1,777 | $1,929 |
| Oceana County | Oceana County, MI | $723 | $775 | $1,014 | $1,217 | $1,595 |
| Ogemaw County | Ogemaw County, MI | $737 | $841 | $1,033 | $1,231 | $1,358 |
| Ontonagon County | Ontonagon County, MI | $723 | $931 | $1,014 | $1,208 | $1,469 |
| Osceola County | Osceola County, MI | $748 | $801 | $1,048 | $1,249 | $1,377 |
| Oscoda County | Oscoda County, MI | $723 | $775 | $1,014 | $1,283 | $1,426 |
| Otsego County | Otsego County, MI | $938 | $944 | $1,192 | $1,511 | $1,676 |
| Ottawa County | Holland-Grand Haven, MI HUD Metro FMR Area | $1,077 | $1,357 | $1,546 | $1,947 | $2,306 |
| Presque Isle County | Presque Isle County, MI | $706 | $775 | $1,014 | $1,208 | $1,600 |
| Roscommon County | Roscommon County, MI | $723 | $775 | $1,014 | $1,232 | $1,695 |
| Saginaw County | Saginaw, MI MSA | $795 | $893 | $1,141 | $1,466 | $1,500 |
| Sanilac County | Sanilac County, MI | $723 | $775 | $1,014 | $1,290 | $1,333 |
| Schoolcraft County | Schoolcraft County, MI | $723 | $881 | $1,014 | $1,317 | $1,426 |
| Shiawassee County | Shiawassee County, MI | $798 | $829 | $1,085 | $1,457 | $1,644 |
| St. Clair County | Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area | $1,047 | $1,167 | $1,459 | $1,777 | $1,929 |
| St. Joseph County | St. Joseph County, MI | $752 | $800 | $1,046 | $1,382 | $1,461 |
| Tuscola County | Tuscola County, MI | $706 | $839 | $1,014 | $1,340 | $1,535 |
| Van Buren County | Van Buren County, MI | $724 | $795 | $1,040 | $1,370 | $1,425 |
| Washtenaw County | Ann Arbor, MI MSA | $1,458 | $1,503 | $1,804 | $2,164 | $2,371 |
| Wayne County | Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area | $1,047 | $1,167 | $1,459 | $1,777 | $1,929 |
| Wexford County | Wexford County, MI | $800 | $878 | $1,149 | $1,412 | $1,707 |
Two things in this table reward a second look. First, the 2-bedroom column (highlighted) is the standard benchmark: HUD and housing agencies quote it most often, and it is the column to use when comparing one county with another. Second, many counties share a rent area and therefore share identical figures — that is deliberate. HUD sets FMRs for rent areas, not individual counties: metropolitan counties in the same housing market get the same numbers, while each nonmetropolitan county is generally its own area. All figures are gross rents, meaning they include the cost of utilities on top of the lease rent.
Where Michigan rents run highest — and lowest
The three most expensive county listings in Michigan are Washtenaw ($1,804), Kent ($1,630), Ottawa ($1,546). The three least expensive are Alcona ($1,014), Alpena ($1,014), Arenac ($1,014). That 1.8× gap between the top and bottom of the table is mostly a story of housing markets rather than county lines: the priciest figures belong to counties inside or near the state's large metropolitan areas, where wages, land prices, and demand are highest, while the lowest figures are rural counties where HUD's formula rests on thinner rental markets and lower incomes.
Measured against what renters actually pay, 34% of Michigan's county listings carry a 2-bedroom FMR above the state's ACS median gross rent of $1,168. That pattern is expected rather than alarming. An FMR is set near the 40th percentile of rents paid by recent movers, and recent movers usually pay more than long-settled tenants, whose rents are held down by tenure. The ACS median, by contrast, covers every renter household including those in place for a decade. Read together, the two series bracket the market: the ACS median shows the typical existing rent, and the FMR shows what a new lease at the modest end of the market is expected to cost.
What income covers the typical Michigan two-bedroom?
The long-standing affordability yardstick is the 30% rule: a household is "cost-burdened" when gross rent takes more than 30% of gross income. At the median Michigan county 2-bedroom FMR of $1,085, staying under the line takes an annual income of about $43,400 — roughly $21 an hour for a full-time worker. In Washtenaw, the state's priciest market, the same rule requires about $72,160 a year. Our rent affordability calculator runs this math for your own income against the counties we cover in depth.
We also publish a dedicated page for Michigan’s largest rental market covered in depth: Wayne, with the full bedroom-by-bedroom table and the income each unit size takes under the 30% rule.
Compare with the neighboring state tables: Maine · Minnesota. Or go back to the national overview for the most and least expensive counties in the country.
Michigan rent questions
What is the average rent in Michigan?
The Census Bureau's American Community Survey put Michigan's median gross rent at $1,168 a month in 2024. HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rents put the median Michigan county 2-bedroom figure at $1,085, ranging from $1,014 in Alcona to $1,804 in Washtenaw.
What is a Fair Market Rent?
A Fair Market Rent is HUD's gross-rent benchmark for an area, set near the 40th percentile of rents paid by recent movers. Housing agencies use it to set payment standards for Housing Choice Vouchers, so it is a reliable yardstick for comparing rent levels between counties.
What salary do you need to rent a 2-bedroom in Michigan?
Under the common 30% rule — housing should cost no more than 30% of gross income — the median Michigan county 2-bedroom FMR of $1,085 a month implies an annual income of about $43,400. In the priciest county, Washtenaw, the same rule implies about $72,160.
Sources: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents FY2027 (county-level data file, effective October 1, 2026), huduser.gov; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table B25031 (median gross rent), census.gov. Last verified: October 2026.