County FMR · HUD FY2026

Branch County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Branch County, MI - 12% below the US average.

$840
1-bedroom FMR
$973
2-bedroom FMR
+8.2%
YoY change
-12%
vs US avg

The verdict

Branch is the 5th cheapest of 83 counties in Michigan by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #976 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 8.2% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.

#976
most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#5
cheapest of 83 in Michigan (2BR)
-6%
vs the state average
$33,600
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (9.3%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (34.9%); nearby Michigan counties range as much as 62% apart in 1-bedroom FMR, so the county line itself can matter for renters comparing options.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Branch County, MI. Verify with HUD →

HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Branch County, Michigan at $840 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $973/mo and a studio is $689/mo. This is 12% lower than the national average of $959 and 6% below the Michigan average of $891.

Rent increased8.2% from FY 2025 ($776), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $33,600/year for a 1-bedroom.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Michigan. Population: 44,795. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+3.1%, Census ACS). That's faster than Michigan's statewide growth of +0.9% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area BRANCH·COUNTY·MI·MI

Branch County, MI: $840/mo 1BR · #976 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA MI
  • 1BR-FMR $840
  • 2BR-FMR $973
  • RANK-MID #976
  • YOY-SURGE +8.2%
  • VSUS-BELOW -12%
  • VS-ST-NEAR -6% MI
  • INC-ROOM 16%
  • POP-SMALL 45K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Wayne County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $756–$924
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Wayne ($282 1BR gap)

Read with: How Fair Market Rent works

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $807 · US avg: $893
$689/mo
↑ 2.4% YoY -15% vs state -23% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $891 · US avg: $959
$840/mo
↑ 8.2% YoY -6% vs state -12% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,113 · US avg: $1,175
$973/mo
↑ 4.3% YoY -13% vs state -17% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,419 · US avg: $1,525
$1,324/mo
↑ 7.5% YoY -7% vs state -13% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,588 · US avg: $1,756
$1,329/mo
↑ 7.4% YoY -16% vs state -24% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $673
$689
+$16 (+2.4%)
1 Bedroom $776
$840
+$64 (+8.2%)
2 Bedroom $933
$973
+$40 (+4.3%)
3 Bedroom $1,232
$1,324
+$92 (+7.5%)
4 Bedroom $1,237
$1,329
+$92 (+7.4%)

Rent Burden Analysis

How much of household income goes to rent in Branch County. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.

Studio
13.3%
Affordable
Need $27,560/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
16.3%
Affordable
Need $33,600/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
18.8%
Affordable
Need $38,920/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
25.6%
Affordable
Need $52,960/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
25.7%
Affordable
Need $53,160/yr for 30% rule
How we calculate this

Rent burden = (FMR × 12) ÷ county median household income. Required income = (FMR × 12) ÷ 0.3, the federal 30%-of-gross-income rule HUD uses to define cost burden. Median household income is from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey; FMR is from HUD's FY2026 release. See methodology.

0%100%National avg22%18.8%
Branch County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $61,958 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Michigan rent burden →

Where Branch sits among every US county

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties

$973 higher than 31% of 3,145 counties

$600–$800: 23 counties (1%). Below this entry. $800–$1,000: 1,406 counties (45%). This entry sits in this band. $1,000–$1,200: 723 counties (23%). Above this entry. $1,200–$1,400: 417 counties (13%). Above this entry. $1,400–$1,600: 181 counties (6%). Above this entry. $1,600–$1,800: 172 counties (5%). Above this entry. $1,800–$2,000: 108 counties (3%). Above this entry. $2,000–$2,200: 29 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,200–$2,400: 40 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,400–$2,600: 13 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,600–$2,800: 9 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,800–$3,000: 15 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,000–$3,200: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,200–$3,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,400–$3,600: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,600–$3,800: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,800–$4,000: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,000–$4,200: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,200–$4,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. This county $600 $4,400 every US county, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $0.2K-wide band; taller bars hold more counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents · FY2026

How Branch compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Michigan counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Branch is highlighted. Nearby Michigan counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Washtenaw County ($1,387), Kent County ($1,278), Wayne County ($1,122), Oakland County ($1,122), Macomb County ($1,122), Genesee County ($856), Branch County (this county) ($840).

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) As of FY2026

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

How a 1-bedroom at $840/mo compares to Michigan salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).

Occupation MI Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $107,820 9.3% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $99,660 10.1% Affordable
Registered Nurses $85,670 11.8% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $77,720 13% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $74,420 13.5% Affordable
Electricians $72,680 13.9% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $62,350 16.2% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $61,490 16.4% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $55,140 18.3% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $42,560 23.7% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $40,040 25.2% Affordable
Janitors & Cleaners $35,000 28.8% Affordable
Retail Salespersons $33,340 30.2% Stretched
Teaching Assistants $30,960 32.6% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $28,870 34.9% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (Michigan) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

7-year Fair Market Rent history for Branch County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Branch (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 45.3% overall, from $578 to $840. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +15.0% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.

$500$600$700$800$900 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $840
Branch County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑8.2% $689 $840 $973
FY 2025 ↑3.2% $673 $776 $933
FY 2024 ↑15.0% $747 $752 $928
FY 2023 ↑4.0% $650 $654 $828
FY 2022 ↑0.6% $619 $629 $796
FY 2021 ↑8.1% $589 $625 $792
FY 2020 $551 $578 $732
Total change (6yr): +45.3%
Annualized: +6.4%/yr
1 BR: $578 → $840

Part of the Coldwater, MI Micro Area

Branch County is a central county of the Coldwater, MI micropolitan statistical area.

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Branch County, both outside Michigan so the link neighborhoods are not the same-state geography lattice above. Axes stay disjoint: burden peers exclude the FMR peer set.

Similar 2-bedroom FMR

Nearest HUD 2BR Fair Market Rents outside MI (FY2026).

Mahoning County
OH · 2 BR $973/mo
Trumbull County
OH · 2 BR $973/mo
Richland County
OH · 2 BR $973/mo
Columbiana County
OH · 2 BR $973/mo

Similar rent burden

Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside MI).

Webster County
MO · 18.8% of income · 2 BR $1,095/mo
Bureau County
IL · 18.8% of income · 2 BR $1,035/mo
Rockbridge County
VA · 18.9% of income · 2 BR $1,005/mo
Gibson County
TN · 18.9% of income · 2 BR $927/mo

Nearby Counties in Michigan

Largest counties by population in Michigan

Showing the 8 largest of 82 other counties in Michigan.

Wayne County
1 BR: $1,122/mo Pop: 1,781,641
Oakland County
1 BR: $1,122/mo Pop: 1,272,264
Macomb County
1 BR: $1,122/mo Pop: 878,453
Kent County
1 BR: $1,278/mo Pop: 657,321
Genesee County
1 BR: $856/mo Pop: 405,280
Washtenaw County
1 BR: $1,387/mo Pop: 370,231
Ottawa County
1 BR: $1,333/mo Pop: 296,183
Ingham County
1 BR: $1,012/mo Pop: 282,540
View all counties in Michigan →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Branch County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Branch County is $840 per month. A 2-bedroom is $973 and a studio is $689.
How does Branch County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Branch County is 12% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $840 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Branch County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Branch County's 2-bedroom FMR of $973 ranks #976 most affordable among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the middle half of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Branch County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $33,600 ($2,800/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Branch County.
Is rent going up or down in Branch County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Branch County increased by 8.2% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $776 to $840.
Which jobs can afford rent in Branch County? ▼
Based on Michigan BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $840/mo. 12 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Branch County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Branch County went from $578 in FY 2020 to $840 in FY 2026, a total change of +45.3% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Branch County? ▼
In Branch County, the FY 2026 FMR of $840/mo for a 1-bedroom sets the baseline that local housing authorities use for Section 8 payment standards.
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Branch County? ▼
For Branch County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($840/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and HUD Fair Market Rents. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.

All federal data sources used on this page
  • HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) - county-level fair-market rent estimates by bedroom count. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
  • HUD Income Limits - area median income for affordability calculations. huduser.gov/datasets/il
  • HUD Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) - rent burden and housing-cost distribution. huduser.gov/datasets/cp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - county and metro housing characteristics + median rent. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • BLS Consumer Price Index, Rent of Primary Residence - rent inflation by metro. bls.gov/cpi
  • IRS Migration Data (SOI) - interstate migration aggregates affecting county demand. irs.gov/statistics/migration
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics - state-level median wages by occupation, used for job affordability analysis. bls.gov/oes

Every figure on PlainRent is rendered directly from HUD's published Fair Market Rent records, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of FY 2026.