County FMR · HUD FY2026

Iron County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Iron County, MI - 15% below the US average.

$814
1-bedroom FMR
$1,068
2-bedroom FMR
+14.5%
YoY change
-15%
vs US avg

The verdict

Iron is the 35th most expensive of 83 counties in Michigan by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,415 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 14.5% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.

#1,415
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#35
most expensive of 83 in Michigan (2BR)
-9%
vs the state average
$32,560
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (9.1%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (33.8%); 13 of 15 common occupations here can afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding the 30% threshold; 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 Iron County, MI. Verify with HUD →

HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Iron County, Michigan at $814 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,068/mo and a studio is $756/mo. This is 15% lower than the national average of $959 and 9% below the Michigan average of $891.

Rent increased14.5% from FY 2025 ($711), outpacing inflation. The 30% affordability floor is comparatively reachable here at $32,560/year.

Observed renter burden: 41.4% of the 788 renter households counted by ACS paid at least 30% of income in gross rent. This ACS 2023 household measure is distinct from HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent benchmark above.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Michigan. Population: 11,585. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+3.9%, Census ACS). That's faster than Michigan's statewide growth of +0.9% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area IRON·COUNTY·MI·MI

Iron County, MI: $814/mo 1BR · #1415 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA MI
  • 1BR-FMR $814
  • 2BR-FMR $1,068
  • RANK-MID #1,415
  • YOY-SURGE +14.5%
  • VSUS-BELOW -15%
  • VS-ST-LOW -9% MI
  • INC-ROOM 18%
  • POP-SMALL 12K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Wayne County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $733–$895
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Wayne ($308 1BR gap)

Read with: Section 8 housing guide

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $807 · US avg: $893
$756/mo
↑ 15.6% YoY -6% vs state -15% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $891 · US avg: $959
$814/mo
↑ 14.5% YoY -9% vs state -15% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,113 · US avg: $1,175
$1,068/mo
↑ 14.5% YoY -4% vs state -9% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,419 · US avg: $1,525
$1,281/mo
↑ 11.3% YoY -10% vs state -16% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,588 · US avg: $1,756
$1,414/mo
↑ 14.3% YoY -11% vs state -19% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $654
$756
+$102 (+15.6%)
1 Bedroom $711
$814
+$103 (+14.5%)
2 Bedroom $933
$1,068
+$135 (+14.5%)
3 Bedroom $1,151
$1,281
+$130 (+11.3%)
4 Bedroom $1,237
$1,414
+$177 (+14.3%)

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio
16.9%
Affordable
Need $30,240/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
18.2%
Affordable
Need $32,560/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
23.9%
Affordable
Need $42,720/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
28.7%
Affordable
Need $51,240/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
31.6%
Burdened
Need $56,560/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%23.9%
Iron County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $53,614 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Michigan rent burden →

Where Iron sits among every US county

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

$1,068 higher than 55% of 3,145 counties

$600–$800: 23 counties (1%). Below this entry. $800–$1,000: 1,406 counties (45%). Below this entry. $1,000–$1,200: 723 counties (23%). This entry sits in this band. $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 Iron compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Michigan counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Iron 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), Iron County (this county) ($814).

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

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

With a below-average 1-bedroom at $814/mo, most of these Michigan occupations clear, or miss, the 30% affordability line.

Occupation MI Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $107,820 9.1% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $99,660 9.8% Affordable
Registered Nurses $85,670 11.4% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $77,720 12.6% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $74,420 13.1% Affordable
Electricians $72,680 13.4% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $62,350 15.7% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $61,490 15.9% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $55,140 17.7% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $42,560 23% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $40,040 24.4% Affordable
Janitors & Cleaners $35,000 27.9% Affordable
Retail Salespersons $33,340 29.3% Affordable
Teaching Assistants $30,960 31.6% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $28,870 33.8% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (Michigan) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

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

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Iron (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 40.8% overall, from $578 to $814. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +14.5% in FY 2026, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.

$500$600$700$800$900 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $814
Iron County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑14.5% $756 $814 $1,068
FY 2025 ↑3.2% $654 $711 $933
FY 2024 ↑9.7% $613 $689 $905
FY 2023 ↑6.1% $552 $628 $826
FY 2022 ↓1.0% $513 $592 $757
FY 2021 ↑3.5% $501 $598 $734
FY 2020 $494 $578 $713
Total change (6yr): +40.8%
Annualized: +5.9%/yr
1 BR: $578 → $814

Where Iron County Ranks in Michigan

Iron County is not part of any federally-designated metropolitan or micropolitan statistical area -- an independent rental market not administratively tied to a larger urban core. By 2-bedroom FMR, it ranks #49 of 83 counties in Michigan. Nearest by rank: Bay County ($1,030), Genesee County ($1,033), Crawford County ($1,038), Charlevoix County ($1,039), Manistee County ($1,048), Cheboygan County ($1,054), Chippewa County ($1,066), Shiawassee County ($1,066), Iron County (this county) ($1,068), Alger County ($1,072), Wexford County ($1,084), Otsego County ($1,100), Saginaw County ($1,117), Marquette County ($1,137), Antrim County ($1,162), Kalamazoo County ($1,162), Jackson County ($1,165).

Bay County
2 BR: $1,030/mo
Genesee County
2 BR: $1,033/mo
Crawford County
2 BR: $1,038/mo
Charlevoix County
2 BR: $1,039/mo
Manistee County
2 BR: $1,048/mo
Cheboygan County
2 BR: $1,054/mo
Chippewa County
2 BR: $1,066/mo
Shiawassee County
2 BR: $1,066/mo
Iron County (this county)
2 BR: $1,068/mo
Alger County
2 BR: $1,072/mo
Wexford County
2 BR: $1,084/mo
Otsego County
2 BR: $1,100/mo
Saginaw County
2 BR: $1,117/mo
Marquette County
2 BR: $1,137/mo
Antrim County
2 BR: $1,162/mo
Kalamazoo County
2 BR: $1,162/mo
Jackson County
2 BR: $1,165/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Iron 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).

Riley County
KS · 2 BR $1,068/mo
Jackson County
FL · 2 BR $1,068/mo
Wapello County
IA · 2 BR $1,068/mo
Palo Pinto County
TX · 2 BR $1,068/mo

Similar rent burden

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

Harrison County
MS · 23.9% of income · 2 BR $1,140/mo
Wahkiakum County
WA · 23.9% of income · 2 BR $1,137/mo
Rockingham County
NH · 23.9% of income · 2 BR $2,270/mo
Lawrence County
AR · 23.9% of income · 2 BR $880/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 Iron County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Iron County is $814 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,068 and a studio is $756.
How does Iron County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Iron County is 15% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $814 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Iron County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Iron County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,068 ranks #1,415 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the middle half of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Iron County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $32,560 ($2,713/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Iron County.
Is rent going up or down in Iron County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Iron County increased by 14.5% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $711 to $814.
Which jobs can afford rent in Iron 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 $814/mo. 13 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Iron County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Iron County went from $578 in FY 2020 to $814 in FY 2026, a total change of +40.8% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Iron County? ▼
In Iron County, the FY 2026 FMR of $814/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 Iron County? ▼
For Iron County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($814/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.