County FMR · HUD FY2026

Leelanau County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Leelanau County, MI - 42% above the US average.

$1,366
1-bedroom FMR
$1,497
2-bedroom FMR
+15.5%
YoY change
+42%
vs US avg

The verdict

Leelanau is the 4th most expensive of 83 counties in Michigan by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #472 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 15.5% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.

#472
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#4
most expensive of 83 in Michigan (2BR)
+53%
vs the state average
$54,640
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (15.2%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (56.8%); 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 Leelanau County, MI. Verify with HUD →

HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Leelanau County, Michigan at $1,366 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,497/mo and a studio is $1,106/mo. This is 42% higher than the national average of $959 and 53% above the Michigan average of $891.

Rent increased15.5% from FY 2025 ($1,183), outpacing inflation. A household needs about $54,640/year to stay under the 30% rent-to-income line.

Observed renter burden: 33.1% of the 891 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: 22,426. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+4.5%, Census ACS). That's faster than Michigan's statewide growth of +0.9% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area LEELANAU·COUNTY·MI·MI

Leelanau County, MI: $1,366/mo 1BR · #472 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA MI
  • 1BR-FMR $1,366
  • 2BR-FMR $1,497
  • RANK-MID #472
  • YOY-SURGE +15.5%
  • VSUS-HIGH +42%
  • VS-ST-HIGH +53% MI
  • INC-ROOM 18%
  • POP-SMALL 22K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Wayne County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $1,229–$1,503
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Wayne ($244 1BR gap)

Read with: Understanding rent burden

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $807 · US avg: $893
$1,106/mo
↑ 18.9% YoY +37% vs state +24% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $891 · US avg: $959
$1,366/mo
↑ 15.5% YoY +53% vs state +42% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,113 · US avg: $1,175
$1,497/mo
↑ 12.7% YoY +35% vs state +27% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,419 · US avg: $1,525
$1,795/mo
↑ 12.2% YoY +26% vs state +18% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,588 · US avg: $1,756
$1,982/mo
↑ 12.5% YoY +25% vs state +13% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $930
$1,106
+$176 (+18.9%)
1 Bedroom $1,183
$1,366
+$183 (+15.5%)
2 Bedroom $1,328
$1,497
+$169 (+12.7%)
3 Bedroom $1,600
$1,795
+$195 (+12.2%)
4 Bedroom $1,761
$1,982
+$221 (+12.5%)

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio
14.4%
Affordable
Need $44,240/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
17.8%
Affordable
Need $54,640/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
19.5%
Affordable
Need $59,880/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
23.4%
Affordable
Need $71,800/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
25.9%
Affordable
Need $79,280/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%19.5%
Leelanau County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $91,943 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Michigan rent burden →

Where Leelanau sits among every US county

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

$1,497 Top 15% higher than 85% 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%). Below this entry. $1,200–$1,400: 417 counties (13%). Below this entry. $1,400–$1,600: 181 counties (6%). This entry sits in this band. $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 Leelanau compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Michigan counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Leelanau is highlighted. Nearby Michigan counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Washtenaw County ($1,387), Leelanau County (this county) ($1,366), Kent County ($1,278), Wayne County ($1,122), Oakland County ($1,122), Macomb County ($1,122), Genesee County ($856).

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

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

Against a high local FMR of $1,366/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using Michigan BLS wages?

Occupation MI Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $107,820 15.2% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $99,660 16.4% Affordable
Registered Nurses $85,670 19.1% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $77,720 21.1% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $74,420 22% Affordable
Electricians $72,680 22.6% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $62,350 26.3% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $61,490 26.7% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $55,140 29.7% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $42,560 38.5% Stretched
Pharmacy Technicians $40,040 40.9% Stretched
Janitors & Cleaners $35,000 46.8% Stretched
Retail Salespersons $33,340 49.2% Stretched
Teaching Assistants $30,960 52.9% Unaffordable
Fast Food & Counter Workers $28,870 56.8% Unaffordable
Salaries: BLS OES (Michigan) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

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

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Leelanau (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 107.9% overall, from $657 to $1,366. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +20.8% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.

$600$800$1,000$1,200$1,400$1,600 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $1,366
Leelanau County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑15.5% $1,106 $1,366 $1,497
FY 2025 ↑19.1% $930 $1,183 $1,328
FY 2024 ↑20.8% $894 $993 $1,279
FY 2023 ↑11.2% $731 $822 $1,057
FY 2022 ↑4.2% $658 $739 $933
FY 2021 ↑7.9% $669 $709 $873
FY 2020 $649 $657 $790
Total change (6yr): +107.9%
Annualized: +13.0%/yr
1 BR: $657 → $1,366

Part of the Traverse City, MI Metro Area

Leelanau County is a outlying county of the Traverse City, MI metropolitan statistical area, alongside 3 other metro-area counties.

Leelanau County ranks #1 of 4 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Leelanau County (this county) ($1,366), Grand Traverse County ($1,143), Benzie County ($937), Kalkaska County ($766).

Leelanau County (this county)
1 BR: $1,366/mo
Grand Traverse County
1 BR: $1,143/mo
Benzie County
1 BR: $937/mo
Kalkaska County
1 BR: $766/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Leelanau 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).

Polk County
FL · 2 BR $1,497/mo
Pike County
PA · 2 BR $1,496/mo
Linn County
OR · 2 BR $1,500/mo
Chelan County
WA · 2 BR $1,500/mo

Similar rent burden

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

Power County
ID · 19.5% of income · 2 BR $973/mo
Giles County
TN · 19.5% of income · 2 BR $1,001/mo
Medina County
TX · 19.5% of income · 2 BR $1,196/mo
Madison County
IL · 19.5% of income · 2 BR $1,218/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 Leelanau County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Leelanau County is $1,366 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,497 and a studio is $1,106.
How does Leelanau County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Leelanau County is 42% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,366 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Leelanau County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Leelanau County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,497 ranks #472 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the upper-rent quarter of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Leelanau County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $54,640 ($4,553/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Leelanau County.
Is rent going up or down in Leelanau County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Leelanau County increased by 15.5% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,183 to $1,366.
Which jobs can afford rent in Leelanau 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 $1,366/mo. 9 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Leelanau County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Leelanau County went from $657 in FY 2020 to $1,366 in FY 2026, a total change of +107.9% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Leelanau County? ▼
In Leelanau County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,366/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 Leelanau County? ▼
For Leelanau County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,366/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.