County FMR · HUD FY2026

Livingston County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Livingston County, MI - 32% above the US average.

$1,264
1-bedroom FMR
$1,457
2-bedroom FMR
+3.9%
YoY change
+32%
vs US avg

The verdict

Livingston is the 5th most expensive of 83 counties in Michigan by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #503 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties.

#503
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#5
most expensive of 83 in Michigan (2BR)
+42%
vs the state average
$50,560
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (14.1%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (52.5%); 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 Livingston County, MI. Verify with HUD →

Livingston County, Michigan carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,264 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,457/mo and a studio is $1,005/mo. That's 32% above the national benchmark of $959 and 42% above the Michigan average of $891.

Rent increased3.9% from FY 2025 ($1,216), outpacing inflation. A household needs about $50,560/year to stay under the 30% rent-to-income line.

Observed renter burden: 43.7% of the 10,133 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: 194,302. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+3.5%, Census ACS). That's faster than Michigan's statewide growth of +0.9% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area LIVINGSTON·COUNTY·MI·MI

Livingston County, MI: $1,264/mo 1BR · #503 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA MI
  • 1BR-FMR $1,264
  • 2BR-FMR $1,457
  • RANK-MID #503
  • YOY-UP +3.9%
  • VSUS-HIGH +32%
  • VS-ST-HIGH +42% MI
  • INC-ROOM 15%
  • POP-MID 194K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Wayne County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $1,138–$1,390
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Wayne ($142 1BR gap)

Read with: Understanding rent burden

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $807 · US avg: $893
$1,005/mo
↑ 3.8% YoY +25% vs state +13% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $891 · US avg: $959
$1,264/mo
↑ 3.9% YoY +42% vs state +32% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,113 · US avg: $1,175
$1,457/mo
↑ 3.3% YoY +31% vs state +24% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,419 · US avg: $1,525
$2,026/mo
↑ 2.7% YoY +43% vs state +33% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,588 · US avg: $1,756
$2,285/mo
↑ 3.3% YoY +44% vs state +30% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $968
$1,005
+$37 (+3.8%)
1 Bedroom $1,216
$1,264
+$48 (+3.9%)
2 Bedroom $1,411
$1,457
+$46 (+3.3%)
3 Bedroom $1,972
$2,026
+$54 (+2.7%)
4 Bedroom $2,212
$2,285
+$73 (+3.3%)

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio
11.9%
Affordable
Need $40,200/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
15%
Affordable
Need $50,560/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
17.3%
Affordable
Need $58,280/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
24%
Affordable
Need $81,040/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
27.1%
Affordable
Need $91,400/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%17.3%
Livingston County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $101,315 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Michigan rent burden →

Where Livingston sits among every US county

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

$1,457 Top 16% higher than 84% 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 Livingston compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Michigan counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Livingston is highlighted. Nearby Michigan counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Washtenaw County ($1,387), Kent County ($1,278), Livingston County (this county) ($1,264), 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 $1,264/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 14.1% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $99,660 15.2% Affordable
Registered Nurses $85,670 17.7% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $77,720 19.5% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $74,420 20.4% Affordable
Electricians $72,680 20.9% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $62,350 24.3% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $61,490 24.7% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $55,140 27.5% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $42,560 35.6% Stretched
Pharmacy Technicians $40,040 37.9% Stretched
Janitors & Cleaners $35,000 43.3% Stretched
Retail Salespersons $33,340 45.5% Stretched
Teaching Assistants $30,960 49% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $28,870 52.5% Unaffordable
Salaries: BLS OES (Michigan) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

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

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Livingston (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 57.8% overall, from $801 to $1,264. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +14.0% in FY 2023, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.

$600$800$1,000$1,200$1,400 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $1,264
Livingston County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑3.9% $1,005 $1,264 $1,457
FY 2025 ↑5.3% $968 $1,216 $1,411
FY 2024 ↑8.0% $920 $1,155 $1,358
FY 2023 ↑14.0% $843 $1,069 $1,261
FY 2022 ↑6.5% $747 $938 $1,125
FY 2021 ↑10.0% $757 $881 $1,080
FY 2020 $657 $801 $1,007
Total change (6yr): +57.8%
Annualized: +7.9%/yr
1 BR: $801 → $1,264

Part of the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI Metro Area

Livingston County is a outlying county of the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metropolitan statistical area, alongside 5 other metro-area counties.

Livingston County ranks #1 of 6 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Livingston County (this county) ($1,264), Wayne County ($1,122), Oakland County ($1,122), Macomb County ($1,122), St. Clair County ($1,122), Lapeer County ($1,122).

Livingston County (this county)
1 BR: $1,264/mo
Wayne County
1 BR: $1,122/mo
Oakland County
1 BR: $1,122/mo
Macomb County
1 BR: $1,122/mo
St. Clair County
1 BR: $1,122/mo
Lapeer County
1 BR: $1,122/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Livingston 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).

Clatsop County
OR · 2 BR $1,457/mo
Grundy County
IL · 2 BR $1,459/mo
Utah County
UT · 2 BR $1,460/mo
Kittitas County
WA · 2 BR $1,454/mo

Similar rent burden

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

Dale County
AL · 17.3% of income · 2 BR $776/mo
Livingston County
IL · 17.3% of income · 2 BR $1,018/mo
Garrard County
KY · 17.3% of income · 2 BR $900/mo
Johnson County
MO · 17.3% of income · 2 BR $965/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 Livingston County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Livingston County is $1,264 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,457 and a studio is $1,005.
How does Livingston County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Livingston County is 32% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,264 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Livingston County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Livingston County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,457 ranks #503 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 Livingston County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $50,560 ($4,213/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Livingston County.
Is rent going up or down in Livingston County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Livingston County increased by 3.9% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,216 to $1,264.
Which jobs can afford rent in Livingston 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 $1,264/mo. 9 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Livingston County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Livingston County went from $801 in FY 2020 to $1,264 in FY 2026, a total change of +57.8% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Livingston County? ▼
In Livingston County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,264/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 Livingston County? ▼
For Livingston County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,264/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.