County FMR · HUD FY2026
Mackinac County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Mackinac County, MI - 19% below the US average.
- $780
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,023
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +9.7%
- YoY change
- -19%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Mackinac is the 39th cheapest of 83 counties in Michigan by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,542 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 9.7% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.
- #1,542
- most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #39
- cheapest of 83 in Michigan (2BR)
- -12%
- vs the state average
- $31,200
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (8.7%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (32.4%); 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 Mackinac County, MI. Verify with HUD →
HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Mackinac County, Michigan at $780 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,023/mo and a studio is $775/mo. This is 19% lower than the national average of $959 and 12% below the Michigan average of $891.
Rent increased9.7% from FY 2025 ($711), outpacing inflation. The 30% affordability floor is comparatively reachable here at $31,200/year.
Observed renter burden: 29.7% of the 1,158 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.
Market slack: The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 12.3%, a loose rental market that typically gives renters more negotiating leverage than the FMR schedule alone implies.
Local labor market: The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 10.2% over the past 12 months, well above the national norm, a headwind for household budgets that can also soften local rent growth.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Michigan. Population: 10,843. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+0.4%, Census ACS). That's in line with Michigan's statewide growth of +0.9% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area MACKINAC·COUNTY·MI·MI
Mackinac County, MI: $780/mo 1BR · #1542 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA MI
- 1BR-FMR $780
- 2BR-FMR $1,023
- RANK-MID #1,542
- YOY-SURGE +9.7%
- VSUS-BELOW -19%
- VS-ST-LOW -12% MI
- INC-ROOM 16%
- POP-SMALL 11K
- PHOTO-NEAR Wayne County
- VOUCH-90-110 $702–$858
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Wayne ($342 1BR gap)
Read with: Section 8 housing guide
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $707 | $775 | +$68 (+9.6%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $711 | $780 | +$69 (+9.7%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $933 | $1,023 | +$90 (+9.6%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,124 | $1,227 | +$103 (+9.2%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,328 | $1,451 | +$123 (+9.3%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Mackinac County. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.
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.
Where Mackinac sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,023 higher than 49% of 3,145 counties
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 Mackinac compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Michigan counties
- Washtenaw
Washtenaw County
$1,387 1BR FMR / mo
- Kent
Kent County
$1,278 1BR FMR / mo
- Wayne
Wayne County
$1,122 1BR FMR / mo
- Oakland
Oakland County
$1,122 1BR FMR / mo
- Macomb
Macomb County
$1,122 1BR FMR / mo
- Genesee
Genesee County
$856 1BR FMR / mo
- Mackinac
Mackinac County
$780 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Mackinac 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), Mackinac County (this county) ($780).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
With a below-average 1-bedroom at $780/mo, most of these Michigan occupations clear, or miss, the 30% affordability line.
| Occupation | MI Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $107,820 | 8.7% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $99,660 | 9.4% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $85,670 | 10.9% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $77,720 | 12% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $74,420 | 12.6% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $72,680 | 12.9% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $62,350 | 15% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $61,490 | 15.2% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $55,140 | 17% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $42,560 | 22% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $40,040 | 23.4% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $35,000 | 26.7% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $33,340 | 28.1% | Affordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $30,960 | 30.2% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $28,870 | 32.4% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Mackinac County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Mackinac (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 25.6% overall, from $621 to $780. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 10.1% (FY 2023).
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑9.7% | $775 | $780 | $1,023 |
| FY 2025 ↓2.5% | $707 | $711 | $933 |
| FY 2024 ↓0.3% | $725 | $729 | $905 |
| FY 2023 ↑10.1% | $571 | $731 | $826 |
| FY 2022 ↑3.1% | $524 | $664 | $757 |
| FY 2021 ↑3.7% | $503 | $644 | $734 |
| FY 2020 | $495 | $621 | $713 |
Where Mackinac County Ranks in Michigan
Mackinac 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 #39 of 83 counties in Michigan. Nearest by rank: Ogemaw County ($989), Cass County ($993), Lake County ($994), Hillsdale County ($1,002), Mecosta County ($1,010), Isabella County ($1,013), Van Buren County ($1,016), St. Joseph County ($1,019), Mackinac County (this county) ($1,023), Mason County ($1,026), 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).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Mackinac 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).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside MI).
Nearby Counties in Michigan
Largest counties by population in Michigan
Showing the 8 largest of 82 other counties in Michigan.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Mackinac County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Mackinac County is $780 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,023 and a studio is $775.
How does Mackinac County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Mackinac County is 19% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $780 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Mackinac County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Mackinac County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,023 ranks #1,542 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 Mackinac County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $31,200 ($2,600/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Mackinac County.
Is rent going up or down in Mackinac County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Mackinac County increased by 9.7% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $711 to $780.
Which jobs can afford rent in Mackinac 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 $780/mo. 13 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Mackinac County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Mackinac County went from $621 in FY 2020 to $780 in FY 2026, a total change of +25.6% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Mackinac County?
In Mackinac County, the FY 2026 FMR of $780/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 Mackinac County?
For Mackinac County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($780/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Mackinac County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 12.3%, a loose rental market that typically gives renters more negotiating leverage than the FMR schedule alone implies.
What is the unemployment rate in Mackinac County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 10.2% over the past 12 months, well above the national norm, a headwind for household budgets that can also soften local rent growth.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Mackinac's FY2026 Fair Market Rent as HUD's affordability benchmark, not a single market quote.
- Budget to roughly 30% of income: the FY2026 1-bedroom FMR of $780 implies about $31,200/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Michigan counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Wayne
- See where Mackinac ranks nationally on rent. National rankings
Fair Market Rent is HUD's 40th-percentile policy benchmark used to set Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. Actual asking rents can run higher or lower, and HUD updates FMRs once a year. This site is informational and not financial or relocation advice.
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.