County FMR · HUD FY2026
Montcalm County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Montcalm County, MI - 6% above the US average.
- $1,016
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,203
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +15.1%
- YoY change
- +6%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Montcalm is the 22nd most expensive of 83 counties in Michigan by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #975 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 15.1% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.
- #975
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #22
- most expensive of 83 in Michigan (2BR)
- +14%
- vs the state average
- $40,640
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (11.3%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (42.2%); 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 Montcalm County, MI. Verify with HUD →
The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Montcalm County, Michigan is $1,016 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $1,203/mo and a studio is $829/mo. This is 6% higher than the national average of $959 and 14% above the Michigan average of $891.
Rent increased15.1% from FY 2025 ($883), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $40,640/year for a 1-bedroom.
Observed renter burden: 37.1% of the 4,304 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 6.7%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
Local labor market: The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 4.8% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Michigan. Population: 66,901. Population grew 6.3% over the past five years (Census ACS) - among the faster-growing counties nationally, a trend that typically adds upward pressure on rents. That's faster than Michigan's statewide growth of +0.9% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area MONTCALM·COUNTY·MI·MI
Montcalm County, MI: $1,016/mo 1BR · #975 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA MI
- 1BR-FMR $1,016
- 2BR-FMR $1,203
- RANK-MID #975
- YOY-SURGE +15.1%
- VSUS-NEAR +6%
- VS-ST-HIGH +14% MI
- INC-ROOM 19%
- POP-MID 67K
- PHOTO-NEAR Wayne County
- VOUCH-90-110 $914–$1,118
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Wayne ($106 1BR gap)
Read with: How Fair Market Rent works
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $740 | $829 | +$89 (+12.0%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $883 | $1,016 | +$133 (+15.1%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,058 | $1,203 | +$145 (+13.7%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,297 | $1,473 | +$176 (+13.6%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,403 | $1,593 | +$190 (+13.5%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Montcalm 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 Montcalm sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,203 Top 31% higher than 69% 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 Montcalm 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
- Montcalm
Montcalm County
$1,016 1BR FMR / mo
- Genesee
Genesee County
$856 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Montcalm 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), Montcalm County (this county) ($1,016), Genesee County ($856).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $1,016/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 | 11.3% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $99,660 | 12.2% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $85,670 | 14.2% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $77,720 | 15.7% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $74,420 | 16.4% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $72,680 | 16.8% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $62,350 | 19.6% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $61,490 | 19.8% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $55,140 | 22.1% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $42,560 | 28.6% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $40,040 | 30.4% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $35,000 | 34.8% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $33,340 | 36.6% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $30,960 | 39.4% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $28,870 | 42.2% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Montcalm County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Montcalm (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 69.9% overall, from $598 to $1,016. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +18.3% in FY 2023, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑15.1% | $829 | $1,016 | $1,203 |
| FY 2025 ↑7.9% | $740 | $883 | $1,058 |
| FY 2024 ↑8.2% | $719 | $818 | $996 |
| FY 2023 ↑18.3% | $696 | $756 | $922 |
| FY 2022 ↓0.6% | $608 | $639 | $782 |
| FY 2021 ↑7.5% | $634 | $643 | $790 |
| FY 2020 | $595 | $598 | $748 |
Part of the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
Montcalm County is a outlying county of the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI metropolitan statistical area, alongside 4 other metro-area counties.
Montcalm County ranks #4 of 5 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Ottawa County ($1,333), Kent County ($1,278), Barry County ($1,017), Montcalm County (this county) ($1,016), Ionia County ($921).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Montcalm 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 Montcalm County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Montcalm County is $1,016 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,203 and a studio is $829.
How does Montcalm County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Montcalm County is 6% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,016 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Montcalm County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Montcalm County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,203 ranks #975 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 Montcalm County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $40,640 ($3,387/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Montcalm County.
Is rent going up or down in Montcalm County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Montcalm County increased by 15.1% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $883 to $1,016.
Which jobs can afford rent in Montcalm 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 $1,016/mo. 10 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Montcalm County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Montcalm County went from $598 in FY 2020 to $1,016 in FY 2026, a total change of +69.9% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Montcalm County?
In Montcalm County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,016/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 Montcalm County?
For Montcalm County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,016/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Montcalm County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 6.7%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
What is the unemployment rate in Montcalm County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 4.8% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Montcalm'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 $1,016 implies about $40,640/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 Montcalm 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.