County FMR · HUD FY2026

Ontonagon County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Ontonagon County, MI - 7% below the US average.

$888
1-bedroom FMR
$973
2-bedroom FMR
+5.3%
YoY change
-7%
vs US avg

The verdict

Ontonagon is the 20th cheapest of 83 counties in Michigan by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #976 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 5.3% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.

#976
most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#20
cheapest of 83 in Michigan (2BR)
-0%
vs the state average
$35,520
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (9.9%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (36.9%); 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 Ontonagon County, MI. Verify with HUD →

Ontonagon County, Michigan carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $888 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $973/mo and a studio is $689/mo. That's 7% below the national benchmark of $959 and 0% below the Michigan average of $891.

Rent increased5.3% from FY 2025 ($843), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $35,520/year for a 1-bedroom.

Observed renter burden: 31.4% of the 379 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: 5,862. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-1.6%, Census ACS). That's slower than Michigan's statewide growth of +0.9% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area ONTONAGON·COUNTY·MI·MI

Ontonagon County, MI: $888/mo 1BR · #976 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA MI
  • 1BR-FMR $888
  • 2BR-FMR $973
  • RANK-MID #976
  • YOY-SURGE +5.3%
  • VSUS-NEAR -7%
  • VS-ST-NEAR -0% MI
  • INC-MID 21%
  • POP-SMALL 6K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Wayne County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $799–$977
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Wayne ($234 1BR gap)

Read with: How Fair Market Rent works

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $807 · US avg: $893
$689/mo
↑ 5.4% YoY -15% vs state -23% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $891 · US avg: $959
$888/mo
↑ 5.3% YoY -0% vs state -7% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,113 · US avg: $1,175
$973/mo
↑ 4.3% YoY -13% vs state -17% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,419 · US avg: $1,525
$1,242/mo
↑ 3.8% YoY -12% vs state -19% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,588 · US avg: $1,756
$1,632/mo
↑ 4.1% YoY +3% vs state -7% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $654
$689
+$35 (+5.4%)
1 Bedroom $843
$888
+$45 (+5.3%)
2 Bedroom $933
$973
+$40 (+4.3%)
3 Bedroom $1,196
$1,242
+$46 (+3.8%)
4 Bedroom $1,567
$1,632
+$65 (+4.1%)

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio
15.9%
Affordable
Need $27,560/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
20.6%
Affordable
Need $35,520/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
22.5%
Affordable
Need $38,920/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
28.7%
Affordable
Need $49,680/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
37.8%
Burdened
Need $65,280/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%22.5%
Ontonagon County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $51,844 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Michigan rent burden →

Where Ontonagon sits among every US county

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

$973 higher than 31% of 3,145 counties

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

1-bedroom FMR vs other Michigan counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Ontonagon 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), Ontonagon County (this county) ($888), Genesee County ($856).

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

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

How a 1-bedroom at $888/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 9.9% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $99,660 10.7% Affordable
Registered Nurses $85,670 12.4% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $77,720 13.7% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $74,420 14.3% Affordable
Electricians $72,680 14.7% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $62,350 17.1% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $61,490 17.3% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $55,140 19.3% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $42,560 25% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $40,040 26.6% Affordable
Janitors & Cleaners $35,000 30.4% Stretched
Retail Salespersons $33,340 32% Stretched
Teaching Assistants $30,960 34.4% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $28,870 36.9% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (Michigan) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

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

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Ontonagon (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 43.7% overall, from $618 to $888. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +13.7% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.

$600$700$800$900$1,000 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $888
Ontonagon County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑5.3% $689 $888 $973
FY 2025 ↑4.6% $654 $843 $933
FY 2024 ↑13.7% $633 $806 $905
FY 2023 ↑9.6% $571 $709 $826
FY 2022 ↑5.4% $524 $647 $757
FY 2021 ↓0.6% $503 $614 $734
FY 2020 $495 $618 $713
Total change (6yr): +43.7%
Annualized: +6.2%/yr
1 BR: $618 → $888

Where Ontonagon County Ranks in Michigan

Ontonagon 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 #20 of 83 counties in Michigan. Nearest by rank: Huron County ($973), Iosco County ($973), Kalkaska County ($973), Keweenaw County ($973), Menominee County ($973), Missaukee County ($973), Montmorency County ($973), Oceana County ($973), Ontonagon County (this county) ($973), Oscoda County ($973), Presque Isle County ($973), Roscommon County ($973), Sanilac County ($973), Schoolcraft County ($973), Tuscola County ($973), Newaygo County ($976), Osceola County ($983).

Huron County
2 BR: $973/mo
Iosco County
2 BR: $973/mo
Kalkaska County
2 BR: $973/mo
Keweenaw County
2 BR: $973/mo
Menominee County
2 BR: $973/mo
Missaukee County
2 BR: $973/mo
Montmorency County
2 BR: $973/mo
Oceana County
2 BR: $973/mo
Ontonagon County (this county)
2 BR: $973/mo
Oscoda County
2 BR: $973/mo
Presque Isle County
2 BR: $973/mo
Roscommon County
2 BR: $973/mo
Sanilac County
2 BR: $973/mo
Schoolcraft County
2 BR: $973/mo
Tuscola County
2 BR: $973/mo
Newaygo County
2 BR: $976/mo
Osceola County
2 BR: $983/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Ontonagon 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).

Mahoning County
OH · 2 BR $973/mo
Trumbull County
OH · 2 BR $973/mo
Richland County
OH · 2 BR $973/mo
Columbiana County
OH · 2 BR $973/mo

Similar rent burden

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

Haskell County
OK · 22.5% of income · 2 BR $937/mo
Wright County
MO · 22.5% of income · 2 BR $888/mo
Prince George County
VA · 22.5% of income · 2 BR $1,655/mo
Blair County
PA · 22.5% of income · 2 BR $1,138/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 Ontonagon County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Ontonagon County is $888 per month. A 2-bedroom is $973 and a studio is $689.
How does Ontonagon County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Ontonagon County is 7% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $888 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Ontonagon County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Ontonagon County's 2-bedroom FMR of $973 ranks #976 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 Ontonagon County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $35,520 ($2,960/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Ontonagon County.
Is rent going up or down in Ontonagon County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Ontonagon County increased by 5.3% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $843 to $888.
Which jobs can afford rent in Ontonagon 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 $888/mo. 11 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Ontonagon County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Ontonagon County went from $618 in FY 2020 to $888 in FY 2026, a total change of +43.7% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Ontonagon County? ▼
In Ontonagon County, the FY 2026 FMR of $888/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 Ontonagon County? ▼
For Ontonagon County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($888/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.