County FMR · HUD FY2026
Otsego County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Otsego County, MI - 11% below the US average.
- $858
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,100
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +10.9%
- YoY change
- -11%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Otsego is the 32nd most expensive of 83 counties in Michigan by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,289 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 10.9% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.
- #1,289
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #32
- most expensive of 83 in Michigan (2BR)
- -4%
- vs the state average
- $34,320
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (9.5%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (35.7%); 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 Otsego County, MI. Verify with HUD →
HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Otsego County, Michigan at $858 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,100/mo and a studio is $852/mo. This is 11% lower than the national average of $959 and 4% below the Michigan average of $891.
Rent increased10.9% from FY 2025 ($774), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $34,320/year for a 1-bedroom.
Observed renter burden: 48.7% of the 2,419 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 2.1%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
Local labor market: The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 5.2% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Michigan. Population: 25,221. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+3.9%, Census ACS). That's faster than Michigan's statewide growth of +0.9% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area OTSEGO·COUNTY·MI·MI
Otsego County, MI: $858/mo 1BR · #1289 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA MI
- 1BR-FMR $858
- 2BR-FMR $1,100
- RANK-MID #1,289
- YOY-SURGE +10.9%
- VSUS-BELOW -11%
- VS-ST-NEAR -4% MI
- INC-ROOM 15%
- POP-SMALL 25K
- PHOTO-NEAR Wayne County
- VOUCH-90-110 $772–$944
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Wayne ($264 1BR gap)
Read with: How Fair Market Rent works
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $769 | $852 | +$83 (+10.8%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $774 | $858 | +$84 (+10.9%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $995 | $1,100 | +$105 (+10.6%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,334 | $1,445 | +$111 (+8.3%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,539 | $1,560 | +$21 (+1.4%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Otsego 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 Otsego sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,100 higher than 59% 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 Otsego 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
- Otsego
Otsego County
$858 1BR FMR / mo
- Genesee
Genesee County
$856 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Otsego 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), Otsego County (this county) ($858), Genesee County ($856).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $858/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 | 9.5% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $99,660 | 10.3% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $85,670 | 12% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $77,720 | 13.2% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $74,420 | 13.8% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $72,680 | 14.2% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $62,350 | 16.5% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $61,490 | 16.7% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $55,140 | 18.7% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $42,560 | 24.2% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $40,040 | 25.7% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $35,000 | 29.4% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $33,340 | 30.9% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $30,960 | 33.3% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $28,870 | 35.7% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Otsego County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Otsego (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 43.7% overall, from $597 to $858. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 10.9% (FY 2026).
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑10.9% | $852 | $858 | $1,100 |
| FY 2025 ↑1.3% | $769 | $774 | $995 |
| FY 2024 ↑9.3% | $702 | $764 | $1,004 |
| FY 2023 ↑4.5% | $636 | $699 | $920 |
| FY 2022 ↑2.0% | $609 | $669 | $880 |
| FY 2021 ↑9.9% | $593 | $656 | $865 |
| FY 2020 | $543 | $597 | $781 |
Where Otsego County Ranks in Michigan
Otsego 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 #52 of 83 counties in Michigan. Nearest by rank: Charlevoix County ($1,039), Manistee County ($1,048), Cheboygan County ($1,054), Chippewa County ($1,066), Shiawassee County ($1,066), Iron County ($1,068), Alger County ($1,072), Wexford County ($1,084), Otsego County (this county) ($1,100), Saginaw County ($1,117), Marquette County ($1,137), Antrim County ($1,162), Kalamazoo County ($1,162), Jackson County ($1,165), Lenawee County ($1,166), Calhoun County ($1,176), Berrien County ($1,184).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Otsego 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 Otsego County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Otsego County is $858 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,100 and a studio is $852.
How does Otsego County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Otsego County is 11% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $858 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Otsego County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Otsego County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,100 ranks #1,289 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 Otsego County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $34,320 ($2,860/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Otsego County.
Is rent going up or down in Otsego County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Otsego County increased by 10.9% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $774 to $858.
Which jobs can afford rent in Otsego 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 $858/mo. 12 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Otsego County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Otsego County went from $597 in FY 2020 to $858 in FY 2026, a total change of +43.7% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Otsego County?
In Otsego County, the FY 2026 FMR of $858/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 Otsego County?
For Otsego County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($858/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Otsego County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 2.1%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
What is the unemployment rate in Otsego County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 5.2% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Otsego'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 $858 implies about $34,320/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 Otsego 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.