County FMR · HUD FY2026

Saginaw County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Saginaw County, MI - 11% below the US average.

$851
1-bedroom FMR
$1,117
2-bedroom FMR
+7.6%
YoY change
-11%
vs US avg

The verdict

Saginaw is the 31st most expensive of 83 counties in Michigan by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,227 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 7.6% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.

#1,227
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#31
most expensive of 83 in Michigan (2BR)
-4%
vs the state average
$34,040
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 (35.4%); 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 Saginaw County, MI. Verify with HUD →

The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Saginaw County, Michigan is $851 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $1,117/mo and a studio is $770/mo. This is 11% lower than the national average of $959 and 4% below the Michigan average of $891.

Rent increased7.6% from FY 2025 ($791), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $34,040/year for a 1-bedroom.

Observed renter burden: 50.4% of the 20,544 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: 189,821. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-1.9%, Census ACS). That's slower than Michigan's statewide growth of +0.9% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area SAGINAW·COUNTY·MI·MI

Saginaw County, MI: $851/mo 1BR · #1227 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA MI
  • 1BR-FMR $851
  • 2BR-FMR $1,117
  • RANK-MID #1,227
  • YOY-SURGE +7.6%
  • VSUS-BELOW -11%
  • VS-ST-NEAR -4% MI
  • INC-ROOM 18%
  • POP-MID 190K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Wayne County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $766–$936
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Wayne ($271 1BR gap)

Read with: How Fair Market Rent works

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $807 · US avg: $893
$770/mo
↑ 8.1% YoY -5% vs state -14% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $891 · US avg: $959
$851/mo
↑ 7.6% YoY -4% vs state -11% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,113 · US avg: $1,175
$1,117/mo
↑ 7.6% YoY +0% vs state -5% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,419 · US avg: $1,525
$1,440/mo
↑ 7.1% YoY +1% vs state -6% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,588 · US avg: $1,756
$1,479/mo
↑ 7.5% YoY -7% vs state -16% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $712
$770
+$58 (+8.1%)
1 Bedroom $791
$851
+$60 (+7.6%)
2 Bedroom $1,038
$1,117
+$79 (+7.6%)
3 Bedroom $1,344
$1,440
+$96 (+7.1%)
4 Bedroom $1,376
$1,479
+$103 (+7.5%)

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio
15.8%
Affordable
Need $30,800/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
17.5%
Affordable
Need $34,040/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
23%
Affordable
Need $44,680/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
29.6%
Affordable
Need $57,600/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
30.4%
Burdened
Need $59,160/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%23%
Saginaw County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $58,347 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Michigan rent burden →

Where Saginaw sits among every US county

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

$1,117 Top 39% higher than 61% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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 Saginaw compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Michigan counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Saginaw 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), Saginaw County (this county) ($851).

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

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

How a 1-bedroom at $851/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 10.2% Affordable
Registered Nurses $85,670 11.9% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $77,720 13.1% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $74,420 13.7% Affordable
Electricians $72,680 14.1% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $62,350 16.4% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $61,490 16.6% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $55,140 18.5% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $42,560 24% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $40,040 25.5% Affordable
Janitors & Cleaners $35,000 29.2% Affordable
Retail Salespersons $33,340 30.6% Stretched
Teaching Assistants $30,960 33% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $28,870 35.4% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (Michigan) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

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

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Saginaw (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 41.1% overall, from $603 to $851. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 11.7% (FY 2023).

$500$600$700$800$900 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $851
Saginaw County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑7.6% $770 $851 $1,117
FY 2025 ↑3.5% $712 $791 $1,038
FY 2024 ↑8.1% $681 $764 $1,004
FY 2023 ↑11.7% $623 $707 $931
FY 2022 ↑0.2% $553 $633 $833
FY 2021 ↑4.8% $546 $632 $827
FY 2020 $504 $603 $773
Total change (6yr): +41.1%
Annualized: +5.9%/yr
1 BR: $603 → $851

Part of the Saginaw, MI Metro Area

Saginaw County is a central county of the Saginaw, MI metropolitan statistical area.

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Saginaw 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).

Florence County
SC · 2 BR $1,117/mo
Anderson County
TX · 2 BR $1,117/mo
Franklin County
IN · 2 BR $1,117/mo
Rabun County
GA · 2 BR $1,117/mo

Similar rent burden

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

Pottawattamie County
IA · 23% of income · 2 BR $1,368/mo
Jones County
GA · 23% of income · 2 BR $1,307/mo
Scott County
AR · 23% of income · 2 BR $880/mo
Grays Harbor County
WA · 23% of income · 2 BR $1,216/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 Saginaw County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Saginaw County is $851 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,117 and a studio is $770.
How does Saginaw County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Saginaw County is 11% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $851 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Saginaw County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Saginaw County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,117 ranks #1,227 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 Saginaw County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $34,040 ($2,837/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Saginaw County.
Is rent going up or down in Saginaw County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Saginaw County increased by 7.6% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $791 to $851.
Which jobs can afford rent in Saginaw 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 $851/mo. 12 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Saginaw County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Saginaw County went from $603 in FY 2020 to $851 in FY 2026, a total change of +41.1% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Saginaw County? ▼
In Saginaw County, the FY 2026 FMR of $851/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 Saginaw County? ▼
For Saginaw County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($851/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.