State ranking · HUD FMR + Census ACS

Michigan: County Rent Burden

How much of household income goes to rent in each Michigan county, FY 2026.

20.9%
State avg 2BR burden
0
Counties over 30% (of 83)
0
Severely burdened (>50%)

What rent burden reveals about Michigan

Rent burden measures the share of household income going to rent. The federal standard, used by HUD and the Census Bureau, flags any household paying more than 30% of gross income on rent as "cost-burdened" and any household above 50% as "severely cost-burdened." This page calculates county-level burden by dividing HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rents — 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom — by Census-reported median household income for each county in Michigan. Across the 83 counties with complete data, the weighted average 2-bedroom burden is 20.9%, compared with a national average of 21.7% — meaning Michigan sits 0.8 percentage points lower than the US benchmark.

The distribution matters more than the state average. In Michigan, 0 of 83 counties (0%) have a 2-bedroom burden above 30%, and 0 counties cross the severe-burden threshold of 50%. The most burdened county is Wayne County at 28.4%, where the FY 2026 2-bedroom FMR of $1,411 eats that share of the local median income of $59,521. Because HUD's FMR sits at the 40th percentile of gross rents, this calculation understates the reality faced by renters paying market-rate: many higher-quality units in each county rent well above FMR, pushing actual burden rates even higher than the numbers shown below.

Burden data has direct policy stakes. High-burden counties see stronger demand for Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers (which cap tenant contribution at 30% of adjusted income and cover the gap up to FMR) and for Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) units, both of which rely on HUD's FMR as the foundational input. High burden also correlates with longer waitlists for public housing and greater housing instability — eviction filings, doubling up, and homelessness all rise in counties above the 50% threshold. Pair this page with the cheapest-counties ranking and year-over-year rent growth to see which Michigan counties are getting more affordable, which are tightening fastest, and where the burden gap between Michigan and the rest of the country is widening or narrowing.

State Avg Burden
20.9%
National Avg
21.7%
Counties > 30%
0
of 83
Severely Burdened
0
> 50% of income

All Counties by Rent Burden

# County 1 BR Rent 2 BR Rent 1 BR Burden 2 BR Burden
1 Wayne County $1,122 $1,411 22.6% 28.4%
2 Iosco County $824 $973 20.7% 24.4%
3 Montmorency County $888 $973 22.3% 24.4%
4 St. Clair County $1,122 $1,411 19.4% 24.4%
5 Lake County $758 $994 18.3% 24%
6 Iron County $814 $1,068 18.2% 23.9%
7 Clare County $751 $986 18.1% 23.8%
8 Ingham County $1,012 $1,268 18.9% 23.6%
9 Gogebic County $761 $973 18.4% 23.5%
10 Calhoun County $976 $1,176 19.4% 23.4%
11 Muskegon County $942 $1,236 17.8% 23.4%
12 Oscoda County $742 $973 17.6% 23.1%
13 Saginaw County $851 $1,117 17.5% 23%
14 Kent County $1,278 $1,531 19.1% 22.9%
15 Ogemaw County $843 $989 19.5% 22.8%
16 Washtenaw County $1,387 $1,656 19.1% 22.8%
17 Isabella County $880 $1,013 19.6% 22.6%
18 Alpena County $767 $973 17.7% 22.5%
19 Berrien County $902 $1,184 17.1% 22.5%
20 Ontonagon County $888 $973 20.6% 22.5%
21 Lapeer County $1,122 $1,411 17.7% 22.2%
22 Macomb County $1,122 $1,411 17.6% 22.2%
23 Montcalm County $1,016 $1,203 18.8% 22.2%
24 Alcona County $807 $973 18.1% 21.8%
25 Luce County $753 $988 16.6% 21.8%
26 Alger County $817 $1,072 16.5% 21.7%
27 Keweenaw County $849 $973 18.9% 21.7%
28 Roscommon County $742 $973 16.5% 21.6%
29 Jackson County $946 $1,165 17.5% 21.5%
30 Crawford County $875 $1,038 17.9% 21.3%
31 Delta County $742 $973 16.2% 21.3%
32 Baraga County $742 $973 16.2% 21.2%
33 Chippewa County $823 $1,066 16.3% 21.1%
34 Marquette County $973 $1,137 18.1% 21.1%
35 Monroe County $1,011 $1,326 16.1% 21.1%
36 Gladwin County $742 $973 16% 21%
37 Mecosta County $796 $1,010 16.5% 21%
38 Menominee County $771 $973 16.6% 21%
39 Lenawee County $889 $1,166 15.9% 20.9%
40 Mackinac County $780 $1,023 16% 20.9%
41 Ottawa County $1,333 $1,519 18.4% 20.9%
42 Manistee County $799 $1,048 15.7% 20.7%
43 Osceola County $749 $983 15.8% 20.7%
44 Barry County $1,017 $1,334 15.7% 20.6%
45 Houghton County $800 $973 17% 20.6%
46 Presque Isle County $742 $973 15.7% 20.6%
47 Wexford County $826 $1,084 15.7% 20.6%
48 Arenac County $742 $973 15.6% 20.5%
49 Cheboygan County $803 $1,054 15.6% 20.5%
50 Grand Traverse County $1,143 $1,357 17.3% 20.5%
51 Huron County $806 $973 17% 20.5%
52 Bay County $814 $1,030 16.1% 20.4%
53 Genesee County $856 $1,033 16.9% 20.4%
54 Benzie County $937 $1,224 15.5% 20.2%
55 Schoolcraft County $858 $973 17.8% 20.2%
56 Emmet County $941 $1,235 15.3% 20.1%
57 Hillsdale County $764 $1,002 15.1% 19.8%
58 Ionia County $921 $1,209 15% 19.8%
59 Kalamazoo County $998 $1,162 17% 19.8%
60 Mason County $816 $1,026 15.7% 19.8%
61 Sanilac County $742 $973 15.1% 19.8%
62 Shiawassee County $812 $1,066 15.1% 19.8%
63 Otsego County $858 $1,100 15.3% 19.6%
64 Antrim County $897 $1,162 15.1% 19.5%
65 Eaton County $1,012 $1,268 15.6% 19.5%
66 Leelanau County $1,366 $1,497 17.8% 19.5%
67 Kalkaska County $766 $973 15.2% 19.3%
68 Gratiot County $742 $973 14.6% 19.1%
69 Allegan County $966 $1,267 14.4% 18.9%
70 Dickinson County $841 $973 16.3% 18.9%
71 Missaukee County $787 $973 15.3% 18.9%
72 Newaygo County $744 $976 14.4% 18.9%
73 St. Joseph County $777 $1,019 14.4% 18.9%
74 Branch County $840 $973 16.3% 18.8%
75 Tuscola County $786 $973 15% 18.6%
76 Midland County $925 $1,193 14.3% 18.5%
77 Oceana County $742 $973 14% 18.4%
78 Van Buren County $774 $1,016 13.9% 18.2%
79 Oakland County $1,122 $1,411 14.1% 17.8%
80 Clinton County $1,012 $1,268 14.1% 17.7%
81 Cass County $906 $993 16% 17.5%
82 Livingston County $1,264 $1,457 15% 17.3%
83 Charlevoix County $800 $1,039 12.5% 16.3%
National burden rankings → All Michigan rents → Cheapest counties →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the rent burden in Michigan? ▼
The average 2-bedroom rent burden in Michigan is 20.9% of household income. 0 of 83 counties exceed the 30% affordability threshold.
Which counties in Michigan are most rent burdened? ▼
The most rent-burdened county is Wayne County at 28.4% of income. No counties exceed the 50% severe burden threshold.
How does Michigan compare to the national average? ▼
Michigan's average rent burden is 20.9% vs the national average of 21.7%. That's 0.8 percentage points lower than average.

Data sources: HUD FY 2026 Fair Market Rents and U.S. Census Bureau median household income. Rent burden = (annual FMR ÷ median income) × 100.

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.