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Saginaw, MI

The Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Saginaw, MI is $1,117 per month, ranking #470 out of 693 areas nationwide. The area median household income is $58,347, meaning a household spending Fair Market Rent on a 2-bedroom would pay 23% of income on housing. Rent in Saginaw has increased 11.3% year over year. The area has a population of 189K, with 26.5% of households renting.

23%
Moderately Affordable
of income → rent
$1,117
2BR Fair Market Rent
vs $1,250 national median
$58,347
Median Income
vs $71,049 national
$921
Actual Median Rent
Census ACS estimate
+11.3%
Year-over-Year
2BR FMR change
189K
Population
Census ACS
26.5%
Renters
of occupied housing
$139,400
Median Home Value
9.9%
Vacancy Rate
of housing units
18.1%
Poverty Rate
below poverty line

Fair Market Rent by Bedroom Size

$770
Studio
$851
1 Bedroom
$1,117
2 Bedroom
$1,440
3 Bedroom
$1,479
4 Bedroom

Fair Market Rents (FMRs) are set annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality units in an area. FMRs are used to determine payment standards for the Housing Choice Voucher program and other federal housing assistance.

Housing Affordability

In Saginaw, MI, a household earning the area median income of $58,347 would spend 23% of their gross income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This falls below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, meaning housing is relatively affordable for median-income households in this area.

Income Needed for 2BR
$44,680
annual (30% threshold)
Hourly Wage Needed
$21
full-time (2,080 hrs/yr)
Actual Median Rent
$921
$196 below FMR

5-Year Rent Trend

+35.1% since 2021
$8272021$8332022$9312023$1,0042024$1,0382025$1,1172026

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent by fiscal year. Source: HUD FMR API.

Minimum Wage Affordability

The minimum wage in Michigan is $12.48/hr. A minimum-wage worker would need to work 68.8 hours per week to afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding 30% of income on housing. This means a single minimum-wage earner cannot afford a 2-bedroom working a standard 40-hour week. The poverty rate in Saginaw is 18.1%, near the national average of approximately 12.4%.

State Min Wage
$12.48/hr
Hours/Week Needed
68.8 hrs
Poverty Rate
18.1%

Housing Market Context

The median home value in Saginaw is $139,400. At a median income of $58,347, this represents a price-to-income ratio of 2.4x. 9.9% of housing units in the area are vacant, which is near the national average.

Rent vs. Buy
$976 est. mortgage
vs $1,117 FMR rent
Vacancy Rate
9.9%
of housing units

Other Areas in Michigan

Ann Arbor
$1,656/mo
2BR FMR · 22.8% burden
Grand Rapids-Wyoming
$1,531/mo
2BR FMR · 22.9% burden
Holland-Grand Haven
$1,519/mo
2BR FMR · 22.7% burden
Leelanau County
$1,497/mo
2BR FMR · 19.5% burden
Livingston County
$1,457/mo
2BR FMR · 23.3% burden

Compare Saginaw

vs Ann Arbor, MIvs Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MIvs Holland-Grand Haven, MI

Areas With Similar Rent to Saginaw

Frequently Asked Questions

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Saginaw, MI is $1,117 per month. A studio is $770/mo, a 1-bedroom is $851/mo, and a 3-bedroom is $1,440/mo. The actual median gross rent from Census data is $921/mo.

Saginaw has a rent burden of 23%, meaning a household earning the median income of $58,347 would spend 23% of income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This is below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, indicating relatively affordable housing. To afford a 2-bedroom without being cost-burdened, a household would need an annual income of at least $44,680.

Saginaw's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,117/mo is $133 below the national median of $1,250/mo. Saginaw ranks #470 out of 693 areas for highest rent in the United States.

To afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Saginaw without spending more than 30% of income on housing, you would need an annual household income of at least $44,680, or a full-time hourly wage of $21/hour. The area median income is $58,347.

The 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Saginaw increased by 11.3% compared to the prior year. This is a significant increase, suggesting growing demand in the local housing market.

Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality rental units. Rent burden is calculated as annual 2BR FMR divided by area median household income. Census data (income, home value, population, vacancy) is from the ACS 5-Year estimates. Unemployment rates are from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.