Counties with the most renters in Michigan

All cities are made up of a mix of homeowners and renters, with 58.6% of Americans owning their own homes and 30.4% rending in the fourth quarter of 2020, according to the American Census Bureau. In cities, there tend to be higher rates of renters due to high property values and influxes of young people who flock to urban areas after college to enter the workforce.

Stacker compiled a list of the counties with most renters in Michigan using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by percent of housing units occupied by renters as of 2019 5-year estimates. Keep reading to see if your county made the list.

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#30. Wexford County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 23.2%
- 2019 median gross rent: $706 (-1.5% change in rent since 2015)
--- #45 highest rent among counties in Michigan, #1,649 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 36.8%
--- #50 most common among counties in Michigan, #1,340 among all counties nationwide

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#29. Ionia County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 23.4%
- 2019 median gross rent: $768 (+10.3% change in rent since 2015)
--- #23 highest rent among counties in Michigan, #1,189 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 27.1%
--- #80 most common among counties in Michigan, #2,592 among all counties nationwide

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#28. Midland County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 23.4%
- 2019 median gross rent: $777 (+6.9% change in rent since 2015)
--- #22 highest rent among counties in Michigan, #1,129 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 37.1%
--- #45 most common among counties in Michigan, #1,285 among all counties nationwide

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#27. Hillsdale County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 23.5%
- 2019 median gross rent: $703 (+7.5% change in rent since 2015)
--- #48 highest rent among counties in Michigan, #1,673 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 31.2%
--- #76 most common among counties in Michigan, #2,171 among all counties nationwide

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#26. Grand Traverse County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 23.7%
- 2019 median gross rent: $951 (+10.7% change in rent since 2015)
--- #6 highest rent among counties in Michigan, #497 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 37.0%
--- #46 most common among counties in Michigan, #1,300 among all counties nationwide

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#25. Shiawassee County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 24.4%
- 2019 median gross rent: $732 (+8.8% change in rent since 2015)
--- #38 highest rent among counties in Michigan, #1,425 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 35.3%
--- #57 most common among counties in Michigan, #1,577 among all counties nationwide

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#24. Muskegon County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 25.3%
- 2019 median gross rent: $760 (+12.9% change in rent since 2015)
--- #27 highest rent among counties in Michigan, #1,248 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 43.2%
--- #12 most common among counties in Michigan, #483 among all counties nationwide

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#23. St. Joseph County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 25.4%
- 2019 median gross rent: $722 (+11.6% change in rent since 2015)
--- #40 highest rent among counties in Michigan, #1,504 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 32.5%
--- #69 most common among counties in Michigan, #2,010 among all counties nationwide

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#22. Gratiot County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 25.7%
- 2019 median gross rent: $687 (+13.2% change in rent since 2015)
--- #56 highest rent among counties in Michigan, #1,833 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 42.5%
--- #14 most common among counties in Michigan, #548 among all counties nationwide

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#21. Branch County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 25.8%
- 2019 median gross rent: $753 (+13.7% change in rent since 2015)
--- #28 highest rent among counties in Michigan, #1,294 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 32.2%
--- #71 most common among counties in Michigan, #2,046 among all counties nationwide

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#20. Jackson County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 26.5%
- 2019 median gross rent: $782 (+7.4% change in rent since 2015)
--- #20 highest rent among counties in Michigan, #1,097 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 39.0%
--- #31 most common among counties in Michigan, #980 among all counties nationwide

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#19. Macomb County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 26.7%
- 2019 median gross rent: $962 (+11.7% change in rent since 2015)
--- #4 highest rent among counties in Michigan, #478 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 38.7%
--- #33 most common among counties in Michigan, #1,021 among all counties nationwide

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#18. Mecosta County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 26.7%
- 2019 median gross rent: $712 (+13.4% change in rent since 2015)
--- #44 highest rent among counties in Michigan, #1,600 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 45.6%
--- #7 most common among counties in Michigan, #304 among all counties nationwide

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#17. Emmet County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 27.2%
- 2019 median gross rent: $818 (+5.8% change in rent since 2015)
--- #15 highest rent among counties in Michigan, #912 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 32.9%
--- #66 most common among counties in Michigan, #1,940 among all counties nationwide

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#16. Eaton County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 27.7%
- 2019 median gross rent: $858 (+11.3% change in rent since 2015)
--- #12 highest rent among counties in Michigan, #743 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 30.4%
--- #77 most common among counties in Michigan, #2,271 among all counties nationwide

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#15. Mackinac County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 28.1%
- 2019 median gross rent: $602 (+4.2% change in rent since 2015)
--- #72 highest rent among counties in Michigan, #2,617 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 40.1%
--- #24 most common among counties in Michigan, #835 among all counties nationwide

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#14. Saginaw County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 28.7%
- 2019 median gross rent: $780 (+10.6% change in rent since 2015)
--- #21 highest rent among counties in Michigan, #1,108 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 43.5%
--- #10 most common among counties in Michigan, #457 among all counties nationwide

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#13. Oakland County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 29.0%
- 2019 median gross rent: $1,080 (+14.6% change in rent since 2015)
--- #2 highest rent among counties in Michigan, #290 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 35.4%
--- #56 most common among counties in Michigan, #1,563 among all counties nationwide

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#12. Marquette County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 29.2%
- 2019 median gross rent: $738 (+17.9% change in rent since 2015)
--- #33 highest rent among counties in Michigan, #1,381 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 38.5%
--- #35 most common among counties in Michigan, #1,055 among all counties nationwide

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#11. Berrien County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 29.3%
- 2019 median gross rent: $743 (+10.2% change in rent since 2015)
--- #32 highest rent among counties in Michigan, #1,348 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 38.7%
--- #33 most common among counties in Michigan, #1,021 among all counties nationwide

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#10. Genesee County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 30.0%
- 2019 median gross rent: $767 (+7.3% change in rent since 2015)
--- #25 highest rent among counties in Michigan, #1,199 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 43.6%
--- #9 most common among counties in Michigan, #447 among all counties nationwide

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#9. Calhoun County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 30.1%
- 2019 median gross rent: $751 (+10.1% change in rent since 2015)
--- #30 highest rent among counties in Michigan, #1,308 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 41.4%
--- #20 most common among counties in Michigan, #666 among all counties nationwide

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#8. Kent County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 30.2%
- 2019 median gross rent: $899 (+17.2% change in rent since 2015)
--- #7 highest rent among counties in Michigan, #620 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 37.9%
--- #38 most common among counties in Michigan, #1,132 among all counties nationwide

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#7. Chippewa County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 32.6%
- 2019 median gross rent: $674 (+10.9% change in rent since 2015)
--- #59 highest rent among counties in Michigan, #1,957 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 37.0%
--- #46 most common among counties in Michigan, #1,300 among all counties nationwide

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#6. Houghton County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 33.1%
- 2019 median gross rent: $640 (+0.5% change in rent since 2015)
--- #67 highest rent among counties in Michigan, #2,278 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 47.4%
--- #3 most common among counties in Michigan, #201 among all counties nationwide

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#5. Kalamazoo County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 36.0%
- 2019 median gross rent: $812 (+12.5% change in rent since 2015)
--- #18 highest rent among counties in Michigan, #947 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 36.9%
--- #48 most common among counties in Michigan, #1,321 among all counties nationwide

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#4. Isabella County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 37.9%
- 2019 median gross rent: $736 (+2.6% change in rent since 2015)
--- #35 highest rent among counties in Michigan, #1,395 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 49.8%
--- #2 most common among counties in Michigan, #122 among all counties nationwide

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#3. Wayne County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 38.0%
- 2019 median gross rent: $875 (+10.2% change in rent since 2015)
--- #10 highest rent among counties in Michigan, #692 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 45.7%
--- #6 most common among counties in Michigan, #292 among all counties nationwide

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#2. Washtenaw County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 38.9%
- 2019 median gross rent: $1,114 (+16.9% change in rent since 2015)
--- #1 highest rent among counties in Michigan, #258 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 41.1%
--- #21 most common among counties in Michigan, #703 among all counties nationwide

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#1. Ingham County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 41.5%
- 2019 median gross rent: $877 (+11.7% change in rent since 2015)
--- #9 highest rent among counties in Michigan, #685 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 43.0%
--- #13 most common among counties in Michigan, #500 among all counties nationwide