How much is rent in Southwest Michigan, MI?

The median 2-bedroom in Southwest Michigan rents for $1,063 a month with utilities, $500 less than the US median. A 1-bedroom runs $835 and a 3-bedroom $1,176.

By Sol Lakein, founder of Slower Sundays. Updated November 2026.

$1,0632-bedroom¹US: $1,563
$8351-bedroom¹US: $1,362
$42,520Income for a 2-bed at 30%²A year
17%Share of typical income³For a 2-bedroom

Rent in Southwest Michigan by number of bedrooms

Median rent, utilities included, next to the US median.¹

Studio$449/mo
Southwest Michigan
$449
US
$1,365
Income to keep it at 30%: $17,960²
1 bedroom$835/mo
Southwest Michigan
$835
US
$1,362
Income to keep it at 30%: $33,400²
2 bedrooms$1,063/mo
Southwest Michigan
$1,063
US
$1,563
Income to keep it at 30%: $42,520²
3 bedrooms$1,176/mo
Southwest Michigan
$1,176
US
$1,760
Income to keep it at 30%: $47,040²
4 bedrooms$1,418/mo
Southwest Michigan
$1,418
US
$2,153
Income to keep it at 30%: $56,720²

Work out what rent you can afford · Full cost of living in Southwest Michigan

Where rent costs less than Southwest Michigan

8 of the cities we cover have a lower median 2-bedroom rent. The cheapest and the closest:¹

City	2-bedroom rent	Less than Southwest Michigan
Paducah, KY	$886	$177/mo
Terre Haute, IN	$901	$162/mo
Muncie, IN	$919	$144/mo
Texarkana, TX/AR	$1,006	$57/mo
McAllen, TX	$1,030	$33/mo
Morgantown, WV	$1,048	$15/mo

Rent in Southwest Michigan: questions people ask

How much is rent in Southwest Michigan?

Median rent with utilities, all units: $1,009 a month. By size: studio $449, 1 bedroom $835, 2 bedrooms $1,063, 3 bedrooms $1,176, 4 bedrooms $1,418 (Census ACS, 2025).

How much do you need to make to afford rent in Southwest Michigan?

To keep a 2-bedroom at 30% of income, about $42,520 a year. For a 1-bedroom, $33,400.

What share of income goes to rent in Southwest Michigan?

A year of median 2-bedroom rent equals 17% of the median household income of $73,126 (Census ACS, 2025).

Where is rent cheaper than Southwest Michigan?

Of the cities we cover, Paducah, KY ($886), Terre Haute, IN ($901), Muncie, IN ($919) have the lowest median 2-bedroom rent.

Rent elsewhere in Michigan

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Notes on the numbers

1Rent: Census ACS 2025 1-year, table B25031, median gross rent by number of bedrooms (rent plus utilities the renter pays), 2025. Covers all renters, including long-time tenants, so new leases often cost more. $3,500+ is the highest figure the Census publishes. Census table
2Income to keep rent at 30%: a year of rent divided by 0.3, the common rule of thumb. Our arithmetic.
3Household income: Census ACS 2025 1-year, table B19013, median household income, 2025. Census table

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