Michigan · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Flint, MI

Prices around Flint, MI run 7% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $37,646 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,033 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $41,320 a year.

Flint, MI at a glance

Median household income

$37,646$3,137 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,033HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)93.0-7% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity23¢per kWh · EIA Residential MI
Population80,175Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Flint, MI?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Moderate cost burden (30–50%)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,033Monthly market rent
Share of gross income32.9%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$41,320To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$941At 30% of $37,646
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Flint, MI? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Flint, MI MSA, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Flint, MI, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$731$8,772$29,24023.3%
1-Bedroom Apartment$856$10,272$34,24027.3%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,033$12,396$41,32032.9%
3-Bedroom Home$1,272$15,264$50,88040.5%
4-Bedroom Home$1,497$17,964$59,88047.7%

Rent in Flint, MI, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Flint, MI

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $37,646 a year ($3,137 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$1,569/moRent ($1,033 2-BR), utilities (~$207/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$941/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$627/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $37,646 leaves after Michigan taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Michigan tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$37,646
$15,000$80,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$37,646
Net 83%
Fed 6%
MI 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$31,079After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,590Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,195Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17.4%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,338 / yr
Michigan state income tax$1,349 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,880 / yr

Living in Flint, MI: common questions

What is the median household income in Flint, MI?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Flint, MI is $37,646 per year (approximately $3,137 per month).

What is the average rent in Flint, MI?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $731 for a studio, $856 for one bedroom, $1,033 for two, $1,272 for three and $1,497 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Flint, MI expensive to live in?

Prices there run 7% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 93.0, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Flint, MI?

To keep a $1,033 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $41,320 a year, or $3,443 a month. That is 110% of what the typical household in Flint, MI earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Flint, MI?

On the local median income of $37,646 ($3,137 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $1,569 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $941 for everything else and $627 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,033 takes 66% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Flint, MI?

Homes in Michigan paid 23¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $207. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.