Michigan · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Jackson, MI

Prices around Jackson, MI run 8.2% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $44,558 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,165 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $46,600 a year.

Jackson, MI at a glance

Median household income

$44,558$3,713 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,165HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)91.8-8.2% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity23¢per kWh · EIA Residential MI
Population31,058Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Jackson, 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$1,165Monthly market rent
Share of gross income31.4%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$46,600To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,114At 30% of $44,558
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Jackson, MI, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$838$10,056$33,52022.6%
1-Bedroom Apartment$946$11,352$37,84025.5%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,165$13,980$46,60031.4%
3-Bedroom Home$1,534$18,408$61,36041.3%
4-Bedroom Home$1,626$19,512$65,04043.8%

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

What a typical income covers in Jackson, MI

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $44,558 a year ($3,713 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$1,857/moRent ($1,165 2-BR), utilities (~$207/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,114/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$743/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $44,558 leaves after Michigan taxes

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

$44,558
$15,000$90,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$44,558
Net 82%
Fed 7%
MI 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$36,339After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,028Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,398Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18.4%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,167 / yr
Michigan state income tax$1,643 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,409 / yr

Living in Jackson, MI: common questions

What is the median household income in Jackson, MI?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Jackson, MI is $44,558 per year (approximately $3,713 per month).

What is the average rent in Jackson, MI?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $838 for a studio, $946 for one bedroom, $1,165 for two, $1,534 for three and $1,626 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 Jackson, MI expensive to live in?

Prices there run 8.2% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 91.8, 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 Jackson, MI?

To keep a $1,165 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $46,600 a year, or $3,883 a month. That is 105% of what the typical household in Jackson, MI earns.

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

On the local median income of $44,558 ($3,713 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $1,857 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,114 for everything else and $743 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,165 takes 63% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Jackson, 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.