Michigan · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Kalamazoo County, MI

Prices around Kalamazoo County, MI run 5.2% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $72,532 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,162 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $46,480 a year.

Kalamazoo County, MI at a glance

Median household income

$72,532$6,044 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,162HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)94.8-5.2% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity23¢per kWh · EIA Residential MI
Population262,375Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Kalamazoo County, MI?

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

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,162Monthly market rent
Share of gross income19.2%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$46,480To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,813At 30% of $72,532
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Kalamazoo County, MI? By bedroom, 2026

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Kalamazoo County, MI, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$838$10,056$33,52013.9%
1-Bedroom Apartment$998$11,976$39,92016.5%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,162$13,944$46,48019.2%
3-Bedroom Home$1,531$18,372$61,24025.3%
4-Bedroom Home$1,571$18,852$62,84026%

Rent in Kalamazoo County, MI, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Kalamazoo County, MI

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $72,532 a year ($6,044 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,022/moRent ($1,162 2-BR), utilities (~$207/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,813/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,209/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $72,532 leaves after Michigan taxes

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

$72,532
$25,000$150,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$72,532
Net 79%
Fed 10%
MI 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$57,024After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,752Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,193Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate21.4%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$7,127 / yr
Michigan state income tax$2,832 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$5,549 / yr

Living in Kalamazoo County, MI: common questions

What is the median household income in Kalamazoo County, MI?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Kalamazoo County, MI is $72,532 per year (approximately $6,044 per month).

What is the average rent in Kalamazoo County, MI?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $838 for a studio, $998 for one bedroom, $1,162 for two, $1,531 for three and $1,571 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 Kalamazoo County, MI expensive to live in?

Prices there run 5.2% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 94.8, 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 Kalamazoo County, MI?

To keep a $1,162 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $46,480 a year, or $3,873 a month. That is 64% of what the typical household in Kalamazoo County, MI earns.

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

On the local median income of $72,532 ($6,044 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,022 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,813 for everything else and $1,209 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,162 takes 38% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Kalamazoo County, 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.