Michigan · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Kent County, MI

Prices around Kent County, MI run 4.5% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $82,631 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,531 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $61,240 a year.

Kent County, MI at a glance

Median household income

$82,631$6,886 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,531HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)95.5-4.5% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity23¢per kWh · EIA Residential MI
Population663,150Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Kent 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$1,531Monthly market rent
Share of gross income22.2%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$61,240To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$2,066At 30% of $82,631
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI HUD Metro FMR Area, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Kent County, MI, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,232$14,784$49,28017.9%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,278$15,336$51,12018.6%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,531$18,372$61,24022.2%
3-Bedroom Home$1,980$23,760$79,20028.8%
4-Bedroom Home$2,189$26,268$87,56031.8%

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

What a typical income covers in Kent County, MI

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $82,631 a year ($6,886 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,443/moRent ($1,531 2-BR), utilities (~$207/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$2,066/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,377/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $82,631 leaves after Michigan taxes

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

$82,631
$30,000$170,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$82,631
Net 77%
Fed 11%
MI 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$63,700After all taxes
Monthly deposit$5,308Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,450Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate22.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$9,349 / yr
Michigan state income tax$3,261 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$6,321 / yr

Living in Kent County, MI: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Kent County, MI is $82,631 per year (approximately $6,886 per month).

What is the average rent in Kent County, MI?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,232 for a studio, $1,278 for one bedroom, $1,531 for two, $1,980 for three and $2,189 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 Kent County, MI expensive to live in?

Prices there run 4.5% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 95.5, 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 Kent County, MI?

To keep a $1,531 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $61,240 a year, or $5,103 a month. That is 74% of what the typical household in Kent County, MI earns.

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

On the local median income of $82,631 ($6,886 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,443 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $2,066 for everything else and $1,377 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,531 takes 44% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Kent 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.