Michigan · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Muskegon County, MI

Prices around Muskegon County, MI run 7.5% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $65,024 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,236 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $49,440 a year.

Muskegon County, MI at a glance

Median household income

$65,024$5,419 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,236HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)92.5-7.5% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity23¢per kWh · EIA Residential MI
Population175,961Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Muskegon 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$1,236Monthly market rent
Share of gross income22.8%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$49,440To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,626At 30% of $65,024
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Muskegon County, MI, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$866$10,392$34,64016%
1-Bedroom Apartment$942$11,304$37,68017.4%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,236$14,832$49,44022.8%
3-Bedroom Home$1,490$17,880$59,60027.5%
4-Bedroom Home$1,636$19,632$65,44030.2%

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

What a typical income covers in Muskegon County, MI

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $65,024 a year ($5,419 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,709/moRent ($1,236 2-BR), utilities (~$207/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,626/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,084/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $65,024 leaves after Michigan taxes

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

$65,024
$25,000$135,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$65,024
Net 80%
Fed 9%
MI 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$51,914After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,326Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,997Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate20.2%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$5,623 / yr
Michigan state income tax$2,513 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,974 / yr

Living in Muskegon County, MI: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Muskegon County, MI is $65,024 per year (approximately $5,419 per month).

What is the average rent in Muskegon County, MI?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $866 for a studio, $942 for one bedroom, $1,236 for two, $1,490 for three and $1,636 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 Muskegon County, MI expensive to live in?

Prices there run 7.5% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 92.5, 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 Muskegon County, MI?

To keep a $1,236 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $49,440 a year, or $4,120 a month. That is 76% of what the typical household in Muskegon County, MI earns.

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

On the local median income of $65,024 ($5,419 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,709 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,626 for everything else and $1,084 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,236 takes 46% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Muskegon 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.