Michigan · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Muskegon, MI

Prices around Muskegon, MI run 7.5% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $44,735 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, MI at a glance

Median household income

$44,735$3,728 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
Population37,226Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Muskegon, 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$1,236Monthly market rent
Share of gross income33.2%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$49,440To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,118At 30% of $44,735
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Muskegon, 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, MI, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$866$10,392$34,64023.2%
1-Bedroom Apartment$942$11,304$37,68025.3%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,236$14,832$49,44033.2%
3-Bedroom Home$1,490$17,880$59,60040%
4-Bedroom Home$1,636$19,632$65,44043.9%

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

What a typical income covers in Muskegon, MI

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $44,735 a year ($3,728 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$1,864/moRent ($1,236 2-BR), utilities (~$207/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,118/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$746/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $44,735 leaves after Michigan taxes

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

$44,735
$15,000$90,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$44,735
Net 82%
Fed 7%
MI 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$36,474After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,040Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,403Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18.5%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,188 / yr
Michigan state income tax$1,650 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,422 / yr

Living in Muskegon, MI: common questions

What is the median household income in Muskegon, MI?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Muskegon, MI is $44,735 per year (approximately $3,728 per month).

What is the average rent in Muskegon, 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, 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, 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 111% of what the typical household in Muskegon, MI earns.

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

On the local median income of $44,735 ($3,728 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $1,864 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,118 for everything else and $746 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,236 takes 66% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Muskegon, 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.