Michigan · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Saginaw, MI

Prices around Saginaw, MI run 9.1% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $38,579 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,117 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $44,680 a year.

Saginaw, MI at a glance

Median household income

$38,579$3,215 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,117HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)90.9-9.1% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity23¢per kWh · EIA Residential MI
Population43,536Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Saginaw, 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$1,117Monthly market rent
Share of gross income34.7%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$44,680To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$964At 30% of $38,579
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Saginaw, MI, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$770$9,240$30,80024%
1-Bedroom Apartment$851$10,212$34,04026.5%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,117$13,404$44,68034.7%
3-Bedroom Home$1,440$17,280$57,60044.8%
4-Bedroom Home$1,479$17,748$59,16046%

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

What a typical income covers in Saginaw, MI

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $38,579 a year ($3,215 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$1,607/moRent ($1,117 2-BR), utilities (~$207/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$964/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$643/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $38,579 leaves after Michigan taxes

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

$38,579
$15,000$80,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$38,579
Net 82%
Fed 6%
MI 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$31,789After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,649Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,223Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17.6%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,449 / yr
Michigan state income tax$1,389 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,951 / yr

Living in Saginaw, MI: common questions

What is the median household income in Saginaw, MI?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Saginaw, MI is $38,579 per year (approximately $3,215 per month).

What is the average rent in Saginaw, MI?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $770 for a studio, $851 for one bedroom, $1,117 for two, $1,440 for three and $1,479 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 Saginaw, MI expensive to live in?

Prices there run 9.1% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 90.9, 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 Saginaw, MI?

To keep a $1,117 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $44,680 a year, or $3,723 a month. That is 116% of what the typical household in Saginaw, MI earns.

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

On the local median income of $38,579 ($3,215 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $1,607 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $964 for everything else and $643 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,117 takes 69% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Saginaw, 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.