Rents are 4% below what Ann Arbor's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $2,026 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
December. Asking rents in Ann Arbor usually run 0.9% below trend in December and 0.7% above it in June, about $32 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Ann Arbor is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Ann Arbor changed +2.3% over the year to September 2026. Across the 79 Michigan cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +4.1%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Ann Arbor rose 29.7% while median household income rose 25% ($65,745 to $82,212). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Ann Arbor is 36.3% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 7 months in a row, and rose in 10 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($82,212) is $2,055 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,805); a 3-bedroom is $2,175.
The priciest of 4 ZIP codes in Ann Arbor, 48105 ($2,339/mo), costs 1.5 times the cheapest, 48108 ($1,584/mo).
Ypsilanti, 7 miles away, rents for 36% less ($1,296/mo), about $8,800 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Ann Arbor. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Ann Arbor, MI is roughly split between renters and owners, skews toward younger working-age adults, 77.9% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Ann Arbor, MI has changed in 5 years
Rent in Ann Arbor, MI has increased 28.6% since 2021, going from about $1,575 per month to roughly $2,026 today. On the earnings side, the typical household in Ann Arbor, MI now reports about $82,212, up from $73,276 in 2021. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 16.4 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. For context, the 2021 to 2026 window covers an unusually volatile run for US rents nationally, and Ann Arbor, MI reflects that arc in its own way.
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Can you afford rent in Ann Arbor on your salary?
At $2,026/mo, how Ann Arbor rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Ann Arbor rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Ann Arbor. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Ann Arbor
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Ann Arbor is $2,026/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,493/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,805/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,513/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,175/mo.
At 30% of local median household income ($82,212/yr), Ann Arbor ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.3% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Ann Arbor rent compare to other cities in Michigan?
At $2,026/mo, rent takes ~30% of Ann Arbor's median household income ($82,212/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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