Rents are right about where Birmingham's 10-year trend predicts.
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 $2,682 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
February. Asking rents in Birmingham usually run 1.6% below trend in February and 1.3% above it in August, about $78 a month apart at today's median. Based on 10 years of data.
Rent in Birmingham is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Birmingham changed +4.2% 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 Birmingham rose 34.6% while median household income rose 25% ($122,804 to $153,510). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Birmingham is 48.3% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 5 months in a row, and rose in 8 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($153,510) is $3,838 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 4-bedroom ($2,740).
Berkley, 4 miles away, rents for 26% less ($1,993/mo), about $8,300 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Birmingham. 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
Birmingham, MI is majority owner-occupied, has a large share of families with children, has a median income above the national average, 76.7% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Birmingham, MI has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in Birmingham, MI paid around $1,978 a month. That figure now sits near $2,682, up 35.6% from the 2021 baseline. Census figures show median household income at $153,510 today, compared with $137,907 five years earlier. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. The renter share has eased from 25.2% to 22.9%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.
Discussions about Birmingham
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Can you afford rent in Birmingham on your salary?
At $2,682/mo, how Birmingham rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Birmingham rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Birmingham. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Birmingham
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Birmingham is $2,682/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,490/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,070/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,640/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,540/mo.
At 21% of local median household income ($153,510/yr), Birmingham ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 4.2% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Birmingham rent compare to other cities in Michigan?
At $2,682/mo, rent takes ~21% of Birmingham's median household income ($153,510/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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