Rents are right about where Dearborn'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 $1,861 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 Dearborn usually run 1.1% below trend in February and 1.1% above it in August, about $41 a month apart at today's median. Based on 5 years of data.
Rent in Dearborn is 0.1% below its high of $1,863 in April 2026, at $1,861 as of September 2026.
Rent in Dearborn changed +3.9% over the year to September 2026. Across the 79 Michigan cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +4.1%.
Rent has risen 3 months in a row, and rose in 9 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($65,324) is $1,633 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,415); a 3-bedroom is $1,730.
Melvindale, 3 miles away, rents for 38% less ($1,163/mo), about $8,400 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Dearborn. 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
Dearborn, MI is majority owner-occupied, has a large share of families with children, has a median income below the national average, 34.6% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Dearborn, MI has changed in 5 years
The median rent in Dearborn, MI stood at $1,575 in 2022 and currently runs about $1,861, reflecting a 18.2% increase over the period. Household income in the area moved from $60,184 to $65,324 across the same window, up 8.5% versus 2021. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in Dearborn, MI look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.
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At $1,861/mo, how Dearborn rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Dearborn rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Dearborn. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Dearborn
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Dearborn is $1,861/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,015/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,415/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,120/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,730/mo.
At 34% of local median household income ($65,324/yr), Dearborn ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 3.9% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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At $1,861/mo, rent takes ~34% of Dearborn's median household income ($65,324/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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