Rents are 4% below what Dearborn Heights'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 $1,447 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
Rent in Dearborn Heights is 0% below its high of $1,447 in July 2026, at $1,447 as of September 2026.
Rent in Dearborn Heights changed +1.8% over the year to September 2026. Across the 79 Michigan cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +4.1%.
Rent rose in 9 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($60,391) is $1,510 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,485); a 3-bedroom is $1,820.
Inkster, 3 miles away, rents for 16% less ($1,211/mo), about $2,800 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Dearborn Heights. 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 Heights, MI is majority owner-occupied, has a large share of families with children, has a median income below the national average, 23.8% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Dearborn Heights, MI has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in Dearborn Heights, MI has shifted from $1,199 to $1,447, up 20.7% since 2022. Census figures show median household income at $60,391 today, compared with $55,190 five years earlier. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2022.
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At $1,447/mo, how Dearborn Heights rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Dearborn Heights rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Dearborn Heights. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Dearborn Heights
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Dearborn Heights is $1,447/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,065/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,485/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,175/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,820/mo.
At 29% of local median household income ($60,391/yr), Dearborn Heights ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 1.8% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Dearborn Heights?
At $1,447/mo, rent takes ~29% of Dearborn Heights's median household income ($60,391/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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