Rents are right about where Fenton'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 $1,479 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 Fenton usually run 1.1% below trend in February and 1% above it in August, about $31 a month apart at today's median. Based on 5 years of data.
Rent in Fenton is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in October 2021.
Rent in Fenton changed +5.9% over the year to September 2026. Across the 79 Michigan cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +4.1%.
Rent has risen 5 months in a row, and rose in 8 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($80,000) is $2,000 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 3-bedroom ($1,840); a 4-bedroom is $2,090.
Grand Blanc, 12 miles away, rents for 27% less ($1,079/mo), about $4,800 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Fenton. 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
Fenton, MI is majority owner-occupied, 39.2% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Fenton, MI has changed in 5 years
Compared with 2022, rent in Fenton, MI has increased by $220 per month, settling near $1,479 after starting the period at $1,259. Household income in the area moved from $70,745 to $80,000 across the same window, up 13.1% versus 2021. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 4.4 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. About 36.9% of households rent today, against 38.6% in 2021. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 29.2% to 39.2%. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in Fenton, MI look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.
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Can you afford rent in Fenton on your salary?
At $1,479/mo, how Fenton rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Fenton rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Fenton. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Fenton
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Fenton is $1,479/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $980/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,410/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,180/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,840/mo.
At 22% of local median household income ($80,000/yr), Fenton ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 6.0% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Fenton?
At $1,479/mo, rent takes ~22% of Fenton's median household income ($80,000/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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