Rents are right about where Jackson'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 $1,159 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 Jackson is 0.3% below its high of $1,162 in August 2026, at $1,159 as of September 2026.
Rent in Jackson changed +6.4% over the year to September 2026. Across the 79 Michigan cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +4.1%.
Rent rose in 8 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($44,558) is $1,114 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($935); a 2-bedroom is $1,145.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Jackson. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
Is your rent fair?
Compare your rent to the local median.
Who lives here
Jackson, MI is roughly split between renters and owners, has a median income below the national average, 16.1% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Jackson, MI has changed in 5 years
Rent in Jackson, MI has increased 31.7% since 2022, going from about $880 per month to roughly $1,159 today. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $38,298 in 2021 to $44,558 more recently. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 15.4 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. Headcount in the area went from 31,810 to 31,058 between 2021 and 2024, a 2.4% change. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the Jackson, MI market of 2022.
Discussions about Jackson
No discussions yet. Start the conversation.
Can you afford rent in Jackson on your salary?
At $1,159/mo, how Jackson rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Jackson rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Jackson. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Jackson
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Jackson is $1,159/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $805/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,145/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $935/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,515/mo.
At 31% of local median household income ($44,558/yr), Jackson ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 6.4% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Jackson?
Is rent going up or down in Jackson?
Which Jackson neighborhoods have the lowest rent?
How does Jackson rent compare to other cities in Michigan?
Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Jackson?
At $1,159/mo, rent takes ~31% of Jackson's median household income ($44,558/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
How does this area stack up?
Pick another city or ZIP to compare.
Estimated from ZIP-level data
Be the first to submit your rent for Jackson.
No discussions yet.