Rents are right about where Lansing'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 $1,197 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 Lansing usually run 0.8% below trend in February and 0.7% above it in October, about $18 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Lansing is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Lansing changed +6.1% 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 Lansing rose 41.5% while median household income rose 30.5% ($41,674 to $54,382). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Lansing is 53.3% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 4 months in a row, and rose in 11 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($54,382) is $1,360 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,103); a 3-bedroom is $1,437.
The priciest of 6 ZIP codes in Lansing, 48917 ($1,374/mo), costs 19% more than the cheapest, 48911 ($1,158/mo).
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Lansing. 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
Lansing, MI is roughly split between renters and owners, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 30.2% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Lansing, MI has changed in 5 years
Since 2021, the typical rent in Lansing, MI has climbed from $863 to $1,197, a 38.7% change over five years. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $46,570 in 2021 to $54,382 more recently. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. Renters now make up 46.2% of households, compared with 48.2% five years ago. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the Lansing, MI market of 2021.
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Can you afford rent in Lansing on your salary?
At $1,197/mo, how Lansing rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Lansing rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Lansing. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Lansing
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Lansing is $1,197/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $852/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,103/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $887/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,437/mo.
At 26% of local median household income ($54,382/yr), Lansing ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 6.1% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Lansing?
At $1,197/mo, rent takes ~26% of Lansing's median household income ($54,382/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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