Rents are 8% below what Southfield'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 $1,547 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: August 17, 2026
Is your rent fair?
Compare your rent to the local median.
Who lives here
Southfield, MI is roughly split between renters and owners, has a large retiree population, 40.7% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Southfield, MI has changed in 5 years
Rent in Southfield, MI has increased 25.6% since 2021, going from about $1,232 per month to roughly $1,547 today. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $60,006 in 2021 to $68,166 more recently. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 12.0 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. About 46.6% of households rent today, against 50.6% in 2021. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the Southfield, MI market of 2021.
Discussions about Southfield
No discussions yet. Start the conversation.
Can you afford rent in Southfield on your salary?
At $1,547/mo, how Southfield rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Southfield rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Southfield. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Southfield
Last updated: August 17, 2026
The median rent in Southfield is $1,547/mo as of August 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,120/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,557/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,233/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,910/mo.
At 27% of local median household income ($68,166/yr), Southfield ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 3.7% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
Is Southfield an affordable city for renters?
How much income do you need to rent in Southfield?
Is rent going up or down in Southfield?
Which Southfield neighborhoods have the lowest rent?
How does Southfield rent compare to other cities in Michigan?
Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Southfield?
What percentage of Southfield residents rent vs. own?
How does Southfield rent compare to the national average?
At $1,547/mo, rent takes ~27% of Southfield's median household income ($68,166/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 Southfield.
No discussions yet.
