Rents are 6% below what Warren'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 $1,369 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 Warren usually run 0.7% below trend in February and 0.5% above it in June, about $16 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Warren is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Warren changed +3.5% 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 Warren rose 42% while median household income rose 29% ($49,619 to $64,016). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Warren is 49.3% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 3 months in a row, and rose in 8 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($64,016) is $1,600 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,393); a 3-bedroom is $1,707.
The priciest of 3 ZIP codes in Warren, 48092 ($1,741/mo), costs 32% more than the cheapest, 48089 ($1,315/mo).
Melvindale, 16 miles away, rents for 15% less ($1,163/mo), about $2,500 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Warren. 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
Warren, MI is majority owner-occupied, has a median income below the national average, 21% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Warren, MI has changed in 5 years
The median rent in Warren, MI stood at $1,029 in 2021 and currently runs about $1,369, reflecting a 33.0% increase over the period. Median household income rose from $55,153 to $64,016 between 2021 and 2024, a 16.1% shift. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. Taken together, the five-year picture in Warren, MI reflects how housing costs and the people paying them have evolved through a stretch that included a pandemic, a hot rental market, and a recent cooling phase.
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At $1,369/mo, how Warren rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Warren rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Warren. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Warren
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Warren is $1,369/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,003/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,393/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,100/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,707/mo.
At 26% of local median household income ($64,016/yr), Warren ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 3.5% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Warren rent compare to other cities in Michigan?
At $1,369/mo, rent takes ~26% of Warren's median household income ($64,016/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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