Rents are 5% below what Ypsilanti'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 $1,296 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 Ypsilanti is 0.7% below its high of $1,305 in June 2026, at $1,296 as of September 2026.
Rent in Ypsilanti changed +2.4% 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 Ypsilanti rose 34.2% while median household income rose 18.4% ($39,332 to $46,588). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Ypsilanti is 37.9% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent rose in 8 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($46,588) is $1,165 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($1,150); a 2-bedroom is $1,370.
Wayne, 11 miles away, rents for 10% less ($1,166/mo), about $1,600 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Ypsilanti. 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
Ypsilanti, MI is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 46.9% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Ypsilanti, MI has changed in 5 years
Rent in Ypsilanti, MI has climbed 32.2% since 2021, going from about $980 per month to roughly $1,296 today. Household income in the area moved from $40,256 to $46,588 across the same window, up 15.7% versus 2021. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 16.5 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 20,448 to 19,857 between 2021 and 2024, a 2.9% change. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 43% to 46.9%. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in Ypsilanti, MI look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.
Discussions about Ypsilanti
No discussions yet. Start the conversation.
Can you afford rent in Ypsilanti on your salary?
At $1,296/mo, how Ypsilanti rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Ypsilanti rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Ypsilanti. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Ypsilanti
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Ypsilanti is $1,296/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,130/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,370/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,150/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,655/mo.
At 33% of local median household income ($46,588/yr), Ypsilanti ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.4% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Ypsilanti?
Is rent going up or down in Ypsilanti?
Has rent outpaced income in Ypsilanti?
Which Ypsilanti neighborhoods have the lowest rent?
How does Ypsilanti rent compare to other cities in Michigan?
At $1,296/mo, rent takes ~33% of Ypsilanti's median household income ($46,588/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 Ypsilanti.
No discussions yet.