HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Kalamazoo County, Michigan (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Kalamazoo County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $1,162 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Kalamazoo keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,162
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,046 to $1,278
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$46,480
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Michigan
29th of 83
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Kalamazoo moves to $1,158. That's unchanged. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Kalamazoo actually rent for?
Search any address in Kalamazoo for a rent estimate built from nearby comps, with the HUD figure right next to it.
FY 2026 Fair Market Rents
| Bedrooms | FMR | Payment standard | Income needed | Hourly wage | vs FY 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $838 | $754 to $922 | $33,520 | $16.12/hr | +1.2% |
| 1 bedroom | $998 | $898 to $1,098 | $39,920 | $19.19/hr | +0.6% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,162 | $1,046 to $1,278 | $46,480 | $22.35/hr | -1.6% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,531 | $1,378 to $1,684 | $61,240 | $29.44/hr | -2.1% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,571 | $1,414 to $1,728 | $62,840 | $30.21/hr | -6.0% |
5 to 8 bedrooms (PropMetrics estimates)
HUD stops at four bedrooms. These add 15% of the four-bedroom rent per extra bedroom. It's our estimate, not a HUD number.
| Bedrooms | Estimated FMR | Payment standard |
|---|---|---|
| 5 bedroom Estimate | $1,807 | $1,626 to $1,988 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,042 | $1,838 to $2,246 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,278 | $2,050 to $2,506 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,514 | $2,263 to $2,765 |
Source: HUD Office of Policy Development and Research, FY 2026 Fair Market Rents. Rents include utilities. huduser.gov
Fair Market Rent is HUD's estimate of what a modest, decent unit rents for in an area, utilities included. It's set once a year and runs October to September. For FY 2026 that's October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. In Kalamazoo, that runs from $838 for a studio up to $1,571 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Kalamazoo is its own HUD metro area (Kalamazoo-Portage, MI), so the rate here is set from rents inside the county rather than a wider region.
Among Michigan's 83 counties, Kalamazoo ranks 29th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 12% above the state median of $1,033 and about 14% above the national median county at $1,018. About 261,426 people live here, 9th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,070 in 49002 (Portage) and $1,320 in 49024 (Portage), with the 24 ZIP codes in between. Housing authorities in HUD-designated metros use those ZIP rates instead of the county rate. Everywhere else the ZIP numbers show where rents actually sit, and the county rate stays the official standard.
| ZIP | City | 2BR rate | vs county |
|---|---|---|---|
| 49001 | Kalamazoo | $1,140 | -1.9% |
| 49002 | Portage | $1,070 | -7.9% |
| 49003 | Kalamazoo | $1,160 | -0.2% |
| 49004 | Kalamazoo | $1,190 | +2.4% |
| 49005 | Kalamazoo | $1,160 | -0.2% |
| 49006 | Kalamazoo | $1,070 | -7.9% |
| 49007 | Kalamazoo | $1,160 | -0.2% |
| 49008 | Kalamazoo | $1,110 | -4.5% |
| 49009 | Kalamazoo | $1,230 | +5.9% |
| 49012 | Augusta | $1,170 | +0.7% |
| 49019 | Kalamazoo | $1,160 | -0.2% |
| 49024 | Portage | $1,320 | +13.6% |
| 49034 | Climax | $1,070 | -7.9% |
| 49041 | Comstock | $1,160 | -0.2% |
| 49048 | Kalamazoo | $1,150 | -1.0% |
| 49052 | Fulton | $1,070 | -7.9% |
| 49053 | Galesburg | $1,070 | -7.9% |
| 49074 | Nazareth | $1,160 | -0.2% |
| 49077 | Oshtemo | $1,160 | -0.2% |
| 49081 | Portage | $1,160 | -0.2% |
| 49083 | Richland | $1,070 | -7.9% |
| 49087 | Schoolcraft | $1,070 | -7.9% |
| 49088 | Scotts | $1,170 | +0.7% |
| 49097 | Vicksburg | $1,070 | -7.9% |
What a voucher pays here
The voucher doesn't pay the FMR itself. It pays the payment standard. Housing authorities set it anywhere from 90% to 110% of FMR, which puts a two-bedroom standard in Kalamazoo somewhere between $1,046 and $1,278. The tenant pays roughly 30% of their income, the voucher covers the rest up to the standard, and the PHA won't approve a rent above what comparable unassisted units get.
$1,162 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $46,480 a year. Put another way, $22 an hour full time.
Worked example for a two-bedroom, assuming the rent equals the payment standard. Tenant pays 30% of monthly income, HUD's housing assistance payment covers the rest.
| Monthly household income | Tenant pays (30%) | HAP at 90% ($1,046) | HAP at 100% ($1,162) | HAP at 110% ($1,278) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $296 | $412 | $528 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $78 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went down 2% from FY 2025 ($1,181) to FY 2026 ($1,162). Since FY 2020 it's up 38% in total, about 5.6% a year. The Michigan median moved up 7% over the same year.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $579 | $678 | $839 | $1,137 | $1,214 | — |
| FY 2021 | $617 | $705 | $881 | $1,169 | $1,259 | +5.0% |
| FY 2022 | $613 | $711 | $879 | $1,160 | $1,252 | -0.2% |
| FY 2023 | $732 | $855 | $1,049 | $1,381 | $1,506 | +19.3% |
| FY 2024 | $724 | $878 | $1,057 | $1,413 | $1,484 | +0.8% |
| FY 2025 | $828 | $992 | $1,181 | $1,564 | $1,671 | +11.7% |
| FY 2026 | $838 | $998 | $1,162 | $1,531 | $1,571 | -1.6% |
| FY 2027 | $885 | $1,013 | $1,158 | $1,545 | $1,637 | -0.3% |
Nearby counties
Calhoun County
$1,17623 mi · pop 134,011
St. Joseph County
$1,01924 mi · pop 60,887
Van Buren County
$1,01625 mi · pop 75,636
Barry County
$1,33427 mi · pop 62,581
Allegan County
$1,26729 mi · pop 120,189
Cass County
$99332 mi · pop 51,604
Branch County
$97333 mi · pop 44,795
Eaton County
$1,26844 mi · pop 109,072
Questions people ask
$1,162 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $838 for a studio, $998 for one bedroom, $1,531 for three and $1,571 for four.
Tools for this county
Fair Market Rent lookup
Look up any ZIP code's Small Area FMR by bedroom count.
Section 8 rent calculator
Work out the payment standard and tenant share for a specific rent.
What is Fair Market Rent?
How HUD calculates FMR and what it means for landlords.
Rent affordability calculator
See what income a household needs for a given rent.
What does a rental in Kalamazoo actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Kalamazoo for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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