Department of Numbers

Lansing Michigan Residential Rent and Rental Statistics

The median monthly gross residential rent in Lansing, MI (the Lansing-East Lansing metro area) was $852 in 2019 according to the Census ACS survey.1 Average gross rent in Lansing was $882 in 2019. The median rent more accurately depicts rental rates in the middle of the distribution of rents and is thus preferred in the analysis below. 2020 Lansing median and average rent data will be released in September of 2021.

Data is also available below for Lansing rental vacancy rates, Lansing rent as a percent of median income and the fraction of renters in Lansing.

Show dollars as: Nominal Real

Real Gross Rent in Lansing Michigan (2019 dollars)2

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US Median Gross Rent $1,097 +1.86% +6.82%
Michigan Median Gross Rent $888 +1.25% +3.62%
Lansing, MI Median Gross Rent $852 -3.07% -1.62%

Lansing, MI Real Gross Rent Trends

Median gross rent for Lansing peaked in real terms in 2018 at $879 and is now $27 (3.07%) lower. Average gross rent for Lansing peaked in real terms in 2018 at $909 and is now $27 (2.97%) lower.

Real Gross Rent in Lansing: Lansing MI Median, Lansing MI Average, Michigan Median, US Median

Lower quartile, median and upper quartile real gross rent

Real Gross Rent History for Lansing

Date US
Median
Michigan
Median
Lansing, MI
Median
Lansing, MI
Average
2019 $1,097 $888 $852 $882
2018 $1,077 $877 $879 $909
2017 $1,043 $861 $869 $908
2016 $1,027 $857 $866 $881
2015 $1,017 $852 $838 $864
2014 $986 $832 $827 $863
2013 $953 $809 $831 $858
2012 $940 $796 $787 $832
2011 $941 $798 $779 $812
2010 $955 $816 $849 $882
2009 $960 $816 $806 $824

more history ...

Lansing Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate is the fraction of homes for rent that are not occupied.3 In 2019 the rental vacancy rate for Lansing Michigan was 7.08% according to Census ACS data.

Rental Vacancy Rate in Lansing Michigan

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 5.97% -0.18% +0.08%
Michigan 5.56% +0.74% +0.15%
Lansing, MI 7.08% +2.44% +0.25%

Trends in Lansing, MI Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate in Lansing peaked in 2005 at 12.27%. Since then it has fallen by 5.19% to 7.08%. Data records for this series originated in 2005. From a 2017 post peak low of 4.21%, the rental vacancy rate has increased by 2.87%.

Rental Vacancy Rate: Lansing MI, Michigan, US

Rental vacancy rate in Michigan

Historical Rental Vacancy Rate data for Lansing

Date US Michigan Lansing, MI
2019 5.97% 5.56% 7.08%
2018 6.15% 4.82% 4.64%
2017 6.18% 4.87% 4.21%
2016 5.89% 5.41% 6.83%
2015 5.85% 5.19% 4.79%
2014 6.32% 5.88% 6.74%
2013 6.49% 6.04% 5.58%
2012 6.77% 6.73% 7.61%
2011 7.40% 7.72% 6.79%
2010 8.17% 9.60% 7.56%
2009 8.43% 9.48% 7.24%

more history ...

Rent as a Fraction of Income

Using median household income data for Lansing, we can calculate the fraction of income the median household would use to pay rent at the median monthly gross rent rate. For Lansing, median monthly gross rent as a fraction of median household income was 17.29% in 2019 according to the ACS.

Lansing Michigan Median Annual Rent as a Fraction of Median Household Income

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 20.03% -0.47% -0.40%
Michigan 17.88% -0.34% -0.82%
Lansing, MI 17.29% -0.11% -1.33%

Trends in Lansing, MI Rent as a Fraction of Income

The fraction of median Lansing household income required to pay median monthly gross rent peaked in 2013 (relative to the 2005 series origin) at 19.17%. Since then it has fallen by 1.88% to 17.29%.

Fraction of Income towards Rent: Lansing MI, Michigan, US

Percent of median household income going towards median monthly gross rent in Lansing Michigan

Historical Data for Annual Rent as a Fraction of Income in Lansing Michigan

Date US Michigan Lansing, MI
2019 20.03% 17.88% 17.29%
2018 20.50% 18.22% 17.41%
2017 20.13% 18.25% 17.92%
2016 20.43% 18.70% 18.62%
2015 20.63% 18.86% 18.29%
2014 20.89% 18.97% 18.91%
2013 20.78% 19.09% 19.17%
2012 20.65% 19.16% 18.26%
2011 20.70% 19.29% 18.58%
2010 20.50% 19.29% 19.11%
2009 20.12% 18.99% 17.78%

more history ...

Renter Fraction in Lansing Michigan

You can calculate the renter fraction in Lansing in at least two ways: by housing units or by population. I've gone with the housing units measure here. This measure looks at the number of renting households in Lansing as a fraction of total Lansing households. In 2019 32.66% of households were renters according to Census ACS data.

Lansing Fraction of Renters by Household Units

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 35.89% -0.16% -0.99%
Michigan 28.43% -0.38% -1.25%
Lansing, MI 32.66% -2.38% -2.89%

Trends in the Lansing, MI Renter Fraction

The Lansing household renter fraction peaked in in 2013 at 36.93% and is now 4.27% below that level. The origin year for the series is 2005.

Fraction of Renting Households: Lansing MI, Michigan, US

Fraction of renters in Lansing

History of Lansing Renter Fraction

Date US Michigan Lansing, MI
2019 35.89% 28.43% 32.66%
2018 36.05% 28.81% 35.04%
2017 36.13% 28.67% 35.54%
2016 36.88% 29.68% 35.55%
2015 36.97% 29.58% 35.79%
2014 36.90% 29.76% 35.87%
2013 36.50% 29.45% 36.93%
2012 36.09% 28.94% 34.86%
2011 35.42% 28.26% 35.13%
2010 34.65% 27.25% 33.32%
2009 34.13% 26.81% 32.70%

more history ...

1. Gross rent is defined as contract rent plus the estimated average monthly cost of utilities (electricity, gas, water, and sewer) and fuel (oil, coal, kerosene, wood, etc.). Because some rentals include utilities and others don't, gross rent is a way of normalizing the variability.

2. Real dollars are calculated using the CPI-U less shelter series.

3. The rental vacancy rate is computed by dividing the number of vacant units for rent by the sum of the renter-occupied units, vacant units that are for rent, and vacant units that have been rented but not yet occupied.