Department of Numbers

Saginaw Michigan Residential Rent and Rental Statistics

The median monthly gross residential rent in Saginaw, MI (the Saginaw-Saginaw Township North metro area) was $761 in 2019 according to the Census ACS survey.1 Average gross rent in Saginaw was $724 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 Saginaw median and average rent data will be released in September of 2021.

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

Show dollars as: Nominal Real

Real Gross Rent in Saginaw 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%
Saginaw, MI Median Gross Rent $761 +0.13% -3.18%

Saginaw, MI Real Gross Rent Trends

Median gross rent for Saginaw peaked in real terms in 2016 at $786 and is now $25 (3.18%) lower. Average gross rent for Saginaw peaked in real terms in 2008 at $815 and is now $91 (11.17%) lower. From a recent low of 688.0 in 2012, real average gross rent has now increased by $36 (5.23%).

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

Lower quartile, median and upper quartile real gross rent

Real Gross Rent History for Saginaw

Date US
Median
Michigan
Median
Saginaw, MI
Median
Saginaw, MI
Average
2019 $1,097 $888 $761 $724
2018 $1,077 $877 $760 $769
2017 $1,043 $861 $763 $749
2016 $1,027 $857 $786 $726
2015 $1,017 $852 $764 $734
2014 $986 $832 $739 $726
2013 $953 $809 $706 $747
2012 $940 $796 $712 $688
2011 $941 $798 $765 $761
2010 $955 $816 $767 $735
2009 $960 $816 $728 $707

more history ...

Saginaw 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 Saginaw Michigan was 12.53% according to Census ACS data.

Rental Vacancy Rate in Saginaw Michigan

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 5.97% -0.18% +0.08%
Michigan 5.56% +0.74% +0.15%
Saginaw, MI 12.53% +3.04% +6.79%

Trends in Saginaw, MI Rental Vacancy Rate

At 12.53%, Saginaw residential rental vacancy rate in 2019 is at the highest point since 2005, the beginning of our reporting for this series.

Rental Vacancy Rate: Saginaw MI, Michigan, US

Rental vacancy rate in Michigan

Historical Rental Vacancy Rate data for Saginaw

Date US Michigan Saginaw, MI
2019 5.97% 5.56% 12.53%
2018 6.15% 4.82% 9.49%
2017 6.18% 4.87% 4.60%
2016 5.89% 5.41% 5.74%
2015 5.85% 5.19% 8.06%
2014 6.32% 5.88% 6.99%
2013 6.49% 6.04% 5.47%
2012 6.77% 6.73% 4.33%
2011 7.40% 7.72% 5.49%
2010 8.17% 9.60% 9.70%
2009 8.43% 9.48% 11.09%

more history ...

Rent as a Fraction of Income

Using median household income data for Saginaw, we can calculate the fraction of income the median household would use to pay rent at the median monthly gross rent rate. For Saginaw, median monthly gross rent as a fraction of median household income was 18.91% in 2019 according to the ACS.

Saginaw 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%
Saginaw, MI 18.91% +0.61% -0.75%

Trends in Saginaw, MI Rent as a Fraction of Income

The fraction of median Saginaw household income required to pay median monthly gross rent peaked in 2011 (relative to the 2005 series origin) at 21.01%. Since then it has fallen by 2.11% to 18.91%.

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

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

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

Date US Michigan Saginaw, MI
2019 20.03% 17.88% 18.91%
2018 20.50% 18.22% 18.30%
2017 20.13% 18.25% 19.59%
2016 20.43% 18.70% 19.66%
2015 20.63% 18.86% 19.92%
2014 20.89% 18.97% 18.70%
2013 20.78% 19.09% 19.35%
2012 20.65% 19.16% 19.91%
2011 20.70% 19.29% 21.01%
2010 20.50% 19.29% 19.63%
2009 20.12% 18.99% 19.56%

more history ...

Renter Fraction in Saginaw Michigan

You can calculate the renter fraction in Saginaw 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 Saginaw as a fraction of total Saginaw households. In 2019 27.92% of households were renters according to Census ACS data.

Saginaw 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%
Saginaw, MI 27.92% -1.56% -0.13%

Trends in the Saginaw, MI Renter Fraction

The Saginaw household renter fraction peaked in in 2018 at 29.48% and is now 1.56% below that level. The origin year for the series is 2005.

Fraction of Renting Households: Saginaw MI, Michigan, US

Fraction of renters in Saginaw

History of Saginaw Renter Fraction

Date US Michigan Saginaw, MI
2019 35.89% 28.43% 27.92%
2018 36.05% 28.81% 29.48%
2017 36.13% 28.67% 29.24%
2016 36.88% 29.68% 28.05%
2015 36.97% 29.58% 29.43%
2014 36.90% 29.76% 25.98%
2013 36.50% 29.45% 28.81%
2012 36.09% 28.94% 26.91%
2011 35.42% 28.26% 28.73%
2010 34.65% 27.25% 26.22%
2009 34.13% 26.81% 26.18%

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.