Flint Michigan Residential Rent and Rental Statistics
The median monthly gross residential rent in Flint, MI (the Flint metro area) was $769 in 2019 according to the Census ACS survey.1 Average gross rent in Flint was $772 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 Flint median and average rent data will be released in September of 2021.
Data is also available below for Flint rental vacancy rates, Flint rent as a percent of median income and the fraction of renters in Flint.
Real Gross Rent in Flint 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% |
| Flint, MI Median Gross Rent | $769 | +1.18% | +2.95% |
Flint, MI Real Gross Rent Trends
Median gross rent for Flint peaked in real terms in 2015 at $771 and is now $2 (0.26%) lower. Average gross rent for Flint peaked in real terms in 2015 at $773 and is now $1 (0.13%) lower.
Real Gross Rent in Flint: Flint MI Median, Flint MI Average, Michigan Median, US Median
Real Gross Rent History for Flint
| Date | US Median |
Michigan Median |
Flint, MI Median |
Flint, MI Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $1,097 | $888 | $769 | $772 |
| 2018 | $1,077 | $877 | $760 | $753 |
| 2017 | $1,043 | $861 | $753 | $744 |
| 2016 | $1,027 | $857 | $747 | $741 |
| 2015 | $1,017 | $852 | $771 | $773 |
| 2014 | $986 | $832 | $761 | $757 |
| 2013 | $953 | $809 | $742 | $730 |
| 2012 | $940 | $796 | $723 | $710 |
| 2011 | $941 | $798 | $725 | $732 |
| 2010 | $955 | $816 | $761 | $753 |
| 2009 | $960 | $816 | $758 | $742 |
| 2007 | $927 | $802 | $727 | $734 |
| 2005 | $910 | $819 | $728 | $705 |
Flint 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 Flint Michigan was 5.70% according to Census ACS data.
Rental Vacancy Rate in Flint Michigan
| 2019 | 1 Year Change | 3 Year Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | 5.97% | -0.18% | +0.08% |
| Michigan | 5.56% | +0.74% | +0.15% |
| Flint, MI | 5.70% | -0.69% | -0.15% |
Trends in Flint, MI Rental Vacancy Rate
The rental vacancy rate in Flint peaked in 2005 at 13.87%. Since then it has fallen by 8.17% to 5.70%. Data records for this series originated in 2005. From a 2017 post peak low of 4.73%, the rental vacancy rate has increased by 0.97%.
Rental Vacancy Rate: Flint MI, Michigan, US
Historical Rental Vacancy Rate data for Flint
| Date | US | Michigan | Flint, MI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 5.97% | 5.56% | 5.70% |
| 2018 | 6.15% | 4.82% | 6.39% |
| 2017 | 6.18% | 4.87% | 4.73% |
| 2016 | 5.89% | 5.41% | 5.85% |
| 2015 | 5.85% | 5.19% | 7.75% |
| 2014 | 6.32% | 5.88% | 5.53% |
| 2013 | 6.49% | 6.04% | 7.60% |
| 2012 | 6.77% | 6.73% | 7.50% |
| 2011 | 7.40% | 7.72% | 8.55% |
| 2010 | 8.17% | 9.60% | 8.94% |
| 2009 | 8.43% | 9.48% | 9.64% |
| 2007 | 7.87% | 9.66% | 12.77% |
| 2005 | 7.74% | 10.09% | 13.87% |
Rent as a Fraction of Income
Using median household income data for Flint, we can calculate the fraction of income the median household would use to pay rent at the median monthly gross rent rate. For Flint, median monthly gross rent as a fraction of median household income was 18.31% in 2019 according to the ACS.
Flint 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% |
| Flint, MI | 18.31% | -0.31% | -1.15% |
Trends in Flint, MI Rent as a Fraction of Income
The fraction of median Flint household income required to pay median monthly gross rent peaked in 2010 (relative to the 2005 series origin) at 21.05%. Since then it has fallen by 2.74% to 18.31%.
Fraction of Income towards Rent: Flint MI, Michigan, US
Historical Data for Annual Rent as a Fraction of Income in Flint Michigan
| Date | US | Michigan | Flint, MI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 20.03% | 17.88% | 18.31% |
| 2018 | 20.50% | 18.22% | 18.63% |
| 2017 | 20.13% | 18.25% | 18.92% |
| 2016 | 20.43% | 18.70% | 19.47% |
| 2015 | 20.63% | 18.86% | 19.82% |
| 2014 | 20.89% | 18.97% | 20.76% |
| 2013 | 20.78% | 19.09% | 20.51% |
| 2012 | 20.65% | 19.16% | 20.24% |
| 2011 | 20.70% | 19.29% | 19.71% |
| 2010 | 20.50% | 19.29% | 21.05% |
| 2009 | 20.12% | 18.99% | 19.28% |
| 2007 | 18.66% | 17.09% | 17.23% |
| 2005 | 18.89% | 17.07% | 16.44% |
Renter Fraction in Flint Michigan
You can calculate the renter fraction in Flint 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 Flint as a fraction of total Flint households. In 2019 30.02% of households were renters according to Census ACS data.
Flint 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% |
| Flint, MI | 30.02% | -1.88% | -1.98% |
Trends in the Flint, MI Renter Fraction
The Flint household renter fraction peaked in in 2014 at 34.31% and is now 4.29% below that level. The origin year for the series is 2005.
Fraction of Renting Households: Flint MI, Michigan, US
History of Flint Renter Fraction
| Date | US | Michigan | Flint, MI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 35.89% | 28.43% | 30.02% |
| 2018 | 36.05% | 28.81% | 31.90% |
| 2017 | 36.13% | 28.67% | 28.77% |
| 2016 | 36.88% | 29.68% | 32.00% |
| 2015 | 36.97% | 29.58% | 29.46% |
| 2014 | 36.90% | 29.76% | 34.31% |
| 2013 | 36.50% | 29.45% | 29.50% |
| 2012 | 36.09% | 28.94% | 30.49% |
| 2011 | 35.42% | 28.26% | 30.56% |
| 2010 | 34.65% | 27.25% | 30.08% |
| 2009 | 34.13% | 26.81% | 29.73% |
| 2007 | 32.80% | 25.17% | 26.23% |
| 2005 | 33.10% | 25.33% | 27.36% |
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. ↩
