Kent County, MI: Fair Market Rent 2027 and Income Limits

Official HUD figures for landlords and renters, effective October 1, 2026 (rents) and May 1, 2026 (income limits).

$1,6302-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$1,3651-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$85,30080% income limit, family of 4 (FY2026)

$106,600Median family income (FY2026)

The FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit in Kent County is $1,630 a month, up 6.5% from $1,531 in FY2026. Kent County belongs to the Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI HUD Metro FMR Area FMR area, so the same figures apply across that area. FMRs are gross rents: rent plus all tenant-paid utilities except phone, cable and internet.

Fair market rent in Kent County by bedroom count

Unit size	FY2027 FMR	FY2026 FMR	Change	Payment standard range (90–110%)
Studio	$1,306	$1,232	+6.0%	$1,176 – $1,436
1 bedroom	$1,365	$1,278	+6.8%	$1,229 – $1,501
2 bedrooms	$1,630	$1,531	+6.5%	$1,467 – $1,793
3 bedrooms	$2,113	$1,980	+6.7%	$1,902 – $2,324
4 bedrooms	$2,417	$2,189	+10.4%	$2,176 – $2,658

Source: HUD Fair Market Rents FY2027 (effective October 1, 2026) and FY2026 (revised file), details.

What can a landlord charge a Section 8 tenant here?

The FMR is not a cap on what you can ask on the open market. For a Housing Choice Voucher tenant, the local housing authority sets a payment standard, normally between 90% and 110% of the FMR (or of the ZIP-level Small Area FMR where those apply). For a two-bedroom unit in Kent County that is typically $1,467 to $1,793 including utilities. You can charge more than the payment standard if the rent passes the housing authority's rent-reasonableness test and, at move-in, the tenant's share stays within 40% of their adjusted monthly income. Ask the housing authority for its current payment standard schedule.

Can local renters afford the fair market rent?

$50,123median income of renter households

$1,243Median gross rent, all units

30%Rent-to-income ratio (median rent ÷ median renter income)

49%of renter households pay 30% or more of income on rent

At the 30% rule, a renter household earning the local median of $50,123 can afford about $1,253 a month including utilities. The FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,630 is $377 (30.1%) more than that. To rent a two-bedroom at the FMR, a household needs $65,200 a year under the 30% rule, or $58,680 under the common landlord rule that income must be three times the rent.

Kent County, ACS 2020–2024	Estimate ± MOE
Median gross rent (rent + utilities)	$1,243 ±$18
Median income of renter households	$50,123 ±$1,340
Renters paying 30% or more of income (cost-burdened)	49.0% ±2.0
Renters paying 50% or more (severely cost-burdened)	23.0% ±1.5
Renter households (where the share can be computed)	72,552

Change since 2015–2019

	ACS 2015–2019	ACS 2020–2024	Change
Median gross rent	$899	$1,243	+38.3%
Median renter household income	$36,313	$50,123	+38.0%
Renters paying 30%+ of income	46.9%	49.0%	+2.1 pts

Rent-to-income calculator: does an applicant qualify? → · Most affordable counties to rent in this state →

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates 2020–2024 and 2015–2019 (tables B25064, B25119, B25070). ± = margin of error at 90% confidence. Dollar figures are not adjusted for inflation.

Small Area FMRs by ZIP code (FY2027)

In metro areas HUD also publishes ZIP-level Small Area Fair Market Rents. Housing authorities in designated areas must use them for voucher payment standards; others may opt in. Here the two-bedroom SAFMR ranges from $1,380 to $2,450 depending on the ZIP code.

All 50 ZIP codes in this FMR area

ZIP	0 BR	1 BR	2 BR	3 BR	4 BR
48809	$1,110	$1,160	$1,380	$1,790	$1,980
48815	$1,110	$1,160	$1,380	$1,790	$1,980
48838	$1,110	$1,160	$1,380	$1,790	$1,980
49301	$1,960	$2,050	$2,450	$3,180	$3,630
49302	$1,180	$1,230	$1,470	$1,910	$2,180
49303	$1,110	$1,160	$1,380	$1,790	$1,980
49306	$1,460	$1,530	$1,830	$2,370	$2,710
49315	$1,420	$1,500	$1,790	$2,310	$2,650
49316	$1,440	$1,500	$1,810	$2,330	$2,680
49318	$1,110	$1,200	$1,460	$1,790	$2,040
49319	$1,150	$1,200	$1,430	$1,850	$2,120
49321	$1,180	$1,230	$1,470	$1,910	$2,180
49323	$1,150	$1,200	$1,510	$1,850	$2,170
49325	$1,110	$1,160	$1,380	$1,790	$1,980
49326	$1,110	$1,160	$1,380	$1,790	$1,980
49327	$1,110	$1,160	$1,380	$1,790	$1,980
49330	$1,280	$1,350	$1,610	$2,090	$2,390
49331	$1,290	$1,360	$1,640	$2,120	$2,450
49333	$1,190	$1,190	$1,560	$1,950	$2,360
49341	$1,390	$1,460	$1,740	$2,260	$2,580
49343	$1,110	$1,160	$1,380	$1,790	$1,980
49345	$1,110	$1,200	$1,380	$1,790	$2,040
49347	$1,110	$1,160	$1,380	$1,790	$1,980
49348	$1,110	$1,160	$1,400	$1,790	$2,040
49351	$1,310	$1,370	$1,630	$2,110	$2,420
49403	$1,110	$1,200	$1,380	$1,790	$2,040
49418	$1,310	$1,410	$1,670	$2,150	$2,470
49435	$1,110	$1,200	$1,380	$1,790	$2,040
49468	$1,310	$1,370	$1,630	$2,110	$2,420
49501	$1,310	$1,370	$1,630	$2,110	$2,420
49503	$1,410	$1,470	$1,760	$2,280	$2,610
49504	$1,300	$1,360	$1,620	$2,100	$2,400
49505	$1,390	$1,450	$1,730	$2,240	$2,570
49506	$1,430	$1,500	$1,790	$2,320	$2,650
49507	$1,280	$1,340	$1,600	$2,070	$2,370
49508	$1,310	$1,370	$1,640	$2,130	$2,430
49509	$1,110	$1,160	$1,380	$1,790	$2,020
49510	$1,310	$1,370	$1,630	$2,110	$2,420
49512	$1,310	$1,370	$1,630	$2,110	$2,420
49514	$1,310	$1,370	$1,630	$2,110	$2,420
49515	$1,310	$1,370	$1,630	$2,110	$2,420
49516	$1,310	$1,370	$1,630	$2,110	$2,420
49518	$1,310	$1,370	$1,630	$2,110	$2,420
49519	$1,270	$1,330	$1,590	$2,060	$2,360
49525	$1,490	$1,560	$1,860	$2,410	$2,760
49534	$1,240	$1,360	$1,600	$2,070	$2,380
49544	$1,230	$1,290	$1,540	$2,000	$2,280
49546	$1,420	$1,480	$1,770	$2,290	$2,620
49548	$1,230	$1,290	$1,540	$2,000	$2,280
49588	$1,310	$1,370	$1,630	$2,110	$2,420

Source: HUD FY2027 Small Area FMRs (effective October 1, 2026).

HUD income limits for Kent County (FY2026)

Income limits decide who qualifies for Section 8 vouchers, public housing and most HUD-assisted units. The area median family income is $106,600 (FY2025: $106,400, +0.2%). Small figures under each limit show the change from FY2025.

Household size	1 person	2 people	3 people	4 people	5 people	6 people	7 people	8 people
Extremely low income (30%)	$22,400 +0.2%	$25,600 +0.2%	$28,800 +0.2%	$33,000 +2.6%	$38,680 +2.7%	$44,360 +2.8%	$50,040 +2.9%	$55,720 +2.9%
Very low income (50%)	$37,350 +0.3%	$42,650 +0.1%	$48,000 +0.2%	$53,300 +0.2%	$57,600 +0.2%	$61,850 +0.2%	$66,100 +0.2%	$70,400 +0.2%
Low income (80%)	$59,750 +0.3%	$68,250 +0.2%	$76,800 +0.3%	$85,300 +0.2%	$92,150 +0.2%	$98,950 +0.2%	$105,800 +0.2%	$112,600 +0.2%

The 30% limit is HUD's “extremely low income” limit: the higher of 30% of median income or the federal poverty guideline, but never above the 50% limit. That is why it can rise faster than 30% of median for larger households. Tax-credit (LIHTC) properties use separate Multifamily Tax Subsidy Project limits.

Source: HUD Section 8 Income Limits FY2026 (effective May 1, 2026) and FY2025, details.