Isabella County, Michigan Housing Market Prices
Isabella County Home Prices and Rent at a Glance
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
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Median home price 16% above the Michigan median$160,833
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Median rent 19% below the Michigan median$912
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Isabella County | Michigan Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $160,833 | $138,713 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 5.8% | 8.6% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $912 | $1,129 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 3.3% | 4.5% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Isabella County is about 16% higher than in Michigan. Rent is about 19% lower than the Michigan average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2024
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2024
Both home prices and rent are rising in Isabella County, up about 5.8% and 3.3% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Isabella County rose about 27.4% between 2015 and 2024, from $716 to $912. Over the same span, rent in Michigan rose about 44.2%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 2.9 yearly household incomes in Isabella County.
Buying the median-priced home in Isabella County costs roughly 14.7 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a relatively low price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor buying over renting in Isabella County. The price-to-rent ratio in Michigan is about 10.2.
| Metric | Isabella County | Michigan Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $160,833 | $138,713 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $55,505 | $72,977 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 2.9 | 1.9 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Isabella County rose about 47.0%, while median household income rose about 42.0% between 2009 and 2025 — the home price grew faster than income.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Isabella County | Michigan Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 53.8% | 64.6% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 33.2% | 23.6% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 13.1% | 11.8% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 15.0 | 16.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2011 | 2010 | 2011 |
Isabella County has a homeownership rate of 53.8%, lower than the Michigan average of 64.6%. Its housing vacancy rate is 13.1%, compared with 11.8% in Michigan.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Isabella County | Michigan Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.38 people | 2.42 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1984 | 1972 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.7 | 5.9 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Isabella County was built around 1984. On average, 2.4 people live in a home with about 5.7 rooms, staying for about 15.0 years on average.
Isabella County, MI Housing Compared With Nearby Counties
Isabella County, MI is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 64,565 residents against a local median of 41,391. The measure that sets Isabella County, MI apart most is median home price: $160,833, 36% above the local median of $118,181.
Homeownership tells the same story from another angle: 61.8% against a local median of 78.9%, 22% below it. The one measure here that carries a verdict is homeownership, and at 22% below the local median it puts Isabella County, MI at the weaker end of the local range. The counties themselves spread $90,272 on median home price, so Isabella County, MI sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Isabella County, MI has the 2nd highest median home price of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isabella County, MI | 64,565 | $160,833 #2/6 | $912 #3/6 | 61.8% #6/6 |
| Clare County, MI | 31,218 | $112,500 | $764 | 86.9% |
| Gratiot County, MI | 41,391 | $98,617 | $834 | 78.9% |
| Montcalm County, MI | 67,816 | $188,888 | $868 | 83.1% |
| Midland County, MI | 83,757 | $157,692 | $1,016 | 78.1% |
| Mecosta County, MI | 41,242 | $118,181 | $934 | 76.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Isabella County, Michigan.
What is the median home price in Isabella County, Michigan?
The median home price in Isabella County, Michigan is $160,833, higher than the Michigan average of $138,713.
What is the average home price in Isabella County, Michigan?
The typical home price in Isabella County, Michigan, reported as the median sale price, is $160,833. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in Isabella County, Michigan?
The median gross rent in Isabella County, Michigan is $912 per month, lower than the Michigan average of $1,129.
What was the median gross rent in Isabella County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Isabella County, Michigan was $737 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Isabella County, Michigan?
The price-to-rent ratio in Isabella County, Michigan is about 14.7, meaning it would take roughly 14.7 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a relatively low price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor buying over renting in Isabella County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Isabella County, Michigan?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Isabella County, up about 5.8% and 3.3% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Isabella County, Michigan?
53.8% of households in Isabella County, Michigan own their home, lower than the Michigan average of 64.6%.
What is the vacancy rate in Isabella County, Michigan?
The housing vacancy rate in Isabella County, Michigan is 13.1%, higher than the Michigan average of 11.8%.
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