Kent County, Michigan Housing Market Prices
Kent 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 61% above the Michigan median More expensive than 82% of counties in Michigan$223,510
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Median rent 10% above the Michigan median Among the 5 most expensive counties in Michigan$1,242
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Kent County | Michigan Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $223,510 | $138,713 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 14.7% | 8.6% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $1,242 | $1,129 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 5.9% | 4.5% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Kent County is about 61% higher than in Michigan. Rent is about 10% higher 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 Kent County, up about 14.7% and 5.9% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Kent County rose about 62.0% between 2015 and 2024, from $767 to $1,242. Over the same span, rent in Michigan rose about 44.2%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 2.7 yearly household incomes in Kent County.
Buying the median-priced home in Kent County costs roughly 15.0 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 Kent County. The price-to-rent ratio in Michigan is about 10.2.
| Metric | Kent County | Michigan Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $223,510 | $138,713 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $83,335 | $72,977 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 2.7 | 1.9 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Kent County rose about 177.7%, while median household income rose about 58.3% 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 | Kent County | Michigan Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 67.1% | 64.6% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 28.3% | 23.6% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 4.6% | 11.8% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 14.0 | 16.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2012 | 2010 | 2011 |
Kent County has a homeownership rate of 67.1%, higher than the Michigan average of 64.6%. Its housing vacancy rate is 4.6%, compared with 11.8% in Michigan.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Kent County | Michigan Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.54 people | 2.42 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1975 | 1972 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 6.1 | 5.9 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Kent County was built around 1975. On average, 2.5 people live in a home with about 6.1 rooms, staying for about 14.0 years on average.
Kent County, MI Housing Compared With Nearby Counties
Kent County, MI is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 662,843 residents against a local median of 63,409. Kent County, MI's median home price, at $223,510, runs 42% above the $157,432 typical of the counties around it.
Median rent tells the same story from another angle: $1,242 against a local median of $904, 37% above it. The one measure here that carries a verdict is homeownership, and at 15% below the local median it puts Kent County, MI at the weaker end of the local range. The counties themselves spread $106,865 on median home price, so Kent County, MI sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Kent County, MI has the highest median home price of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kent County, MI | 662,843 | $223,510 #1/6 | $1,242 #1/6 | 70.3% #6/6 |
| Ionia County, MI | 66,574 | $82,024 | $883 | 77.3% |
| Montcalm County, MI | 67,816 | $188,888 | $868 | 83.1% |
| Barry County, MI | 63,409 | $157,432 | $971 | 87.3% |
| Newaygo County, MI | 50,792 | $175,000 | $904 | 86.5% |
| Mecosta County, MI | 41,242 | $118,181 | $934 | 76.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Kent County, Michigan.
What is the median home price in Kent County, Michigan?
The median home price in Kent County, Michigan is $223,510, higher than the Michigan average of $138,713.
What is the average home price in Kent County, Michigan?
The typical home price in Kent County, Michigan, reported as the median sale price, is $223,510. 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 Kent County, Michigan?
The median gross rent in Kent County, Michigan is $1,242 per month, higher than the Michigan average of $1,129.
What was the median gross rent in Kent County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Kent County, Michigan was $928 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Kent County, Michigan?
The price-to-rent ratio in Kent County, Michigan is about 15.0, meaning it would take roughly 15.0 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 Kent County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Kent County, Michigan?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Kent County, up about 14.7% and 5.9% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Kent County, Michigan?
67.1% of households in Kent County, Michigan own their home, higher than the Michigan average of 64.6%.
What is the vacancy rate in Kent County, Michigan?
The housing vacancy rate in Kent County, Michigan is 4.6%, lower than the Michigan average of 11.8%.
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