Van Buren County, Michigan Housing Market Prices
Van Buren 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 28% above the Michigan median More expensive than 73% of counties in Michigan$177,987
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Median rent 23% below the Michigan median$870
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Van Buren County | Michigan Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $177,987 | $138,713 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 15.6% | 8.6% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $870 | $1,129 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 3.4% | 4.5% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Van Buren County is about 28% higher than in Michigan. Rent is about 23% 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 Van Buren County, up about 15.6% and 3.4% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Van Buren County rose about 30.7% between 2015 and 2024, from $665 to $870. Over the same span, rent in Michigan rose about 44.2%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 2.6 yearly household incomes in Van Buren County.
Buying the median-priced home in Van Buren County costs roughly 17.1 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a moderate price-to-rent ratio, where buying and renting are often similarly cost-effective in Van Buren County. The price-to-rent ratio in Michigan is about 10.2.
| Metric | Van Buren County | Michigan Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $177,987 | $138,713 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $68,304 | $72,977 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 2.6 | 1.9 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Van Buren County rose about 130.0%, while median household income rose about 50.6% 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 | Van Buren County | Michigan Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 66.0% | 64.6% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 15.9% | 23.6% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 18.1% | 11.8% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 17.0 | 16.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
Van Buren County has a homeownership rate of 66.0%, higher than the Michigan average of 64.6%. Its housing vacancy rate is 18.1%, compared with 11.8% in Michigan.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Van Buren County | Michigan Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.44 people | 2.42 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1976 | 1972 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.9 | 5.9 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Van Buren County was built around 1976. On average, 2.4 people live in a home with about 5.9 rooms, staying for about 17.0 years on average.
Van Buren County, MI Housing Compared With Nearby Counties
Van Buren County, MI is the 5th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 75,795 residents against a local median of 153,288. Van Buren County, MI's median rent, at $870, runs 18% below the $1,062 typical of the counties around it.
The counties themselves spread $294 on median rent, so Van Buren County, MI sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Van Buren County, MI has the 6th highest median rent of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Van Buren County, MI | 75,795 | $177,987 #3/6 | $870 #6/6 | 80.6% #3/6 |
| Allegan County, MI | 121,456 | $166,666 | $1,100 | 87.4% |
| Berrien County, MI | 153,288 | $278,301 | $942 | 72.8% |
| Cass County, MI | 51,520 | $113,846 | $916 | 81.6% |
| St. Joseph County, IN | 273,015 | $121,815 | $1,062 | 69.0% |
| Ottawa County, MI | 301,203 | $259,210 | $1,210 | 79.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Van Buren County, Michigan.
What is the median home price in Van Buren County, Michigan?
The median home price in Van Buren County, Michigan is $177,987, higher than the Michigan average of $138,713.
What is the average home price in Van Buren County, Michigan?
The typical home price in Van Buren County, Michigan, reported as the median sale price, is $177,987. 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 Van Buren County, Michigan?
The median gross rent in Van Buren County, Michigan is $870 per month, lower than the Michigan average of $1,129.
What was the median gross rent in Van Buren County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Van Buren County, Michigan was $746 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Van Buren County, Michigan?
The price-to-rent ratio in Van Buren County, Michigan is about 17.1, meaning it would take roughly 17.1 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a moderate price-to-rent ratio, where buying and renting are often similarly cost-effective in Van Buren County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Van Buren County, Michigan?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Van Buren County, up about 15.6% and 3.4% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Van Buren County, Michigan?
66.0% of households in Van Buren County, Michigan own their home, higher than the Michigan average of 64.6%.
What is the vacancy rate in Van Buren County, Michigan?
The housing vacancy rate in Van Buren County, Michigan is 18.1%, higher than the Michigan average of 11.8%.
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