Michigan Section 538 income limits for FY2026
A Section 538 tenant can earn up to 115% of area median income at move-in. In Michigan that limit for a family of four runs from $73,500 in Lake County, MI to $159,250 in Ann Arbor, MI. Limits took effect July 13, 2026.
| Area | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ann Arbor, MI metro area | 111,450 | 127,400 | 143,300 | 159,250 | 172,000 | 184,700 | 197,500 | 210,250 |
| Battle Creek, MI metro area | 65,400 | 74,700 | 84,050 | 93,400 | 100,850 | 108,350 | 115,800 | 123,300 |
| Bay City, MI metro area | 72,400 | 82,700 | 93,050 | 103,400 | 111,650 | 119,950 | 128,200 | 136,500 |
| Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI part of the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area | 84,350 | 96,400 | 108,450 | 120,500 | 130,150 | 139,800 | 149,400 | 159,050 |
| Livingston County, MI part of the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area | 105,150 | 120,150 | 135,200 | 150,200 | 162,200 | 174,250 | 186,250 | 198,250 |
| Flint, MI metro area | 66,800 | 76,350 | 85,900 | 95,450 | 103,100 | 110,700 | 118,350 | 126,000 |
| Barry County, MI part of the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI metro area | 83,400 | 95,300 | 107,250 | 119,150 | 128,700 | 138,200 | 147,750 | 157,300 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI metro area | 85,800 | 98,100 | 110,350 | 122,600 | 132,400 | 142,200 | 152,000 | 161,850 |
| Holland-Grand Haven, MI metro area | 91,550 | 104,600 | 117,700 | 130,750 | 141,200 | 151,650 | 162,150 | 172,600 |
| Ionia County, MI metro area | 79,450 | 90,800 | 102,150 | 113,500 | 122,600 | 131,650 | 140,750 | 149,800 |
| Montcalm County, MI metro area | 66,100 | 75,500 | 84,950 | 94,400 | 101,950 | 109,500 | 117,050 | 124,600 |
| Jackson, MI metro area | 74,600 | 85,300 | 95,950 | 106,600 | 115,150 | 123,650 | 132,200 | 140,700 |
| Kalamazoo-Portage, MI metro area | 87,000 | 99,450 | 111,850 | 124,300 | 134,250 | 144,200 | 154,150 | 164,100 |
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI metro area | 82,600 | 94,400 | 106,200 | 118,000 | 127,450 | 136,900 | 146,300 | 155,750 |
| Midland, MI metro area | 86,300 | 98,650 | 110,950 | 123,300 | 133,150 | 143,050 | 152,900 | 162,750 |
| Monroe, MI metro area | 77,700 | 88,800 | 99,900 | 111,000 | 119,900 | 128,750 | 137,650 | 146,500 |
| Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI metro area | 64,950 | 74,250 | 83,550 | 92,800 | 100,250 | 107,700 | 115,100 | 122,550 |
| Niles, MI metro area | 74,250 | 84,850 | 95,450 | 106,050 | 114,550 | 123,000 | 131,500 | 140,000 |
| Saginaw, MI metro area | 67,000 | 76,550 | 86,150 | 95,700 | 103,350 | 111,000 | 118,650 | 126,300 |
| Cass County, MI part of the South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI metro area | 74,200 | 84,800 | 95,400 | 106,000 | 114,450 | 122,950 | 131,450 | 139,900 |
| Benzie County, MI part of the Traverse City, MI metro area | 77,050 | 88,050 | 99,050 | 110,050 | 118,850 | 127,650 | 136,450 | 145,250 |
| Grand Traverse County, MI part of the Traverse City, MI metro area | 91,700 | 104,800 | 117,900 | 131,000 | 141,500 | 151,950 | 162,450 | 172,900 |
| Kalkaska County, MI metro area | 69,700 | 79,700 | 89,650 | 99,600 | 107,550 | 115,550 | 123,500 | 131,450 |
| Leelanau County, MI metro area | 98,300 | 112,300 | 126,350 | 140,400 | 151,650 | 162,850 | 174,100 | 185,350 |
| Alcona County, MI | 62,050 | 70,900 | 79,800 | 88,650 | 95,750 | 102,850 | 109,950 | 117,000 |
| Alger County, MI | 62,400 | 71,300 | 80,250 | 89,150 | 96,300 | 103,400 | 110,550 | 117,700 |
| Allegan County, MI | 83,150 | 95,050 | 106,900 | 118,800 | 128,300 | 137,800 | 147,300 | 156,800 |
| Alpena County, MI | 58,450 | 66,800 | 75,150 | 83,500 | 90,200 | 96,850 | 103,550 | 110,200 |
| Antrim County, MI | 75,200 | 85,900 | 96,650 | 107,400 | 116,000 | 124,600 | 133,200 | 141,750 |
| Arenac County, MI | 61,800 | 70,650 | 79,450 | 88,300 | 95,350 | 102,450 | 109,500 | 116,550 |
| Baraga County, MI | 60,700 | 69,400 | 78,100 | 86,750 | 93,700 | 100,650 | 107,550 | 114,500 |
| Branch County, MI | 66,250 | 75,700 | 85,200 | 94,650 | 102,200 | 109,800 | 117,350 | 124,950 |
| Charlevoix County, MI | 80,250 | 91,700 | 103,200 | 114,650 | 123,800 | 133,000 | 142,150 | 151,350 |
| Cheboygan County, MI | 64,000 | 73,150 | 82,300 | 91,450 | 98,750 | 106,100 | 113,400 | 120,700 |
| Chippewa County, MI | 69,500 | 79,400 | 89,350 | 99,250 | 107,200 | 115,150 | 123,050 | 131,000 |
| Clare County, MI | 52,550 | 60,100 | 67,600 | 75,100 | 81,100 | 87,100 | 93,100 | 99,150 |
| Crawford County, MI | 64,100 | 73,250 | 82,400 | 91,550 | 98,850 | 106,200 | 113,500 | 120,850 |
| Delta County, MI | 66,650 | 76,150 | 85,700 | 95,200 | 102,800 | 110,450 | 118,050 | 125,650 |
| Dickinson County, MI | 67,150 | 76,700 | 86,300 | 95,900 | 103,550 | 111,250 | 118,900 | 126,600 |
| Emmet County, MI | 81,850 | 93,550 | 105,250 | 116,950 | 126,300 | 135,650 | 145,000 | 154,350 |
| Gladwin County, MI | 63,050 | 72,050 | 81,050 | 90,050 | 97,250 | 104,450 | 111,650 | 118,850 |
| Gogebic County, MI | 59,100 | 67,500 | 75,950 | 84,400 | 91,150 | 97,900 | 104,650 | 111,400 |
| Gratiot County, MI | 64,450 | 73,700 | 82,900 | 92,100 | 99,450 | 106,850 | 114,200 | 121,550 |
| Hillsdale County, MI | 65,450 | 74,800 | 84,150 | 93,500 | 101,000 | 108,450 | 115,950 | 123,400 |
| Houghton County, MI | 71,950 | 82,250 | 92,500 | 102,800 | 111,000 | 119,250 | 127,450 | 135,700 |
| Huron County, MI | 65,950 | 75,350 | 84,800 | 94,200 | 101,750 | 109,250 | 116,800 | 124,350 |
| Iosco County, MI | 56,200 | 64,200 | 72,250 | 80,250 | 86,650 | 93,100 | 99,500 | 105,950 |
| Iron County, MI | 61,800 | 70,650 | 79,450 | 88,300 | 95,350 | 102,450 | 109,500 | 116,550 |
| Isabella County, MI | 65,850 | 75,250 | 84,650 | 94,050 | 101,550 | 109,100 | 116,600 | 124,150 |
| Keweenaw County, MI | 72,500 | 82,900 | 93,250 | 103,600 | 111,900 | 120,200 | 128,450 | 136,750 |
| Lake County, MI | 51,450 | 58,800 | 66,150 | 73,500 | 79,400 | 85,250 | 91,150 | 97,000 |
| Lenawee County, MI | 70,050 | 80,050 | 90,050 | 100,050 | 108,050 | 116,050 | 124,050 | 132,050 |
| Luce County, MI | 62,050 | 70,900 | 79,800 | 88,650 | 95,750 | 102,850 | 109,950 | 117,000 |
| Mackinac County, MI | 67,850 | 77,550 | 87,250 | 96,950 | 104,700 | 112,450 | 120,200 | 127,950 |
| Manistee County, MI | 68,850 | 78,700 | 88,500 | 98,350 | 106,200 | 114,100 | 121,950 | 129,800 |
| Marquette County, MI | 77,700 | 88,800 | 99,900 | 111,000 | 119,950 | 128,800 | 137,700 | 146,550 |
| Mason County, MI | 71,650 | 81,900 | 92,100 | 102,350 | 110,550 | 118,750 | 126,900 | 135,100 |
| Mecosta County, MI | 65,750 | 75,150 | 84,550 | 93,950 | 101,450 | 109,000 | 116,500 | 124,000 |
| Menominee County, MI | 66,900 | 76,450 | 86,000 | 95,550 | 103,200 | 110,850 | 118,500 | 126,150 |
| Missaukee County, MI | 66,900 | 76,450 | 86,000 | 95,550 | 103,200 | 110,850 | 118,500 | 126,150 |
| Montmorency County, MI | 56,300 | 64,300 | 72,350 | 80,400 | 86,850 | 93,250 | 99,700 | 106,150 |
| Newaygo County, MI | 63,900 | 73,050 | 82,150 | 91,300 | 98,600 | 105,900 | 113,200 | 120,500 |
| Oceana County, MI | 64,000 | 73,150 | 82,300 | 91,450 | 98,750 | 106,100 | 113,400 | 120,700 |
| Ogemaw County, MI | 57,600 | 65,800 | 74,050 | 82,250 | 88,850 | 95,400 | 102,000 | 108,550 |
| Ontonagon County, MI | 60,550 | 69,200 | 77,850 | 86,500 | 93,400 | 100,350 | 107,250 | 114,200 |
| Osceola County, MI | 60,200 | 68,800 | 77,400 | 86,000 | 92,900 | 99,750 | 106,650 | 113,500 |
| Oscoda County, MI | 53,300 | 60,900 | 68,550 | 76,150 | 82,250 | 88,350 | 94,450 | 100,500 |
| Otsego County, MI | 72,950 | 83,350 | 93,800 | 104,200 | 112,550 | 120,850 | 129,200 | 137,550 |
| Presque Isle County, MI | 66,100 | 75,500 | 84,950 | 94,400 | 101,950 | 109,500 | 117,050 | 124,600 |
| Roscommon County, MI | 59,200 | 67,600 | 76,050 | 84,500 | 91,300 | 98,050 | 104,850 | 111,550 |
| Sanilac County, MI | 63,750 | 72,900 | 82,000 | 91,100 | 98,400 | 105,700 | 112,950 | 120,250 |
| Schoolcraft County, MI | 63,200 | 72,250 | 81,250 | 90,300 | 97,500 | 104,750 | 111,950 | 119,200 |
| Shiawassee County, MI | 70,550 | 80,600 | 90,700 | 100,750 | 108,800 | 116,850 | 124,950 | 133,000 |
| St. Joseph County, MI | 69,150 | 79,050 | 88,900 | 98,800 | 106,700 | 114,600 | 122,500 | 130,400 |
| Tuscola County, MI | 66,800 | 76,350 | 85,900 | 95,450 | 103,100 | 110,700 | 118,350 | 126,000 |
| Van Buren County, MI | 74,500 | 85,100 | 95,850 | 106,450 | 115,000 | 123,500 | 132,050 | 140,550 |
| Wexford County, MI | 66,200 | 75,650 | 85,100 | 94,550 | 102,100 | 109,700 | 117,250 | 124,800 |
From income limit to rent cap
Two rent rules apply under 7 CFR 3565.203. Each unit's rent, counting tenant-paid utilities, can't exceed 30% of 115% of area median income adjusted for family size, which is 30% of the figure in the table for the household size you assume, divided by 12. And across the whole project, the average rent can't exceed 30% of 100% of area median income each year.
Worked example for Ann Arbor, MI: the four-person limit is $159,250, so the per-unit cap for a unit sized for four people is $3,981 a month including utilities. The project-average cap uses 100% of median instead of 115%, roughly $3,461 a month at the four-person size. Which household size applies to each bedroom count is set in USDA's program handbook; confirm it with your lender.
Income is tested only at move-in. A tenant whose income later rises above the limit can stay (7 CFR 3565.202(a)). Want to see what those rents support in debt? Run them through the 538 loan sizer.
All 77 Michigan areas and every other state in one file: 538 income limits download.