Housing decision brief
Cheboygan County, MI Housing Market
Cheboygan County screens as a higher purchase price, below-state rent, a manageable tax-rate signal market. Use the page as a decision brief, not just a price lookup, because local income, taxes, and data confidence change how affordable the county really is.
51st lowest home value out of 83 Michigan counties with data | 21st lowest rent out of 83
Median home value
$192,500
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$773/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$809/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.1x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
26.6%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$36/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower rent
$773/mo is 13% below Michigan county median
Rent burden below pressure line
26.60% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
What to Check
Lower income base
$62,875 median income is 1% below Michigan county median
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Best Fit For
- No strong fit signal was available in the current dataset.
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- Anyone treating reported crime rates as complete without source context
County vs State vs National
The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where Cheboygan County is genuinely cheap, where it is average, and where the hidden cost may be.
| Metric | County | State | U.S. | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Median home value Lower usually helps affordability. | $192,500 | $178,300 | $281,900 | 8% pressure8% above Michigan county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $773 | $884 | $1,163 | 13% favorable13% below Michigan county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $809 | $894 | $1,672 | 10% favorable10% below Michigan county median |
Median household income | $62,875 | $63,724 | $74,755 | Near state median1% below Michigan county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.89% | 1.09% | 1.02% | 19% favorable19% below Michigan county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 26.60% | 29.20% | N/A | 9% favorable26.60% of renter income goes to rent. |
Income Fit
A low price only helps if local income can carry the monthly cost. This panel compares the county income base with rent and owner-cost thresholds.
Rent cushion
+$31,955
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$28,204
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Cheboygan County offers affordable rental housing at a median of $822/month , about 16.0% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Cheboygan County is $822/month, while owner costs run $793/month. Owning saves approximately $29/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $32,880/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $33,986/year. With a median household income of $61,619, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 30.0% of renter households in Cheboygan County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Oceana County where rent averages $768/month, Cheboygan County is approximately 7% more expensive.
Better Counties to Compare
Similar counties are matched on home value, rent, income, and state context. This is more useful than a simple nearest-price list.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Why compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oceana County, MI | $190,100 | $759/mo | Same-state comparison near $190,100 home value and $759/mo rent. |
| Mackinac County, MI | $174,500 | $760/mo | Same-state comparison near $174,500 home value and $760/mo rent. |
| Manistee County, MI | $182,200 | $842/mo | Same-state comparison near $182,200 home value and $842/mo rent. |
| Hillsdale County, MI | $176,100 | $832/mo | Same-state comparison near $176,100 home value and $832/mo rent. |
| Alger County, MI | $176,200 | $714/mo | Same-state comparison near $176,200 home value and $714/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Cheboygan County
Is Cheboygan County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Cheboygan County?
How much income do you need for housing in Cheboygan County?
What should I double-check before moving to Cheboygan County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.