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Debt relief in Michigan

The typical owner-occupied home in Michigan is worth about $231,600, 30% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,904 a year in property taxes, about 1.25% of their home's value, higher than the national rate of 0.94%. The median household earns $72,875 a year, so the median home costs 3.2 times the median income (4.1 times for the U.S.). 73% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 58% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Michigan at a glance

Michigan U.S.
Median home value $231,600 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $2,904 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.25% 0.94%
Median household income $72,875 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 73% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 58% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,569 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 19.3% 21.0%
Median rent $1,129 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 30.2% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1972 1980
Vacant homes 11.8% 10.1%
People below the poverty line 13.2% 12.5%
Population 10,077,761 334,922,499

Household budgets and debt in Michigan

In Michigan, the typical owner with a mortgage spends 19.3% of household income on housing and the typical renter spends 30.2%. Above 30% is generally considered cost-burdened, which leaves less room for other debts.

13.2% of residents live below the federal poverty line, compared with 12.5% in the U.S.

If debts are getting hard to manage, the usual options, from mildest to most serious, are: a budget and a call to your lenders to ask for a hardship plan; a debt management plan through a nonprofit credit counselor, which can lower interest rates; a debt consolidation loan or, for homeowners, a cash-out refinance or home equity loan; debt settlement, where a company negotiates to pay less than you owe; and bankruptcy.

Under the Federal Trade Commission's rules, debt settlement companies can't charge a fee until they have settled at least one of your debts. Settling can hurt your credit and forgiven debt may be taxable, so compare it with credit counseling first. Time limits for collectors to sue differ by state and by type of debt; check with your state attorney general or a lawyer before relying on one.

Homeowners can sometimes pay off high-interest debt with their home's equity. With the median Michigan home worth $231,600 and 42% of owners mortgage-free, many owners have equity to draw on, but it turns unsecured debt into debt secured by your home.

Questions about debt relief in Michigan

What is the median home value in Michigan?

About $231,600 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Michigan?

Homeowners pay a median $2,904 a year, which is about 1.25% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.

How much of their income do Michigan households spend on housing?

With a median household income of $72,875, owners with a mortgage spend a median 19.3% on housing and renters 30.2%.

More about Michigan

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data