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Buying a home in Ingham County, Michigan

The typical owner-occupied home in Ingham County is worth about $198,800, 14% below the Michigan median of $231,600 and 40% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $3,640 a year in property taxes, about 1.83% of their home's value, higher than the Michigan rate of 1.25%. The median household earns $65,526 a year, so the median home costs 3.0 times the median income (3.2 times for Michigan). 59% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 63% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Ingham County at a glance

Ingham County Michigan U.S.
Median home value $198,800 $231,600 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $3,640 $2,904 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.83% 1.25% 0.94%
Median household income $65,526 $72,875 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 59% 73% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 63% 58% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,501 $1,569 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 19.4% 19.3% 21.0%
Median rent $1,084 $1,129 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 31.9% 30.2% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1971 1972 1980
Vacant homes 7.2% 11.8% 10.1%
Population 283,913 10,077,761 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Ingham County

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Ingham County home of $198,800 with 20% down costs about $1,456 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,787, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.

Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $62,394 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 27% of the median Ingham County household income of $65,526; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $209,000.

The median rent here is $1,084 a month, so owning the median home costs about $372 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$39,760
Loan amount$159,040
Principal and interest$1,070
Property taxes (1.83% a year)$303
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$83
PMI$0
Total per month$1,456

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$6,958
Loan amount$195,199
Principal and interest$1,313
Property taxes (1.83% a year)$303
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$83
FHA mortgage insurance$88
Total per month$1,787

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Questions about home buying in Ingham County

What is the median home value in Ingham County?

About $198,800 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Ingham County?

Homeowners pay a median $3,640 a year, which is about 1.83% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.

What income do you need to buy a home in Ingham County?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,456 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $62,394 a year.

More about Ingham County

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