What percentage of people rent in Bay City, MI?

Name: Renters and owners in Bay City, MI, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

29.9% (±3.0 points) of the occupied homes in Bay City, MI are rented (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

That is 4,392 renting households against 10,285 that own their home.

In Bay City, the share of households that rent went from 32.0% in 2015–2019 to 29.9% in 2020–2024 (−2.1 percentage points), not a measurable change.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Households that rent: 29.9% (±3.0 points)
Renting households: 4,392 (±433)
Median renter income: $26,688 (±$5,224)

Who rents and who owns in Bay City

Tenure, estimate (90% margin of error)
	Bay City	Bay County	Michigan	United States
Renter-occupied share	29.9% (±3.0 points)	23.0% (±1.4 points)	26.8% (±0.2 points)	34.8%
Renting households	4,392 (±433)	10,358 (±666)	1,092,179 (±7,674)	45,017,354
Owning households	10,285 (±581)	34,745 (±755)	2,984,190 (±12,886)	84,210,142
Average renter household size	2.0 (±0.2)	1.9 (±0.1)	2.1 (±0.0)	2.3
Average owner household size	2.3 (±0.1)	2.4 (±0.0)	2.5 (±0.0)	2.6
Median renter household income	$26,688 (±$5,224)	$35,715 (±$3,064)	$42,352 (±$376)	$52,966
Median owner household income	$57,247 (±$4,349)	$72,178 (±$3,521)	$87,130 (±$344)	$100,009

In Bay City, the renter share is higher than in Bay County (23.0%).

It is also higher than in Michigan (26.8%).

It is lower than the national figure (34.8%).

In Bay County, Bay City ranks 2 of 18 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest renter share.

Statewide, it ranks 221 of 1,520.

Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.

How renting in Bay City has changed since 2015–2019

2015–2019 and 2020–2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates
	2015–2019	2020–2024	Amount of change	Verdict
Households that rent	32.0% (±2.8 points)	29.9% (±3.0 points)	−2.1 percentage points	Not a measurable change
Median gross rent	$634 (±$28)	$766 (±$44)	+20.8%	No measurable change after inflation
Median household income	$37,893 (±$2,045)	$49,420 (±$2,180)	+30.4%	No measurable change after inflation

The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.

Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.

The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.

Households that rent in places near Bay City

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Bay City
Place	Distance	Households that rent	Compared with this place
Bay City	—	29.9% (±3.0 points)	—
Essexville	2.8 mi	5.5% (±3.5 points)	Lower
Portsmouth Charter Township	3.7 mi	12.0% (±6.6 points)	Lower
Bangor Charter Township	4.3 mi	27.3% (±3.9 points)	Not measurably different
Monitor Charter Township	5.2 mi	9.4% (±3.3 points)	Lower
Frankenlust Township	5.6 mi	20.1% (±6.2 points)	Lower
Zilwaukee Township	6.1 mi	0.0% (±79.0 points)	Not measurably different
Hampton Charter Township	6.2 mi	39.6% (±6.3 points)	Higher
Zilwaukee	7.6 mi	18.3% (±6.1 points)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Essexville, MI (5.5%), Portsmouth Charter Township, MI (12.0%), Monitor Charter Township, MI (9.4%).

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Hampton Charter Township, MI (39.6%).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Households that rent across Bay County, place by place

Rank	Place	Households that rent
1	Hampton Charter Township	39.6% (±6.3 points)
2	Bay City	29.9% (±3.0 points)
3	Bangor Charter Township	27.3% (±3.9 points)
4	Pinconning	24.8% (±8.9 points)
5	Auburn	23.6% (±6.7 points)
6	Frankenlust Township	20.1% (±6.2 points)
7	Williams Charter Township	18.0% (±7.6 points)
8	Kawkawlin Township	15.8% (±8.4 points)

Showing 8 of 18 places in Bay County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about Bay City

How many renters are there in Bay City?

Bay City has an estimated 4,392 (±433) renting households, 29.9% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Is renting growing in Bay City?

In Bay City, the share of households that rent went from 32.0% in 2015–2019 to 29.9% in 2020–2024 (−2.1 percentage points), not a measurable change.

How big are renting households in Bay City?

A renting household in Bay City has 2.0 people on average, against 2.3 in an owned home.

How much do renters earn in Bay City?

The median renting household in Bay City, MI has an income of $26,688 (±$5,224) a year, against $57,247 for households that own their home.

Sources

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) and detailed tables (acs/acs5) for Bay City city, Michigan (place:06020, in state:26).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The 2015–2019 figures are DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, B25064_001E, B25064_001M, B19013_001E, B19013_001M from the 2019 release.

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0047E, DP04_0047M, DP04_0046E, DP04_0046M, DP04_0049E, DP04_0049M, DP04_0048E, DP04_0048M, B25119_003E, B25119_003M, B25119_002E, B25119_002M

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.