Ingham County, MI

This county of 290,177 residents needs 2,163 more housing units over the next five years. Ingham County is part of the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission.

Housing snapshot

Population
290,177 (2026)
Households
118,193
Median household income
$71,851 (2026)
Typical home value
$274,223
Owner-occupied
55%
Five-year housing need
2,163 units

Comparison to other Michigan counties

Ingham County: $71,851 Median income (2026 estimate)
<$54K >$105K
Ingham County: 1.34 jobs to household ratio
<0.24 >1.23
Ingham County: Permits since 2021 represent 2.2% of housing
<0.6% >5.1%
On this page

How affordable is this community?

A typical home in Ingham County, MI costs $274,223, somewhat above the Michigan average of $232,321. With a median household income of $71,851 in Ingham County, MI, housing costs are a modest stretch for the typical household.

This chart tracks whether housing prices are keeping pace with local incomes. The gap between what homes cost and what households can afford reveals affordability trends over time.

How is the population changing?

Ingham County, MI has a population of roughly 283,913 that has been largely stable in recent years.

Population growth patterns reveal how communities are evolving. This chart shows historical population changes by age group and projects future trends based on demographic patterns.

How has employment changed over time?

Jobs by industry sector since 2012. Switch between local jobs — counted where the jobs are located — and resident jobs, counted where the workers live. On the local view the most recent year is a nowcast: it grows the latest local LODES job mix forward using recent county employment growth from QCEW and the BLS local employment series, so the newest point tracks today's economy instead of data that is roughly two years old.

How are households changing by income?

Ingham County, MI has roughly 118,193 households and a population that has been largely stable in recent years.

Understanding how households at different income levels are growing or declining helps identify which groups face the greatest housing pressure and where new housing is most needed.

Who lives here today?

In Ingham County, MI, detached single-family accounts for 61% of the housing stock. Homeownership is the norm in Ingham County, MI, with 55% of units owner-occupied.

Households may have different structure type preferences depending on characteristics such as household size, income, employment, presence of children, age of individuals, and lifestyle choices. Understanding the housing stock in corresponding terms helps assess how well existing units align with existing households' ideals.

What does the housing stock look like?

The mix of housing types and ownership patterns shapes a community's character. This chart breaks down housing units by structure type and whether they're owner-occupied or rented.

How much new housing supply is needed?

To keep up with growth and fill current housing shortages, Ingham County, MI needs 2,163 new units over the next 5 years.

2,163
Units to address shortages in existing housing stock
Production needs to address vacancy rates and other factors.
979
Replacement housing
Effective annual loss rate is 1.6 per 1,000 units.
173
Ownership vacancy adjustment
Owner-occupied vacancy is 1.3%. This is below the minimum stable target of 1.5%.
1,011
Rental vacancy adjustment
Rental vacancy is 5.6%. This is below the minimum stable target of 7.4%.
2,163
Total 5-year housing production need (2026-2031)
433
Annual production pace
Average units needed per year to meet 5-year need
1.7%
Total housing unit growth
Percent increase in housing stock over 5 years
0.3%
Annual housing unit growth
Average percent increase in housing stock per year

How do these communities compare to each other?