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City · 7,330 residents · Berrien County, Michigan

Fair Plain , Michigan

In Fair Plain, a typical home is worth $169,400 and typical rent is $1,019 a month. Compared with all of Berrien County, the typical home value is 24% lower and typical household income is 19% lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $169,400

    24% below the county

    27% below Michigan

    • Fair Plain
    • Berrien
    • Michigan

  • Typical rent

    $1,019a month

    8% above the county

    10% below Michigan

    • Fair Plain
    • Berrien
    • Michigan

  • Typical household income

    $52,817a year

    19% below the county

    28% below Michigan

    • Fair Plain
    • Berrien
    • Michigan

  • Households that own their home

    70%

    3 points below the county

    3 points below Michigan

    • Fair Plain
    • Berrien
    • Michigan

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Fair Plain is in Berrien County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Berrien County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Fair Plain apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Nearby, in Benton Harbor, the typical home value is $76,500: 55% less than in Fair Plain ($169,400).

  2. The typical home in Fair Plain is worth $169,400, 24% less than in Berrien County as a whole ($224,300).

  3. Nearby, in Three Rivers, the typical rent is $839: 18% less than in Fair Plain ($1,019).

  4. The typical household income in Fair Plain is $52,817, 19% less than in Berrien County as a whole ($65,425).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Fair Plain

What homes there are in Fair Plain, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

Detached houses, standing on their own, make up 82% of homes here, against 77% in Berrien County.

Year built

In Fair Plain, half of the homes were built before 1960; in Berrien County, before 1966.

Homes in Fair Plain are smaller: 57% have 3 bedrooms or more; in Berrien County, 64%.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes
Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$1,238 a month

Berrien County: $1,462 a month

Without a mortgage

$560 a month

Berrien County: $568 a month

Owners with a mortgage

75%

Berrien County: 56%

In Fair Plain, 75% of owners have a mortgage, and their typical cost is $1,238 a month, against $1,462 in Berrien County. Without one it drops to $560.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

From 2015–2019 to 2020–2024, the typical home value in Fair Plain rose 71%; in Berrien County, it rose 49%.

The typical rent in Fair Plain rose 30% over the same time; in Berrien County, it rose 27%.

While home values in Fair Plain changed +71% and rent +30%, the typical household income rose 37%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureFair PlainBerrien CountyMichiganUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate4.5%5.1%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate0.8%0.8%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate1.4%1.6%3.4%
People per household 2.222.352.422.53
Drive alone 79%76%74%69%
Carpool 9%8%8%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate3%2%3%
Work from home 6%11%14%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate1%1%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutes10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

Households in Fair Plain are smaller: 2.22 people on average; in Berrien County, 2.35.

The car rules in Fair Plain: 79% of workers drive to work alone, and the typical trip takes 10 to 19 minutes.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Fair Plain?

A typical home is tight for the typical income

We start with a typical home in Fair Plain, worth $169,400, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 32% of the typical household income in Fair Plain, which is $52,817 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $61,243 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Berrien County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Fair Plain. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $5,929 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$1,429

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$166,332
Total interest
$239,312
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $2,861 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,232 a month

  • Tight

    $1,232 to $1,585 a month

    Your payment · 32%

  • Hard

    more than $1,585 a month

Compared with the typical household income in Fair Plain ($52,817 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$1,429
Principal & interest$1,127
Property tax$157
Home insurance$71
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$75

You need at least $5,929 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Fair Plain and Berrien County

Fair Plain is in Berrien County, Michigan. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Fair Plain's own numbers

Typical home value
$169,400
Typical monthly rent
$1,019
Typical yearly household income
$52,817
Households that own their home
70%
Effective property tax rate
1.11%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Berrien County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,152
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+54%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
1.6%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Berrien County.

Everything about Berrien County

Buying

Buying a home in Fair Plain

A typical home in Fair Plain is worth $169,400: 24% below the county and 27% below Michigan. With the typical household income in Fair Plain ($52,817 a year), a typical home costs 3.2 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Fair Plain 3.2 years
  • Berrien 3.4 years
  • Michigan 3.2 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Berrien County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Berrien County rose 92% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Berrien County.

Period County Michigan U.S.
Last year (2025) +3.7% +4.7% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +54% +52% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +92% +97% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Fair Plain next to Berrien County, Michigan and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Fair Plain $169,400
  • Berrien $224,300
  • Michigan $231,600
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Fair Plain $1,019
  • Berrien $942
  • Michigan $1,129
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Fair Plain $52,817
  • Berrien $65,425
  • Michigan $72,875
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Fair Plain next to Berrien County and Michigan
Measure Fair Plain Berrien County Michigan U.S.
Typical home value $169,400 $224,300 $231,600 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,019 $942 $1,129 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $52,817 $65,425 $72,875 $80,734
Households that own their home 70% 73% 73% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $1,872 $2,429 $2,904 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 1.11% 1.08% 1.25% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 62% 50% 50% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Berrien County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Fair Plain

For a typical $169,400 home in Fair Plain, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Fair Plain's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $1,429a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $5,929
    Cash to close
    $11,011
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $75

  • Conventional, 5% down $1,398a month

    Down payment
    $8,470
    Cash to close
    $13,552
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $80

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,145a month

    Down payment
    $33,880
    Cash to close
    $38,962
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $1,302a month

    Down payment
    $25,410
    Cash to close
    $30,492
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Fair Plain and for Berrien County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Fair Plain

1.11%of the home’s value each year

$1,872 a year for the typical owner in Fair Plain.

  • Fair Plain 1.11%
  • Berrien 1.08%
  • Michigan 1.25%

What Michigan publishes Principal Residence Exemption (PRE) from school operating tax (Michigan Legislature (Michigan Compiled Laws))

Exemptions and deadlines in Michigan

Flood risk in Berrien County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Berrien County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
1.6%
1,083
Of those, with NFIP insurance
15%
County Michigan U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 1.6% 1.6% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 15% 18% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Fair Plain

Typical rent in Fair Plain is $1,019 a month: 8% above the county. In Fair Plain, 62% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Berrien County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,152 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $22.15 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Berrien County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $802 $15.42 $32,080
1 bedroom $887 $17.06 $35,480
2 bedrooms $1,152 $22.15 $46,080
3 bedrooms $1,512 $29.08 $60,480
4 bedrooms $1,514 $29.12 $60,560

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Fair Plain

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Fair Plain is in ZIP code 49022.

For 2 bedrooms it is $1,080: $72 less than the fair market rent for Berrien County ($1,152).

  • 49022 $1,080$1,420

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Fair Plain when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Fair Plain

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

We found no HUD-approved agencies with an office in Berrien County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.

A young man and a young woman look something up together on a laptop.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Fair Plain

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Fair Plain or Berrien County. The ones below are statewide in Michigan: they work in Fair Plain the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Michigan

  • MI 10K DPA Loan

    Statewide in Michigan

    Michigan state agency loan of up to $10,000, with no interest and no monthly payments, for the down payment, closing costs and prepaid expenses; it goes with MSHDA's MI Home Loan mortgage and is repaid in certain cases, such as when you pay off the first mortgage, sell or refinance the home, or no longer live in it. Offered by Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA).

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

  • Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC)

    Statewide in Michigan

    Michigan state authority certificate that lets you take 20% of the interest you pay each year on your mortgage off your federal taxes, for the life of the loan; you apply with an approved lender before you buy. Offered by Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA).

    Tax credit

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Fair Plain

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Fair Plain, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Kalamazoo Neighborhood Housing Services, Inc

    1219 S Park St, Kalamazoo · 46 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 5 more
    (269) 385-2916

  • Community Action House

    739 Paw Paw Dr, Holland · 53 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 6 more
    (616) 392-2368

  • Neighborhoods Inc. of Battle Creek

    47 North Washington Ave, Battle Creek · 67 miles away

    • Budget and credit workshops
    • Fair housing pre-purchase workshops
    • and 5 more
    (269) 224-6606

All counseling agencies in Michigan

Help in Spanish near Fair Plain

1 of the 3 agencies on this list says it serves in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Fair Plain

In HUD’s record, no housing authority with an office in Berrien County is named for Fair Plain or Berrien County.

4 other authorities have an office in Berrien County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Berrien County

These cities are also in Berrien County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Berrien County Housing in Michigan

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Fair Plain, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Berrien County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Fair Plain.

All guides
A father, a mother and their daughter smile among the avocado trees by their home in Somis, California.

Questions

Housing questions about Fair Plain

Short answers with the numbers for Fair Plain and all of Berrien County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Fair Plain?

The typical home value in Fair Plain is $169,400, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Berrien County it is $224,300.

How much does it cost to rent in Fair Plain?

Typical rent in Fair Plain is $1,019 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Berrien County is $1,152.

What is the FHA loan limit in Fair Plain?

Fair Plain uses the FHA limit for all of Berrien County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Fair Plain?

The typical homeowner in Fair Plain pays $1,872 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 1.11% of the home’s value; in Berrien County, the rate is 1.08%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Fair Plain?

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Berrien County; the nearest ones are on this page. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).