In Melvindale, a typical home is worth $125,800 and typical rent is $1,110 a month. Compared with all of Wayne County, typical household income is 30% lower and the typical home value is 30% lower.
Typical home value from Zillow, September 2021 to September 2026: from $109,386 to $138,451.
Typical rent
$1,163a month
▲ 9.4% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent from Zillow, March 2025 to September 2026: from $1,037 to $1,163.
From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).
Melvindale is in Wayne 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 Wayne County. See the county
What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.
1
Nearby, in River Rouge, the typical home value is $65,100: 48% less than in Melvindale ($125,800).
2
The typical household income in Melvindale is $42,185,30% less than in Wayne County as a whole ($60,539).
3
The typical home in Melvindale is worth $125,800,30% less than in Wayne County as a whole ($178,500).
4
Nearby, in River Rouge, the typical rent is $839: 24% less than in Melvindale ($1,110).
5
Melvindale has the 11th largest share of rent-burdened renters of the 168 cities in Michigan with more than 5,000 people (66%).
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).
The homes here
Housing in Melvindale
What homes there are in Melvindale, 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 houseAttached houseBuilding of 2 to 4Apartments (5 or more)Mobile homeBoat, RV and otherUnreliable estimate
Melvindale
Wayne County
Michigan
United States
Kind of home: Melvindale and its comparisons
Measure
Melvindale
Wayne County
Michigan
United States
Detached house
73%
70%
72%
61%
Attached house
Unreliable estimate
6%
5%
6%
Building of 2 to 4
3%
7%
5%
8%
Apartments (5 or more)
Unreliable estimate
16%
13%
19%
Mobile home
Unreliable estimate
2%
5%
6%
Boat, RV and other
Unreliable estimate
0%
0%
0%
In Melvindale, 7 in 10 homes are single-family detached houses; in Wayne County, 7.
Year built
Before 19601960–19791980–19992000–20092010 or laterUnreliable estimate
Melvindale
Wayne County
Michigan
United States
Year built: Melvindale and its comparisons
Measure
Melvindale
Wayne County
Michigan
United States
Before 1960
66%
59%
36%
26%
1960–1979
21%
21%
26%
24%
1980–1999
Unreliable estimate
11%
22%
25%
2000–2009
Unreliable estimate
6%
10%
14%
2010 or later
Unreliable estimate
3%
6%
11%
The typical home in Melvindale was built in 1950, 6 years before the typical one in Wayne County.
What it costs here
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024
Value of owner-occupied homes
Unreliable estimate
Under $100K28%
$100K–$200K65%
$200K–$300KUnreliable
$300K–$500KUnreliable
$500K–$750KUnreliable
$750K–$1MUnreliable
$1M or moreUnreliable
Value of owner-occupied homes: Melvindale and its comparisons
Measure
Melvindale
Under $100K
28%
$100K–$200K
65%
$200K–$300K
Unreliable estimate
$300K–$500K
Unreliable estimate
$500K–$750K
Unreliable
$750K–$1M
Unreliable
$1M or more
Unreliable estimate
Monthly rent with utilities
Unreliable estimate
Under $500Unreliable
$500–$999Unreliable
$1,000–$1,49936%
$1,500–$1,99924%
$2,000–$2,499Unreliable
$2,500–$2,999Unreliable
$3,000 or moreUnreliable
Monthly rent with utilities: Melvindale and its comparisons
Measure
Melvindale
Under $500
Unreliable estimate
$500–$999
Unreliable estimate
$1,000–$1,499
36%
$1,500–$1,999
24%
$2,000–$2,499
Unreliable estimate
$2,500–$2,999
Unreliable
$3,000 or more
Unreliable
With a mortgage
$1,166 a month
Wayne County: $1,556 a month
Without a mortgage
$574 a month
Wayne County: $612 a month
Owners with a mortgage
40%
Wayne County: 52%
The typical cost for an owner with a mortgage in Melvindale is $1,166 a month, less than in Wayne County ($1,556); without one, $574.
How it changed
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024
Change since 2015–2019
Typical home value
Melvindale+96%
Wayne County+58%
Michigan+50%
United States+53%
Typical rent
Melvindale+30%
Wayne County+29%
Michigan+30%
United States+33%
Typical household income
MelvindaleNo clear change
Wayne County+28%
Michigan+28%
United States+29%
Change since 2015–2019: Melvindale and its comparisons
Measure
Melvindale
Wayne County
Michigan
United States
Typical home value
+96%
+58%
+50%
+53%
Typical rent
+30%
+29%
+30%
+33%
Typical household income
No clear change
+28%
+28%
+29%
Since 2015–2019, homes in Melvindale gained value faster than in Wayne County: 96% against 58%.
Rents in Melvindale rose at about the same pace as in Wayne County: 30% since 2015–2019, against 29%.
How people live
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024
How people live: Melvindale and its comparisons
Measure
Melvindale
Wayne County
Michigan
United States
Rental vacancy
Unreliable estimate
4.6%
5.1%
5.5%
Homeowner vacancy
Unreliable estimate
1.5%
0.8%
0.9%
More than one person per room
11.2%
2.2%
1.6%
3.4%
People per household
2.95
2.50
2.42
2.53
Drive alone
61%
72%
74%
69%
Carpool
29%
9%
8%
9%
Public transit
Unreliable estimate
2%
1%
3%
Walk or bike
Unreliable estimate
2%
2%
3%
Work from home
Unreliable estimate
14%
14%
15%
Other means
Unreliable estimate
2%
1%
2%
Typical commute
20 to 29 minutes
20 to 29 minutes
20 to 29 minutes
20 to 29 minutes
In Melvindale, 11.2% of households live with more than one person per room, against 2.2% in Wayne County.
More people live in each home here: 2.95 on average, against 2.50 in Wayne County.
In Melvindale, 29% of workers share a car to get to work; in Wayne County, 9%.
Do the math
What would you pay each month for a home in Melvindale?
A typical home is tight for the typical income
We start with a typical home in Melvindale, worth $125,800, 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 Melvindale, which is $42,185 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $47,592 a year.
The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Wayne County.
Change the price, the down payment or the loan: the payment updates right away.
Your numbers
Local data
$
Starts at the typical home value in Melvindale. Change it to the price you have in mind.
Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.
Down payment
%
That is $4,403 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.
This week's average ± a quarter or half point.
National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.
Adjust advanced details⌄
Estimated monthly payment
Local data
$1,111
at 7.18% · 30 years
Loan amount
$123,521
Total interest
$177,718
Paid off in
November 2056
Includes $2,124 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.
Does it fit the income?
Comfortable
up to $984 a month
Tight
$984 to $1,266 a month
Your payment · 32%
Hard
more than $1,266 a month
Compared with the typical household income in Melvindale ($42,185 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.
Monthly payment breakdown
Principal & interest
$837
Property tax
$166
Home insurance
$52
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)
$56
You need at least $4,403 for the down payment, plus closing costs.
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.
Total monthly payment $1,111; principal and interest $837.
The city and its county
Melvindale and Wayne County
Melvindale is in Wayne 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).
Melvindale
Map of Wayne County, Michigan, with Melvindale marked. Around it, the neighboring counties.
Melvindale
Wayne County
Other cities with a page
Melvindale's own numbers
Typical home value
$125,800
Typical monthly rent
$1,110
Typical yearly household income
$42,185
Households that own their home
61%
Effective property tax rate
1.58%
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).
Numbers for all of Wayne County
FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,459
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+49%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
2%
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 Wayne County.
A typical home in Melvindale is worth $125,800: 30% below the county and 46% below Michigan. With the typical household income in Melvindale ($42,185 a year), a typical home costs 3.0 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.
Melvindale3.0 years
Wayne2.9 years
Michigan3.2 years
United States4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024
How prices have changed in Wayne County
According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Wayne County rose 97% in the 10 years through 2025.
FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Wayne County.
Yearly change in FHFA’s price index in Wayne County, 2016 to 2025
2016: +5.9% +5.9% 2016
2017: +7.1% +7.1% 2017
2018: +6.8% +6.8% 2018
2019: +4.7% +4.7% 2019
2020: +3.7% +3.7% 2020
2021: +11.3% +11.3% 2021
2022: +12.0% +12.0% 2022
2023: +6.5% +6.5% 2023
2024: +7.0% +7.0% 2024
2025: +5.3% +5.3% 2025
Change in FHFA’s price index in Wayne County, Michigan and the United States
Period
County
Michigan
U.S.
Last year (2025)
+5.3%
+4.7%
+2.9%
5 years (2020–2025)
+49%
+52%
+47%
10 years (2015–2025)
+97%
+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
Melvindale next to Wayne 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
Melvindale$125,800
Wayne$178,500
Michigan$231,600
United States$332,700
Typical monthly rent
Melvindale$1,110
Wayne$1,132
Michigan$1,129
United States$1,413
Typical yearly household income
Melvindale$42,185
Wayne$60,539
Michigan$72,875
United States$80,734
See the full table
Melvindale next to Wayne County and Michigan
Measure
Melvindale
Wayne County
Michigan
U.S.
Typical home value
$125,800 ▼30% below the county
$178,500
$231,600
$332,700
Typical monthly rent
$1,110
$1,132
$1,129
$1,413
Typical yearly household income
$42,185 ▼30% below the county
$60,539
$72,875
$80,734
Households that own their home
61% ▼4 points below the county
65%
73%
65%
Typical yearly property tax
$1,993 ▼31% below the county
$2,904
$2,904
$3,119
Effective property tax rate
1.58% ▼0.05 points below the county
1.63%
1.25%
0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income
66% ▲12 points above the county
54%
50%
51%
“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Wayne 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 Melvindale
For a typical $125,800 home in Melvindale, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Melvindale's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.
FHA, 3.5% down$1,110a month
Least cash to close
Down payment
$4,403
Cash to close
$8,177
Rate
7.18%
Mortgage insurance
FHA MIP · $56
Conventional, 5% down$1,087a month
Down payment
$6,290
Cash to close
$10,064
Rate
7.18%
Mortgage insurance
PMI · $60
Conventional, 20% down, no PMI$900a month
Down payment
$25,160
Cash to close
$28,934
Rate
7.18%
Mortgage insurance
None
ITIN, 15% down (example)$1,016a month
Down payment
$18,870
Cash to close
$22,644
Rate
8.18%
Mortgage insurance
None
Four ways to pay for a typical home in Melvindale
Loan
Monthly payment
Down payment
Loan amount
Rate
Mortgage insurance
Cash to close
Minimum score
FHA, 3.5% down Least cash to close
$1,110
$4,403
$123,521
7.18%
FHA MIP · $56
$8,177
580
Conventional, 5% down
$1,087
$6,290
$119,510
7.18%
PMI · $60
$10,064
620*
Conventional, 20% down, no PMI
$900
$25,160
$100,640
7.18%
None
$28,934
620*
ITIN, 15% down (example)
$1,016
$18,870
$106,930
8.18%
None
$22,644
Set by the lender
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.
Typical rent in Melvindale is $1,110 a month: about the same as the county. In Melvindale, 66% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.
HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Wayne County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,459 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $28.06 an hour working full time.
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.
There are 18 HUD-approved agencies with an office in Wayne County; 4 say they serve in Spanish.
No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Melvindale or Wayne County. The ones below are statewide in Michigan: they work in Melvindale the same as in the rest of the state.
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).
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).
No legal help resource on our list is for Melvindale or Wayne County in particular.
If you have a problem with your landlord, an eviction notice or a scam, the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) search shows the free legal aid offices that serve your area.
Short answers with the numbers for Melvindale and all of Wayne 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 Melvindale?
The typical home value in Melvindale is $125,800, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Wayne County it is $178,500.
How much does it cost to rent in Melvindale?
Typical rent in Melvindale is $1,110 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Wayne County is $1,459.
What is the FHA loan limit in Melvindale?
Melvindale uses the FHA limit for all of Wayne 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 Melvindale?
The typical homeowner in Melvindale pays $1,993 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 1.58% of the home’s value; in Wayne County, the rate is 1.63%.
Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Melvindale?
There are 18 HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Wayne County. 4 say they serve in Spanish. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.
