Español

Este sitio también está en español. Leer en español

City · 9,841 residents · Muskegon County, Michigan

Muskegon Heights , Michigan

In Muskegon Heights, a typical home is worth $68,000 and typical rent is $889 a month. Compared with all of Muskegon County, the typical home value is 66% lower, typical household income is 46% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 33 points lower.

WhatsApp

  • Typical home value

    $68,000

    66% below the county

    71% below Michigan

    • Muskegon Heights
    • Muskegon
    • Michigan

  • Typical rent

    $889a month

    14% below the county

    21% below Michigan

    • Muskegon Heights
    • Muskegon
    • Michigan

  • Typical household income

    $35,239a year

    46% below the county

    52% below Michigan

    • Muskegon Heights
    • Muskegon
    • Michigan

  • Households that own their home

    45%

    33 points below the county

    28 points below Michigan

    • Muskegon Heights
    • Muskegon
    • Michigan

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

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$86,452
2.8% less than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,025 a month

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Muskegon Heights is in Muskegon 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 Muskegon County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Muskegon Heights apart

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

  1. 45% of households in Muskegon Heights own their home, against 78% in Muskegon County.

  2. Muskegon Heights has the 3rd lowest typical household income of the 179 cities in Michigan with more than 5,000 people ($35,239).

  3. The typical home in Muskegon Heights is worth $68,000, 66% less than in Muskegon County as a whole ($198,300).

  4. According to Zillow, in the 12 months to September 2026 the typical home value in Muskegon Heights fell 2.8%; in Michigan, it rose 3.8%.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024); Zillow (September 2026 data). Zillow data

The homes here

Housing in Muskegon Heights

What homes there are in Muskegon Heights, 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

The detached house is the most common home in Muskegon Heights: 77% of homes, near the figure in Muskegon County (78%).

Year built

In Muskegon Heights, half of the homes were built before 1945; in Muskegon County, before 1969.

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

About 82% of rented homes in Muskegon Heights cost less than HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent for Muskegon County ($1,285).

With a mortgage

$1,080 a month

Muskegon County: $1,334 a month

Without a mortgage

$433 a month

Muskegon County: $520 a month

Owners with a mortgage

40%

Muskegon County: 57%

Owning costs less in Muskegon Heights: with a mortgage, the typical cost is $1,080 a month; in Muskegon County, $1,334. Without one, $433.

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

The typical home value in Muskegon Heights rose 55% since 2015–2019, less than in Muskegon County (68%).

The typical rent in Muskegon Heights rose 25% over the same time; in Muskegon County, it rose 35%.

Housing prices ran ahead of income in Muskegon Heights: typical income rose 14%, against +55% for home values and +25% for rent.

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

MeasureMuskegon HeightsMuskegon CountyMichiganUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate7.4%5.1%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate0.9%0.8%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate1.5%1.6%3.4%
People per household 2.522.512.422.53
Drive alone 82%81%74%69%
Carpool 11%9%8%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate1%2%3%
Work from home Unreliable estimate7%14%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate1%1%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutes10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

A household in Muskegon Heights has 2.52 people on average, about the same as in Muskegon County (2.51).

In Muskegon Heights, 82% of workers drive alone to work; in Muskegon County, 81%.

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 Muskegon Heights?

A typical home is within reach of the typical income

We start with a typical home in Muskegon Heights, worth $68,000, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 21% of the typical household income in Muskegon Heights, which is $35,239 a year.

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

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Muskegon Heights. 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 $2,380 (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

$610

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$66,768
Total interest
$96,064
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $1,148 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $822 a month

    Your payment · 21%

  • Tight

    $822 to $1,057 a month

  • Hard

    more than $1,057 a month

Compared with the typical household income in Muskegon Heights ($35,239 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$610
Principal & interest$452
Property tax$100
Home insurance$28
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$30

You need at least $2,380 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

Muskegon Heights and Muskegon County

Muskegon Heights is in Muskegon 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).

Muskegon Heights's own numbers

Typical home value
$68,000
Typical monthly rent
$889
Typical yearly household income
$35,239
Households that own their home
45%
Effective property tax rate
1.76%

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

Numbers for all of Muskegon County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,285
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+70%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
1.2%

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 Muskegon County.

Everything about Muskegon County

Buying

Buying a home in Muskegon Heights

A typical home in Muskegon Heights is worth $68,000: 66% below the county and 71% below Michigan. With the typical household income in Muskegon Heights ($35,239 a year), a typical home costs 1.9 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.

  • Muskegon Heights 1.9 years
  • Muskegon 3.0 years
  • Michigan 3.2 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Muskegon County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Muskegon County rose 142% in the 10 years through 2025.

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

Period County Michigan U.S.
Last year (2025) +6.7% +4.7% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +70% +52% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +142% +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

Muskegon Heights next to Muskegon 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
  • Muskegon Heights $68,000
  • Muskegon $198,300
  • Michigan $231,600
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Muskegon Heights $889
  • Muskegon $1,028
  • Michigan $1,129
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Muskegon Heights $35,239
  • Muskegon $65,024
  • Michigan $72,875
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Muskegon Heights next to Muskegon County and Michigan
Measure Muskegon Heights Muskegon County Michigan U.S.
Typical home value $68,000 $198,300 $231,600 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $889 $1,028 $1,129 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $35,239 $65,024 $72,875 $80,734
Households that own their home 45% 78% 73% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $1,194 $2,348 $2,904 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 1.76% 1.18% 1.25% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 56% 53% 50% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Muskegon 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 Muskegon Heights

For a typical $68,000 home in Muskegon Heights, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Muskegon Heights's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $610a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $2,380
    Cash to close
    $4,420
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $30

  • Conventional, 5% down $598a month

    Down payment
    $3,400
    Cash to close
    $5,440
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $32

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $497a month

    Down payment
    $13,600
    Cash to close
    $15,640
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $559a month

    Down payment
    $10,200
    Cash to close
    $12,240
    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 Muskegon Heights and for Muskegon County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Muskegon Heights

1.76%of the home’s value each year

$1,194 a year for the typical owner in Muskegon Heights.

  • Muskegon Heights 1.76%
  • Muskegon 1.18%
  • 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 Muskegon County

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

Homes in the high-risk zone
1.2%
772
Of those, with NFIP insurance
5.1%
County Michigan U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 1.2% 1.6% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 5.1% 18% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Muskegon Heights

Typical rent in Muskegon Heights is $889 a month: 14% below the county. In Muskegon Heights, 56% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Muskegon County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,285 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $24.71 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Muskegon 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 $937 $18.02 $37,480
1 bedroom $982 $18.88 $39,280
2 bedrooms $1,285 $24.71 $51,400
3 bedrooms $1,534 $29.50 $61,360
4 bedrooms $1,689 $32.48 $67,560

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 Muskegon Heights

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Muskegon Heights is in ZIP code 49444.

For 2 bedrooms it is $1,300: $15 more than the fair market rent for Muskegon County ($1,285).

  • 49444 $1,300$1,550

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Muskegon Heights 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?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Muskegon Heights

HUD lists 5 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Muskegon Heights. These are the largest.

  • East Park Manor 563 Howell Ave, Muskegon Heights 49444 200 low-income homes · Run by Muskegon Heights Housing Commission · Average payment: $317 a month · Average wait: 3 months (231) 733-2033
  • Columbia Court 65 E Columbia Ave, Muskegon Heights 49444 141 homes, 140 low-income · Run by Muskegon Heights Housing Commission · Average payment: $293 a month · Average wait: 2 months (231) 733-2033
  • Wells Villa 2800 Woodcliffe Dr, Muskegon Heights 49444 104 homes, 103 low-income · 1 bd: 20 · 2 bd: 45 · 3 bd: 31 · 4 bd: 8 · In service since 2005 · For families
  • Roosevelt Apartments 525 W Summit Ave, Muskegon Heights 49444 52 low-income homes · 1 bd: 26 · 2 bd: 26 · In service since 2017
  • M A Houston Apts 3020 Peck St, Muskegon Heights 49444 51 low-income homes · 1 bd: 41 · 2 bd: 10 · In service since 1999

See all 39 buildings in Muskegon County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Muskegon Heights

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 Muskegon County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.

A man shakes hands with the specialist who helped him with his loan, in the kitchen of his new home.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Muskegon Heights

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Muskegon Heights or Muskegon County. The ones below are statewide in Michigan: they work in Muskegon Heights 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 Muskegon Heights

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

  • Telamon Corporation - Paw Paw Branch

    3501 Sehler St, Conklin · 19 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 7 more
    (919) 899-9911

  • Truenorth Community Services

    6308 S Warner Ave, Fremont · 23 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 8 more
    (231) 924-0641

  • Community Action House

    739 Paw Paw Dr, Holland · 30 miles away · Spanish

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

All counseling agencies in Michigan

Help in Spanish near Muskegon Heights

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 Muskegon Heights

HUD’s record names them for Muskegon Heights or Muskegon County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • Muskegon Heights Housing Commission Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (231) 733-2033

One other authority has an office in Muskegon County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Muskegon County

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

Everything about Muskegon County Housing in Michigan

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Muskegon Heights, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Muskegon 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 Muskegon Heights.

All guides
A couple spread mulch under the avocado trees of their family orchard, he on the tractor and she with a shovel.

Questions

Housing questions about Muskegon Heights

Short answers with the numbers for Muskegon Heights and all of Muskegon 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 Muskegon Heights?

The typical home value in Muskegon Heights is $68,000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Muskegon County it is $198,300.

How much does it cost to rent in Muskegon Heights?

Typical rent in Muskegon Heights is $889 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Muskegon County is $1,285.

What is the FHA loan limit in Muskegon Heights?

Muskegon Heights uses the FHA limit for all of Muskegon 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 Muskegon Heights?

The typical homeowner in Muskegon Heights pays $1,194 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 1.76% of the home’s value; in Muskegon County, the rate is 1.18%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Muskegon Heights?

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Muskegon 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).