Detroit: what paychecks leave after rent
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area: 1,904,530 jobs, median pay of $52,080 across all occupations, and a $1,167 one-bedroom Fair Market Rent.
The typical worker in Detroit, earning the all-occupations median of $52,080, takes home about $3,669 a month after federal taxes. A one-bedroom at HUD's Fair Market Rent would take 32% of that. The median wage is 1.12× the income needed to keep that rent at 30% of gross pay.
Of the 10 jobs covered here, software developers have the most room (14% of take-home on a 1BR). Fast Food and Counter Workers are the most squeezed (54%).
Census figures add context: the ACS 2020–2024 5-year median gross rent paid by all renter households in the metro was $1,207 (±$7), and median household income was $76,664 (±$554).
Rent share of take-home pay, by job
All jobs in Detroit
| Job | Median pay | Take-home / mo | Hours of work | 1BR share | Left after 1BR | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developer | $130,760 | $8,387 | 18.6 h | 14% | $7,220 | 2.80× |
| Registered Nurse | $97,280 | $6,439 | 25.0 h | 18% | $5,272 | 2.08× |
| Electrician | $81,990 | $5,542 | 29.6 h | 21% | $4,375 | 1.76× |
| Accountant or Auditor | $80,650 | $5,464 | 30.1 h | 21% | $4,297 | 1.73× |
| Police Officer | $78,450 | $5,335 | 30.9 h | 22% | $4,168 | 1.68× |
| Elementary School Teacher | $65,210 | $4,548 | — h | 26% | $3,381 | 1.40× |
| Truck Driver | $59,120 | $4,140 | 41.0 h | 28% | $2,973 | 1.27× |
| Medical Assistant | $39,410 | $2,820 | 61.6 h | 41% | $1,653 | 0.84× |
| Retail Salesperson | $35,130 | $2,534 | 69.1 h | 46% | $1,367 | 0.75× |
| Fast Food Worker | $29,590 | $2,163 | 82.0 h | 54% | $996 | 0.63× |
HUD rent areas in this metro
| HUD FMR area | Population | 1BR | 2BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area | 4,180,995 | $1,167 | $1,459 |
| Livingston County, MI HUD Metro FMR Area | 195,833 | $1,291 | $1,477 |
HUD splits this metro into several rent areas. Highlighted is the most populous one, which this site uses for every comparison.
Sources & method
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — metropolitan areas — vintage: May 2025 estimates. File:
oesm25ma.zip, retrieved 2026-10-06. - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD USER), Fair Market Rents, FY2027 — vintage: FY2027 (effective Oct 1, 2026). File:
FY27_FMRs.xlsx, retrieved 2026-10-05. - U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates: Median gross rent (B25064) — vintage: ACS 2020–2024 5-year. File:
acsdt5y2024-b25064.dat, retrieved 2026-10-05. - U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates: Median household income (B19013) — vintage: ACS 2020–2024 5-year. File:
acsdt5y2024-b19013.dat, retrieved 2026-10-05. - Internal Revenue Service, Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (tax year 2026 brackets, $16,100 standard deduction) and SSA's $184,500 wage base, used for the take-home estimate.
Take-home = annual wage − 2026 federal income tax (single filer, standard deduction) − Social Security and Medicare. State and local income taxes are not deducted. Wages are May 2025 estimates; rents are HUD Fair Market Rents FY2027 (effective Oct 1, 2026). Full details on the methodology page. Page data last rebuilt 2026-10-06.