Data through September 2026 · updated 2026-11-07 · free, from Zillow, Realtor.com, the Census Bureau and other public sources
Typical home value$186,141+6.5% YoY · prices are rising fast
Market right nowBalanced marketMore homes for sale than last year, 22% have cut their price
Income needed to buy, per year$40,351About 0.6× the local median income ($64,751): affordable for a typical household
Days on market51 daysSlower than a year ago: buyers have time to negotiate
Next 12 months+4.8%Zillow expects prices to rise strongly
The typical home in Bay County, MI is worth $186,141, up 6.5% from a year ago. That is well above what local incomes have historically supported: fair value is about $154,717, so the area is 20.3% overvalued. It is a balanced market: homes take about 51 days to sell, listings are up 38% from a year ago, 22% of listings have had a price cut. Zillow expects prices to rise about 4.8% over the next year. A household needs about $40,351 a year to afford the typical home here at today's 7.18% mortgage rate (20% down, payment at 30% of income); the median household earns $64,751. Typical rent is $1,018 a month, or $1,119 for a house. In the latest IRS figures, 196 more people moved in than out.
Home value over time
Solid: typical home value · dashed: fair value (household income × the 20-year average price-to-income ratio). Sources: FHFA, Zillow, U.S. Census Bureau.
Prices and affordability
Typical home value
$186,141
Change in 1 year
+6.5%
Overvalued %
+20.3%
Show 7 more
Fair home value
$154,717
Change in 5 years
+36.6%
Zillow forecast, next 12 months
+4.8%
Home value to income
2.9×
Monthly mortgage payment (20% down)
$1,009
Income needed to afford it
$40,351
Property tax rate
1.49%
Rent and investing
Typical rent
$1,018
Typical rent for houses
$1,119
Price-to-rent ratio
15.2×
Show 3 more
HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,055
Gross rental yield
6.56%
Cap rate (estimate)
4.27%
Market activity
Listings vs a year ago
+37.8%
Days on market
51
Listings with a price cut
22.3%
Show 3 more
Homes for sale
288
Pending sales per 100 listings
48
Asking price per sq ft
$125
People and jobs
Median household income
$64,751
Population change (1 year)
−0.3%
Unemployment rate
4.3%
Show 4 more
Population
102,123
Income adjusted for cost of living
$70,458
Net moves in (IRS)
+196
Cost of living (US = 100)
91.9
Schools, risk and environment
School rating (1 to 10)
4.9
FEMA hazard risk score (0 to 100)
78.2
Unhealthy air days a year
3
Show 4 more
Flood risk score
81.5
Wildfire risk score
14.7
Walkability (1 to 20)
7.3
Road, rail and air noise
54 dB
Questions people ask
Is Bay County, MI overvalued?
Home prices in Bay County, MI are well above what local incomes have historically supported: fair value is about $154,717, so the area is 20.3% overvalued.
Is Bay County, MI a buyer's or seller's market?
Bay County, MI is a balanced market: homes take about 51 days to sell, listings are up 38% from a year ago, 22% of listings have had a price cut.
Are home prices going down in Bay County, MI?
Home values in Bay County, MI are up 6.5% over the last year. Zillow's forecast for the next 12 months is +4.8%.
How much do you need to earn to buy a home in Bay County, MI?
A household needs about $40,351 a year to afford the typical home in Bay County, MI at today's 7.18% mortgage rate (20% down, payment at 30% of income); the median household earns $64,751.