University of Michigan Off Campus Housing Costs (2026)
The cheapest ZIP code near the University of Michigan in this data is Ypsilanti 48197, with an average whole-unit rent of $1,340 a month about 7.8 miles from campus. Closest to campus, Ann Arbor 48104 (1.4 miles) averages $2,241, while Ann Arbor 48108 (3.9 miles) is the best close-in value at $1,729. The university’s estimated in-state total cost of attendance is $34,782 whether a student lives on or off campus. Splitting a rental among roommates is what usually makes off-campus housing competitive.
This guide compares 11 nearby ZIP codes by rent, distance and home values as of September 2026. It also sets them against the cost figures reported for the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.
University of Michigan student housing: what the cost figures show
The university enrolls 52,065 students, including 33,921 undergraduates. On-campus housing capacity is listed at 11,631 beds, enough for roughly 22% of total enrollment. The data also reports that 95.6% of students live on campus and 2.1% rent off campus. Those two figures don’t line up with the bed count, so they likely describe different groups of students. Treat the 95.6% share with caution rather than as a measure of how all students live.
The more useful number for budgeting is the cost of attendance. The in-state total is $34,782 for both on-campus and off-campus students. In-state tuition is $17,977, which leaves about $16,805 for everything else in that estimate. That remainder covers housing, food and other costs together.
The data does not break out a separate on-campus room charge, so a line-by-line comparison of dorm rent against apartment rent isn’t possible here. What can be compared is how a share of a nearby rental fits inside that roughly $16,805 non-tuition budget.
Out-of-state tuition is $59,775, which is $41,798 more than in-state. The data lists total cost only for in-state students. Housing costs themselves don’t depend on residency, though, so the rent comparisons below apply to both groups.
Nearby ZIP codes ranked by distance from campus
| ZIP | Area | Distance | Avg rent | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 48104 | Ann Arbor | 1.4 mi | $2,241 | $587,722 |
| 48108 | Ann Arbor | 3.9 mi | $1,729 | $449,142 |
| 48105 | Ann Arbor | 3.9 mi | $2,297 | $563,676 |
| 48103 | Ann Arbor | 5.7 mi | $2,072 | $535,651 |
| 48198 | Ypsilanti | 7.5 mi | $1,650 | $228,065 |
| 48197 | Ypsilanti | 7.8 mi | $1,340 | $350,679 |
| 48189 | Whitmore Lake | 9.5 mi | $1,702 | $366,941 |
| 48176 | Saline | 9.7 mi | $1,957 | $475,698 |
| 48130 | Dexter | 10.1 mi | $2,400 | $516,906 |
| 48190 | Milan | 12.2 mi | $1,422 | $210,582 |
| 48168 | Northville | 13.2 mi | $2,761 | $668,158 |
Across the 11 ZIP codes, average rents run from about $1,340 to $2,761 a month, with a median of $1,956. These are whole-unit averages, not per-bedroom rents. A two- or three-bedroom split will cost each person far less than the headline number.
Three distance bands, three price patterns
Within 4 miles: the Ann Arbor core
Three Ann Arbor ZIP codes sit within 4 miles of campus:
- Ann Arbor 48104: 1.4 miles, $2,241 a month. It is the closest option and the one most students will compare against dorm life.
- Ann Arbor 48108: 3.9 miles, $1,729 a month. It is $512 a month cheaper than 48104, which works out to $6,144 over a 12-month lease.
- Ann Arbor 48105: 3.9 miles, $2,297 a month. It is the priciest of the close-in group and sits $568 above 48108 at the same distance.
48108 and 48105 are the same distance from campus but differ by more than $500 a month. Distance alone doesn’t set the price, so students who want to stay close should compare both before signing.
5 to 8 miles: Ann Arbor’s west side and Ypsilanti
Ann Arbor 48103 is 5.7 miles out and averages $2,072, close to the core prices. Moving into Ypsilanti changes the picture:
- Ypsilanti 48198: 7.5 miles, $1,650 a month.
- Ypsilanti 48197: 7.8 miles, $1,340 a month. This is the lowest rent in the dataset and $901 a month below 48104.
Over 12 months, that $901 gap adds up to $10,812 per unit. Even split three ways, it is about $3,600 per person per year.
9 to 13 miles: surrounding towns
The outer ring is mixed:
- Milan 48190 (12.2 miles, $1,422) is the second-cheapest ZIP overall.
- Whitmore Lake 48189 (9.5 miles, $1,702) is in line with 48108 but more than twice as far.
- Saline 48176 (9.7 miles, $1,957) sits right at the area median.
- Dexter 48130 (10.1 miles, $2,400) and Northville 48168 (13.2 miles, $2,761) are the two most expensive ZIPs on the list.
The farthest locations do not save money by default. Northville costs $520 a month more than 48104 while sitting nearly 12 miles farther from campus.
How splitting a rental compares with the on-campus budget
Because rents are whole-unit averages, the per-person math depends on how many people share. The figures below use 12 months of rent; the data does not cover lease terms, utilities or bedroom counts.
Ann Arbor 48104 ($2,241 a month, $26,892 a year)
- Alone: $26,892, well above the roughly $16,805 non-tuition budget in the cost of attendance.
- Two people: about $13,446 each, or $1,121 a month.
- Three people: about $8,964 each, or $747 a month.
- Four people: about $6,723 each, or $560 a month.
Ann Arbor 48108 ($1,729 a month, $20,748 a year)
- Two people: about $10,374 each, or $865 a month.
- Three people: about $6,916 each, or $576 a month.
Ypsilanti 48197 ($1,340 a month, $16,080 a year)
- Two people: about $8,040 each, or $670 a month.
- Three people: about $5,360 each, or $447 a month.
- Four people: about $4,020 each, or $335 a month.
What the splits suggest
A solo lease anywhere on this list costs more over a year than the entire non-tuition share of the cost estimate, except in 48197, where 12 months of rent ($16,080) comes close to it on its own. That leaves almost nothing for food or anything else.
Sharing changes the outcome. Three students splitting an average unit in 48104 would each pay about $8,964 a year. That leaves roughly $7,841 of the $16,805 for food and other costs, which keeps a close-in rental within the university’s own budget.
In 48197, a three-way split leaves about $11,445 of that figure for other expenses. That is the most room in the dataset, in exchange for a 7.8-mile distance.
Who each option suits
- Students who want to walk or stay close: 48104 at 1.4 miles is the obvious choice. It is affordable mainly with three or more roommates.
- Students balancing cost and distance: 48108 is the best close-in value, under 4 miles and $1,729, roughly $227 below the area median.
- Students prioritizing the lowest rent: Ypsilanti 48197 ($1,340) and 48198 ($1,650) cut costs sharply at under 8 miles. This makes sense for students with reliable transportation.
- Graduate students or those with families: Milan offers the second-lowest rent at $1,422, though at 12.2 miles. Saline sits at the median price. The data does not cover schools or commute times, so families should check those separately.
- Students considering Dexter or Northville: both cost more than the closest Ann Arbor ZIP. The data gives no cost reason to choose them for proximity to campus.
What this data doesn’t cover
The figures here are ZIP-level averages. They don’t show:
- Per-bedroom rents
- Furnished versus unfurnished units
- Utilities, parking or lease length
- Transit routes or commute times
- A separate on-campus room or meal charge
Rents for specific buildings can sit well above or below the ZIP average. Use the numbers as a benchmark when comparing listings, not as a quote.
The landlord and investor angle
For owners, the same ZIP codes look different. Ann Arbor’s four ZIPs carry median home values between $449,142 and $587,722 and gross cap rates of only 3% to 3.2%. Prices there are high relative to rents.
The strongest gross yields are in Ypsilanti 48198, at 5.6% on a $228,065 median home value, and Milan, at 5.3% on $210,582. Whitmore Lake and Dexter follow at 3.6%. Northville has the highest median home value at $668,158 but yields 3.2%.
Investors comparing university markets more broadly can see how Ann Arbor stacks up on the best college towns for investing list.
Frequently asked questions
How much does off-campus housing cost near the University of Michigan?
Average whole-unit rents in the 11 nearby ZIP codes range from about $1,340 to $2,761 a month, with a median of $1,956. The closest ZIP, Ann Arbor 48104 at 1.4 miles, averages $2,241.
Is it cheaper to live off campus at the University of Michigan?
The university's in-state cost of attendance is $34,782 whether students live on or off campus. A solo lease generally costs more than the non-tuition portion of that budget, but splitting a unit three or four ways brings per-person rent well below it.
What is the cheapest area to rent near the University of Michigan?
Ypsilanti 48197 has the lowest average rent in the data at $1,340 a month, about 7.8 miles from campus. Milan 48190 is next at $1,422, but it is 12.2 miles away.
What is the cheapest Ann Arbor ZIP code close to campus?
Ann Arbor 48108, 3.9 miles from campus, averages $1,729 a month. That is $512 less than 48104 and $568 less than 48105, which is the same distance away.
How many students can live in University of Michigan student housing?
On-campus housing capacity is listed at 11,631 beds against total enrollment of 52,065, or roughly 22% of students.
Sources and methodology
College figures (enrollment, housing capacity, room and board, cost of attendance, where students live) are from the U.S. Department of Education's IPEDS data. Rents and home values are Repit's ZIP-level estimates as of September 2026 for ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles of campus that pass Repit's data-quality checks.